Best Time to Visit Turkey

The best time to visit Turkey especially the Aegean and the Mediterranean coasts would be in the Spring months between April and June and the Autumn months from September to November , as the weather is ideal then. The crowds are thinner at these times and it's usually not too rainy.

During the high tourist season, July to mid September, the weather can be very hot and major tourist spots can be both crowded and expensive. At the height of summer, the coastal resorts are burning hot and tourists may, like the locals, take a siesta during midday.

From late October to early April, regarded as the winter season, the beaches are devoid of activity. The weather in winter is rainy and cold with high levels of air pollution but accommodation prices are low because fewer tourists come at this time.

Rains, though light, come between May and October, except in the Black Sea coast. From about mid June beware of the mosquitoes that attack in almost plague-like proportions in some areas of Turkey. Eastern Turkey should be visited from late June to September , as later, in colder months, roads and mountain passes may close down because of the snow falls.

If you would like to be a part of the world famous Mevlana Festival in Konya, be there in December when the whirling Dervishes are all set to perform and floor the spectators. It may be cold but the sight is definitely worth it!

Climate

The Aegean and the Mediterranean coasts of Turkey have mild rainy winters and hot dry summers. In Istanbul, summer temperatures average around 28º C to 30º C and the winters are chilly with rain and a mild shower of snow. The Anatolian plateau is usually cooler in summer and quite cold in winter. The Black Sea Coast is mild and rainy in summer, chilly and rainy in winter.

The mountainous Eastern Turkey is very cold and snowy in winter, while pleasantly warm in high summer. The southeastern area is dry and mild in winter and very hot in summer, with temperatures soaring to 45º C and above. In general, spring (April/May) and autumn (September/October) have the best weather in Turkey.