Best time to visit Istanbul, Turkey

Our verdict

The best time to visit Istanbul is April

When’s the best time to visit Istanbul, you ask? Based on several factors like the weather and climate, cost of flights and hotels, peak travel seasons and much more, the best time to go to Istanbul is April.

In the summer months, temperatures can reach as high as 30℃ (86℉) in Istanbul. In the colder months such as January, temperatures usually get down to an average minimum of 5℃ (42℉).

If you’re keen to see the sights of Istanbul during the day, the sun stays up the longest around July. You don’t want to get wet on your holiday, do you? Well if you’re trying to avoid the rain, then steer clear of Istanbul in December. Head over there in August instead if you want to increase your chances of not being rained on.

Continue reading to find out loads more about when to travel to Istanbul, then use the handy tools below to search for the best flight and hotel options that are right for you.

Warmest month

August

Least rainfall

August

Most daylight

July

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Istanbul seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Istanbul as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Istanbul is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in Istanbul

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Istanbul for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Istanbul climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Istanbul for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Istanbul in January

  • Average temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average high temperature: 9℃ (47℉)
  • Average low temperature: 5℃ (42℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 49mm (2") over 13 days
  • Average snow days: 4 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in January, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Istanbul in February

  • Average temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average high temperature: 10℃ (49℉)
  • Average low temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 37mm (1") over 12 days
  • Average snow days: 2 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in February, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Istanbul in March

  • Average temperature: 10℃ (49℉)
  • Average high temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
  • Average low temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average humidity: 73%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 38mm (1") over 14 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in March, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Istanbul in April

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average high temperature: 15℃ (60℉)
  • Average low temperature: 10℃ (50℉)
  • Average humidity: 70%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 29mm (1") over 13 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in April, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Istanbul in May

  • Average temperature: 18℃ (64℉)
  • Average high temperature: 21℃ (69℉)
  • Average low temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average humidity: 70%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 38mm (2") over 12 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in May, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Istanbul in June

  • Average temperature: 23℃ (73℉)
  • Average high temperature: 26℃ (78℉)
  • Average low temperature: 20℃ (68℉)
  • Average humidity: 67%
  • Average sunny days: 19 days
  • Average rainfall: 26mm (1") over 8 days
19 days
of pure sunshine
8 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in June, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.


Istanbul in July

  • Average temperature: 25℃ (77℉)
  • Average high temperature: 28℃ (82℉)
  • Average low temperature: 22℃ (72℉)
  • Average humidity: 67%
  • Average sunny days: 23 days
  • Average rainfall: 14mm (1") over 6 days
23 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in July, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Istanbul in August

  • Average temperature: 25℃ (78℉)
  • Average high temperature: 28℃ (82℉)
  • Average low temperature: 23℃ (74℉)
  • Average humidity: 68%
  • Average sunny days: 25 days
  • Average rainfall: 11mm (0") over 4 days
25 days
of pure sunshine
4 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in August, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Istanbul in September

  • Average temperature: 22℃ (72℉)
  • Average high temperature: 24℃ (76℉)
  • Average low temperature: 20℃ (69℉)
  • Average humidity: 68%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 26mm (1") over 10 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
10 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in September, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.

Istanbul in October

  • Average temperature: 18℃ (63℉)
  • Average high temperature: 19℃ (67℉)
  • Average low temperature: 16℃ (60℉)
  • Average humidity: 73%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 42mm (2") over 13 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in October, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie.


Istanbul in November

  • Average temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
  • Average high temperature: 16℃ (60℉)
  • Average low temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average humidity: 73%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 33mm (1") over 11 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in November, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie.


Istanbul in December

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (49℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average low temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average humidity: 74%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 52mm (2") over 14 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Istanbul in December, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Istanbul is usually August, where temperatures tend to rise to around 28℃ (82℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Istanbul is generally around August. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in August first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Istanbul is generally around December, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of December too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Istanbul, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in July are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Istanbul map