Best time to visit Turkey

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Things to do Istanbul Gulet cruising Cappadocia Cirali Beach Families Food and drink Advice Responsible Tourism

Best time to visit Turkey

Turkey's shores, peaks and plateaux offer places and activities for every season - from culture to kayaks, sailing to skiing

With a 7,200km coastline and wildly varying terrain, the best time to visit Turkey depends on where you want to go and what you want to do. June to August is hot almost everywhere. The west and south coasts have mild winters, while central Anatolia is colder – as is Istanbul. Summer is great for activities like kayaking, rafting, canyoning or diving, but not so good for crowds at major cultural sites. Sunny spring and autumn days offer fine temperatures for walking and cycling.

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Turkey Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

110

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

126

Our Turkey Holidays

When to visit Turkey and when not to

January and February find Turkey hunkering down from rain and cold with eastern and central areas, such as Anatolia, covered in snow and experiencing freezing temperatures. Cyclists and hikers will be pleased to learn that things are starting to look up weatherwise during March and April, especially on southern coastlines, and there's every chance of spotting dolphins heading northwest towards the Black Sea. April and May are often the best months to visit Turkey as although you may get a couple of rainy days there's an abundance of wild flowers and blossom turning the countryside into a cornucopia of colour alongside milder temperatures and fewer crowds on walking trails both inland and along the coast. June is the start of the summer in Turkey and as such the resorts along the Mediterranean and Aegean will start to become busier as land and sea temperatures start to rise. The holy month of Ramadan takes place in May and June in 2019 and in April and May in 2020 so do take this into consideration when making travel plans. July and August are the hottest months of the Turkish calendar most visitors tend to hit the coast which leaves cities and hiking trails often bereft of crowds and accommodation prices a little lower. In autumn, Turkey still promises plenty of blue skies and warm temperatures although as September turns to October start to expect shorter days and more showers. By November and December it's often down to luck as to what weather conditions you'll find in Turkey. Towards the end of the year things will have cooled down considerably which won't necessarily be all bad for cyclists tackling steep ascents. In general, the best time to visit Turkey is in spring and autumn if you're looking to cycle, trek or explore archaeological sites. However, heat-loving cultural travellers wishing to combine classical highlights with a few days on the beach will find June through to September absolutely ideal.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Turkey or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Festivals & events in Turkey

Did you know about...?

Mevlana Festival (Konya) - December 10th-17th

A celebration of the whirling dervish orders founded by 13th century Sufi poet and mystic philosopher Jelaluddin Rumi - aka Mevlâna ('Our Guide'). A million people visit the vibrant city of Konya to witness days of dervish dancing and music, culminating in the major performance of unique trance-like forms on December 17 (the day Rumi died in 1273).

More about Turkey

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Delve deep into our Turkey travel guide to discover what we rate & what we don’t to help you travel like a local.

Where to go in Turkey

Our Turkey map & itineraries page is designed to help you make the most of your time before you’ve set off.

Things to do in Turkey

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Things to see & do in Istanbul

A beguiling meeting place of East and West, Istanbul has the kind of mythical appeal that makes other cities jealous.

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Gulet cruising holidays in Turkey take you back to the place where this elegant form of travel originated.

Things to see & do in Cappadocia

Exploring Turkey’s Cappadocia region, with its towering rock spires and vast underground cities, is a surreal experience.

Archaeology holidays in eastern Turkey

President Erdogan declared 2019 the ‘year of Göbekli Tepe'.

Cirali beach holidays

For those in the know, Cirali on Turkey’s Antalya coast is something of a hidden gem.

Food & drink in Turkey

From the Istanbul spice market to the vineyards of Cappadocia we run through which Turkish food and drink you should be eating on your trip.

Travelling in Turkey with kids

Travelling in Turkey with kids is all about variety and adventure with plenty of both to be found on our dedicated page.

Turkey travel advice

Our Turkey travel advice comes straight from our friends in Turkey with plenty of seasonal suggestions too.

Responsible tourism in Turkey

Responsible tourism in Turkey is definitely worth paying attention to, from battling overdevelopment to saving sea life.

Is it safe to travel to Turkey?

Our guide to safety in Turkey explores the current situation, with practical advice from operators we use.

More relevant guides

Written by Norman Miller

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Photo credits: [Page banner: Christine McIntosh] [Ani: Panegyrics of Granovetter] [Cappadocia: Pedro] [Cirali: s_wh] [Edirne: Casal Partiu] [Ephesus: jpitha] [Ephesus: Esther Lee] [Fethiye: Bekir Topuz] [Gallipoli Peninsular: Jorge Lascar] [Kackar Mountains: BRIEF] [Konya: Graeme Churchard] [Lycian Way: Warren Talbot] [Mount Ararat: Amy Nelson] [Safranbolu: osman sozer] [Taurus Mountains: Toros Daglar?]

Best time to visit Turkey