VacationSage
The year at a glance
ExcellentGoodFairPoor Click a month to compare destinations.
The short answer
Go in May–September. The least comfortable stretch is December–March.
- Warmest month: August, average high 30°C (85°F).
- Coolest month: January, average high 9°C (49°F), lows near 4°C (39°F).
- Wettest month: December, about 105 mm (4.1 in) of rain.
- Driest month: August, about 21 mm (0.8 in).
Quick facts
- Currency
- Turkish lira
- Language
- Turkish
- Plugs
- Type C, Type F
- Drives on the
- right
- Calling code
- +90
- Airports
- Istanbul Airport (IST)
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) - Population
- 15,655,924
Temperature and rain through the year
Average highAverage lowRain (mm, right axis)
Top sights in Istanbul
- Hagia Sophia mosque, museum, and former church in Istanbul, Turkey
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey, also known as Blue Mosque
- Topkapı Palace palace museum in Istanbul, Turkey
- Süleymaniye Mosque mosque in İstanbul, Turkey
- Galata Tower historical tower in İstanbul
- Dolmabahçe Palace palace in Istanbul, Turkey
- Taksim Square square in Istanbul, Turkey
- Grand Bazaar bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey
Ranked by how widely each place is covered across Wikipedia's language editions, a rough measure of fame rather than a recommendation.
UNESCO World Heritage nearby
Travel advisories
United States
Level 2 Exercise Increased Caution
Read the full advisory at travel.state.gov
Checked 2026-11-02.
United Kingdom
- The FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country.
Latest change (2026-10-27): Updated information about regional tensions (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
Checked 2026-11-02.
Advisories are summarised from official sources and can change quickly; always read the source before you travel.
Month by month
| Month | Score | High | Low | Rain | Cloud | Dew point | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.0 Poor | 9°C 49°F | 4°C 39°F | 93 mm 3.7 in | 46% | 2°C35°F dry | 9.4 h |
| February | 1.9 Poor | 10°C 50°F | 4°C 38°F | 63 mm 2.5 in | 46% | 2°C35°F dry | 10.4 h |
| March | 3.4 Poor | 12°C 54°F | 5°C 41°F | 68 mm 2.7 in | 41% | 4°C39°F dry | 11.7 h |
| April | 6.8 Good | 17°C 63°F | 8°C 47°F | 43 mm 1.7 in | 35% | 7°C45°F dry | 13.1 h |
| May | 9.9 Excellent | 22°C 72°F | 13°C 55°F | 34 mm 1.4 in | 25% | 12°C54°F comfortable | 14.3 h |
| June | 10.0 Excellent | 27°C 81°F | 17°C 63°F | 28 mm 1.1 in | 14% | 15°C59°F comfortable | 14.9 h |
| July | 9.8 Excellent | 29°C 85°F | 20°C 68°F | 23 mm 0.9 in | 9% | 18°C64°F sticky | 14.7 h |
| August | 8.9 Excellent | 30°C 85°F | 20°C 69°F | 21 mm 0.8 in | 9% | 18°C65°F muggy | 13.6 h |
| September | 9.6 Excellent | 26°C 78°F | 17°C 62°F | 51 mm 2.0 in | 16% | 15°C59°F comfortable | 12.3 h |
| October | 8.2 Excellent | 20°C 69°F | 13°C 55°F | 77 mm 3.0 in | 31% | 12°C54°F comfortable | 10.9 h |
| November | 5.3 Fair | 16°C 60°F | 9°C 48°F | 74 mm 2.9 in | 41% | 7°C45°F dry | 9.7 h |
| December | 1.8 Poor | 11°C 52°F | 6°C 42°F | 105 mm 4.1 in | 49% | 4°C39°F dry | 9.1 h |
Public holidays in the next 12 months
Holidays can mean closures, festivals and busier transport. National public holidays for Türkiye; school holidays are not included.
- January 2027
- Yılbaşı
- March 2027
- Ramazan Bayramı
- Ramazan Bayramı
- Ramazan Bayramı
- April 2027
- Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı
- May 2027
- Emek ve Dayanışma Günü
- Kurban Bayramı
- Kurban Bayramı
- Kurban Bayramı
- Atatürk'ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı; Kurban Bayramı
- July 2027
- Demokrasi ve Millî Birlik Günü
- August 2027
- Zafer Bayramı
- October 2027
- Cumhuriyet Bayramı
More in Europe
Temperature, rain and dew point are 1991–2020 averages from a ~4 km climate grid; cloud cover is a 1981–2010 average. Recent years run warmer in most places, and a single trip can differ a lot. How this is calculated.