Best: Jul · Great: Jun, Aug-Sep
A classic dry-summer rhythm shapes the year — hot, largely rain-free stretches around August giving way to milder, wetter conditions by January. In July, expect highs around 28°C with rain on roughly 3 days of the month.
The Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace anchor the historic Sultanahmet district, best tackled early before tour groups arrive. The Grand Bazaar and the quieter Spice Bazaar are both worth a wander, and a Bosphorus ferry ride gives a genuinely different perspective on the city straddling two continents. Along the Aegean coast, Ephesus's ancient ruins and Pamukkale's white travertine terraces are the standout day trips.
Try kebabs and meze spreads, alongside Turkish tea (served constantly, in small tulip-shaped glasses) or, for something stronger, raki — an anise-flavored spirit that's Turkey's unofficial national drink.
Daylight, sunrise, and sunset are calculated exactly from this region's latitude. Temperature and rainfall are modeled from its general climate type, not measured station data. Month summaries are generated from those modeled figures.
Expect cool days around 9°/5°C, with very wet conditions (~17 rainy days).
Expect cool days around 9°/5°C, with frequent rain (~14 rainy days).
Expect cool days around 12°/6°C, with frequent rain (~13 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 17°/10°C, with frequent rain (~10 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 21°/14°C, with occasional rain (~7 rainy days).
Expect warm days around 26°/18°C, with occasional rain (~5 rainy days).
Expect warm days around 28°/21°C, with mostly dry conditions (~3 rainy days).
Expect warm days around 29°/22°C, with mostly dry conditions (~3 rainy days).
Expect warm days around 25°/19°C, with occasional rain (~6 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 20°/15°C, with frequent rain (~10 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 15°/11°C, with frequent rain (~13 rainy days).
Expect cool days around 11°/7°C, with very wet conditions (~16 rainy days).