Best Time to Visit Istanbul

When is the best time to visit Istanbul?

Due to its location on the Bosphorus, Istanbul has a mild maritime climate. The average annual temperature is 14 degrees Celsius. The most beautiful months for a stay in Istanbul are the months between May and October.

In spring, the thermometer climbs to around 15 to 20 degrees and therefore offers ideal conditions for visiting the metropolis. The number of rainy days also decreases steadily from spring onwards. With six hours of sunshine in April and around 12 hours of sunshine in July, travellers have ample opportunity to admire the beauties of the city.

The Scirocco brings hot air from the Sahara

Those who not only have sightseeing on the agenda, but also want to spend some bathing days, should choose the summer months for their stay. In summer, the temperatures can rise to over 28 degrees and long and sultry hot spells are not uncommon. Blame for the hot days is the south wind Scirocco, which blows the heat over from the Sahara. The west wind Meltem can bring cooling. The fair weather wind is pleasantly cool and provides a pleasant cooling during the hot months. The water temperatures at this time are between 20 and 24 degrees and offer ideal conditions for a beach stay.

Severely cold winters

The winters in Istanbul can be very cold and it often snows. The months of November and December see the most precipitation in the region. There can be frequent cold snaps and heavy snow or rainfall. As a rule, however, temperatures rarely fall below the zero degree mark.

If you are planning a stay in Istanbul and want to avoid the sweltering heat and the changeable autumn and winter weather, you should plan your stay in the months of May to June or in September or October. The water temperatures are also very pleasant at these times and a refreshing swim in the sea should not be opposed.

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