Winter
Dec → Feb10 to 13°
nights 4 to 7°
- 11 rainy days · 84 mm
- 5.9 h of sun
- sea 10°
When is the best time to visit Turkey?
- Jan10°not recommended
- Feb11°not recommended
- Mar12°fair
- Apr17°recommended
- May21°recommended
- Jun26°recommended
- Jul29°fair
- Aug30°fair
- Sep26°recommended
- Oct21°recommended
- Nov16°fair
- Dec13°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Turkey, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10° | 4° | 5.5 h | 98 mm | 12 d | 10° | |
| February | 11° | 4° | 6.8 h | 74 mm | 10 d | 9° | |
| March | 12° | 5° | 7.8 h | 83 mm | 13 d | 9° | |
| April | 17° | 9° | 10.2 h | 72 mm | 10 d | 11° | ✓ |
| May | 21° | 12° | 11.7 h | 59 mm | 9 d | 14° | ✓ |
| June | 26° | 18° | 12.9 h | 61 mm | 9 d | 20° | ✓ |
| July | 29° | 21° | 13.5 h | 34 mm | 4 d | 25° | |
| August | 30° | 21° | 12.6 h | 20 mm | 4 d | 25° | |
| September | 26° | 18° | 10.9 h | 47 mm | 7 d | 24° | ✓ |
| October | 21° | 14° | 8.4 h | 44 mm | 6 d | 20° | ✓ |
| November | 16° | 10° | 7.1 h | 94 mm | 9 d | 17° | |
| December | 13° | 7° | 5.5 h | 80 mm | 12 d | 12° |
The four seasons in Turkey, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Istanbul, Hagia Sophia) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May12 to 21°
nights 5 to 12°
- 11 rainy days · 71 mm
- 9.9 h of sun
- sea 11°
Summer
Jun → Aug26 to 30°
nights 18 to 21°
- 6 rainy days · 38 mm
- 13 h of sun
- sea 23°
Autumn
Sep → Nov16 to 26°
nights 10 to 18°
- 7 rainy days · 62 mm
- 8.8 h of sun
- sea 20°
Book early for April to June and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Turkey, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h06 of daylight, in December 9h14, a difference of 5h52.
9h32Jan
10h34Feb
11h49Mar
13h15Apr
14h27May
15h06Jun
14h50Jul
13h48Aug
12h24Sep
11h01Oct
9h49Nov
9h14Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Istanbul, Hagia Sophia" (41.01°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Turkey, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking | ||||||||||||
| Beach & swimming | ||||||||||||
| Towns & culture | ||||||||||||
| Diving & snorkelling | ||||||||||||
| Long days | ||||||||||||
| Events | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
EventsSelçuk camel wrestlingJanuary to FebruaryIstanbul Tulip FestivalAprilKırkpınar oil wrestlingJune to JulyŞeb-i Arus in KonyaDecemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Hiking: May, June, July, September, October, November
- Beach & swimming: July, August, September
- Towns & culture: January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
- Diving & snorkelling: July, August
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Turkey, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- January to FebruarySelçuk camel wrestling
In winter, wrestling camels face off in an arena near Ephesus, amid braziers and sausage stalls.
- AprilIstanbul Tulip Festival
In April, the parks of Emirgan and Gülhane are covered in tulips in bloom, a reminder of the Ottoman gardens and their bulb mania.
- June to JulyKırkpınar oil wrestling
In Edirne, in late June, oiled wrestlers in leather breeches grapple on a meadow, in a tournament held since the Middle Ages.
- DecemberŞeb-i Arus in Konya big crowds
In mid-December, Konya commemorates Rumi's death with a week of ceremonies and whirling dervish performances.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit Turkey, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇹🇷 Antalya | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · |
| 🇹🇷 Bodrum | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · |
| 🇹🇷 Cappadocia | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · |
| 🇹🇷 Istanbul | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · |
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended10°4° at night
- 98 mm · 12 d
- 5.5 h
- sea 10°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended11°4° at night
- 74 mm · 10 d
- 6.8 h
- sea 9°
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair12°5° at night
- 83 mm · 13 d
- 7.8 h
- sea 9°
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended17°9° at night
- 72 mm · 10 d
- 10.2 h
- sea 11°
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended21°12° at night
- 59 mm · 9 d
- 11.7 h
- sea 14°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended26°18° at night
- 61 mm · 9 d
- 12.9 h
- sea 20°
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair29°21° at night
- 34 mm · 4 d
- 13.5 h
- sea 25°
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair30°21° at night
- 20 mm · 4 d
- 12.6 h
- sea 25°
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended26°18° at night
- 47 mm · 7 d
- 10.9 h
- sea 24°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended21°14° at night
- 44 mm · 6 d
- 8.4 h
- sea 20°
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair16°10° at night
- 94 mm · 9 d
- 7.1 h
- sea 17°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended13°7° at night
- 80 mm · 12 d
- 5.5 h
- sea 12°
Busy, without the crush
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 10 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (98 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (5.5 h a day). Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 11 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (74 mm). Expect 6.8 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 12 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (83 mm). Expect 7.8 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 17 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (72 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.2 h a day on average. Sea at 11 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (59 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11.7 h a day on average. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 26 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (61 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 12.9 h a day on average. Cool sea (20 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 29 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Rain stays light: 34 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 13.5 h a day on average. The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
August. 30 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Rain stays light: 20 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 12.6 h a day on average. The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
September. 26 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Rain stays light: 47 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. The sea is at 24 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 44 mm over 6 days. Expect 8.4 h of sunshine a day. Cool sea (20 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 16 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (94 mm). Expect 7.1 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 13 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (80 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (5.5 h a day). Sea at 12 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Turkey?
April to June and September to October: over these months, recorded highs range from 17 to 26 °C, with 8 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Istanbul, Hagia Sophia).
Which month should you avoid in Turkey?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 98 mm over 12 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Istanbul, Hagia Sophia).
What is the hottest month in Turkey?
August, with 30 °C on average in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Istanbul, Hagia Sophia).
What is the coldest month in Turkey?
January, with 10 °C at best during the day and 4 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Istanbul, Hagia Sophia).
What is the driest month in Turkey?
August: 20 mm over 4 days of rain, against 98 mm in January, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Turkey?
July, with 13.5 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Turkey?
The water reaches 22 °C or more in July, August, September (warmest 25 °C in July), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Istanbul, Hagia Sophia).
When is the best time to hike in Turkey?
May, June, July, September, October, November: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month according to 2015-2024 records (Istanbul, Hagia Sophia), the safest windows for walking.
When to go diving or snorkelling in Turkey?
July, August: the sea is above 25 °C, warm enough to stay in a long time without a thick wetsuit. 2023-2024 records on the nearest coast (Istanbul, Hagia Sophia).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Turkey guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Julia Volk / Pexels · Ahmet Gürün / Pexels · Duygu Yıldırım / Pexels · Mathias Reding / Pexels · Bruna Santos / Pexels · Genadi Yakovlev / Pexels · Yan Zhang / Pexels · Julien Goettelmann / Pexels · Francis Friedlander / Pexels · Tatyana / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)