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Istanbul, Turkey · Temperate oceanic

Istanbul: best months to visit

July (9.3/10) · December (4.0/10).

📅 Data updated: October 2026 🛰️ ERA5 · 10 years 📍 41.01°N · 28.95°E
⚡ Quick answer
July
Depends on your goals
9.3/10
☀️ Jul
Top score (9.3/10)
🌤️ Jun
Alt. (9.0/10)
Dec
Plus rude (4.0/10)
🌊 Seaside☀️ Bright🍴 Gastronomy
Photo par Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages via Unsplash
Decide

When to visit Istanbul?

The decision rests on several criteria. Climate score, tourist crowds and feasible activities.

Verdict: In Istanbul, July and June clearly stand out. December concentrates the least favorable conditions.
Top & avoid
🏆 July · 9.3 June · 9.0 September · 8.6 May · 7.9 ⚠️ December · 4.0
4.0
Jan
4.1
Feb
4.3
Mar
7.3
Apr
7.9
May
9.0
Jun
9.3
Jul
6.3
Aug
8.6
Sep
7.6
Oct
4.4
Nov
4.0
Dec
Best period · ≥ 7 Decent period · 4 – 7 Tough conditions · < 4

What you grasp in 5 seconds

Istanbul offers 6 comfortable months, without any month really to avoid. The gap stays moderate: 9.3 in July vs 4.0 in December.

What to check next

Your tolerance for crowds and budget. The best months concentrate tourist saturation and higher prices. Shoulder seasons offer a good compromise.

Next action

Scroll down to the detailed table to compare month by month, then open the page of the month that interests you.

Compare the 12 months By your project

How we calculate the score

The score combines 4 weighted criteria using 10 years of real climate data (ERA5).

Source : ERA5 · Open-Meteo · 10 years (2016–2025) · Full methodology →

Understand

Compare all 12 months

Month-by-month details: temperature, rain, sunshine, score and verdict.

✅ 6 comfortable months (Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Sep · Oct)
MonthT° minT° maxRain %mm/daySunScoreVerdict
🌥️ January →39°F50°F30%3.4mm2.2h4.0/10Decent period
🌥️ February →41°F50°F25%2.5mm3.2h4.1/10Decent period
🌥️ March →43°F55°F24%2.3mm4.6h4.3/10Decent period
⛅ April →48°F63°F20%1.7mm6.0h7.3/10Best period
☀️ May →55°F70°F21%1.9mm8.0h7.9/10Best period
☀️ June →66°F79°F16%1.3mm9.9h9.0/10Best period
☀️ July →70°F84°F10%0.7mm10.3h9.3/10Best period
⛅ August →72°F86°F7%0.5mm9.3h6.3/10Decent period
☀️ September →66°F79°F17%1.5mm7.8h8.6/10Best period
☀️ October →57°F68°F17%1.8mm5.1h7.6/10Best period
🌥️ November →52°F61°F24%2.9mm3.1h4.4/10Decent period
🌥️ December →45°F54°F29%3.1mm2.0h4.0/10Decent period
🌥️ January
4.0/10
T°39°F / 50°F
Rain %30%
Sun2.2h
Decent period
🌥️ February
4.1/10
T°41°F / 50°F
Rain %25%
Sun3.2h
Decent period
🌥️ March
4.3/10
T°43°F / 55°F
Rain %24%
Sun4.6h
Decent period
⛅ April
7.3/10
T°48°F / 63°F
Rain %20%
Sun6.0h
Best period
☀️ May
7.9/10
T°55°F / 70°F
Rain %21%
Sun8.0h
Best period
☀️ June
9.0/10
T°66°F / 79°F
Rain %16%
Sun9.9h
Best period
☀️ July
9.3/10
T°70°F / 84°F
Rain %10%
Sun10.3h
Best period
⛅ August
6.3/10
T°72°F / 86°F
Rain %7%
Sun9.3h
Decent period
☀️ September
8.6/10
T°66°F / 79°F
Rain %17%
Sun7.8h
Best period
☀️ October
7.6/10
T°57°F / 68°F
Rain %17%
Sun5.1h
Best period
🌥️ November
4.4/10
T°52°F / 61°F
Rain %24%
Sun3.1h
Decent period
🌥️ December
4.0/10
T°45°F / 54°F
Rain %29%
Sun2.0h
Decent period
📊 Quick read
Optimal window
Apr → Jul
Good transition
Mar · Aug · Nov
Tough period
none
🌡️ Detailed conditions (July)
🌡️ Feel
Warm
☀️ UV
7.5 · Moderate-Strong
💧 Humidity feel
65°F · Humid
☔ Rain
10% · 0.7 mm/day
🌅 Sunshine
10.3h/day
Week by week

Istanbul week by week: your odds of avoiding rain

For each week of the year: in how many years out of 10 it was mostly dry (at most 2 rainy days), 2016 to 2025.

Safest week: Jul 30 to Aug 5, mostly dry in 10 years out of 10 (0.3 rainy day(s) on average).

Most exposed: Nov 26 to Dec 2, mostly dry in 4 years out of 10 (2.7 rainy days on average).

Number = years out of 10 with at most 2 rainy days in the week. Source: ERA5 reanalysis (ECMWF) via Open-Meteo, daily data 2016-2025. Rainy day = at least 1 mm, as everywhere on the site.
JanJan 16/1051°FJan 87/1049°FJan 155/1048°FJan 227/1047°FJan 2910/1051°F
FebFeb 54/1050°FFeb 126/1049°FFeb 198/1050°FFeb 268/1053°F
MarMar 57/1056°FMar 126/1054°FMar 197/1054°FMar 269/1058°F
AprApr 25/1059°FApr 97/1061°FApr 168/1062°FApr 2310/1065°FApr 307/1067°F
MayMay 77/1067°FMay 1410/1072°FMay 217/1071°FMay 288/1075°F
JunJun 410/1078°FJun 119/1079°FJun 187/1080°FJun 258/1083°F
JulJul 29/1084°FJul 99/1083°FJul 169/1085°FJul 239/1086°FJul 3010/1087°F
AugAug 610/1086°FAug 139/1083°FAug 209/1084°FAug 278/1084°F
SepSep 310/1080°FSep 109/1080°FSep 178/1077°FSep 247/1074°F
OctOct 19/1072°FOct 89/1069°FOct 1510/1067°FOct 228/1067°FOct 297/1064°F
NovNov 59/1065°FNov 128/1061°FNov 198/1059°FNov 264/1057°F
DecDec 37/1055°FDec 104/1055°FDec 177/1051°FDec 245/1052°F

A specific date? The app computes the same figure day by day.

10-year trend

Annual temperatures — Istanbul

Min/max temperature curves observed over the past 10 years (ERA5). Shows climate stability and trend.

T° maxT° meanT° min50°54°57°61°64°68°72°201620172018201920202021202220232024202568°F — decade peak (2024)+1.88°F / decade
Tailor

For your trip

A few angles depending on what kind of trip you are planning.

🏖️ Beaches: Jun-Sept🌊 Swell: Sept-Mar🚤 Water activities
Book

Plan your trip

Hotels at their lowest outside peak season, highest on comfortable months. Shoulder seasons offer a good price/climate compromise.

🏨
Stay
Hotels & rentals · Istanbul
Expedia →
🎟️
Activities
Tours, tickets, experiences
See ↓
✈️
Flights
Multi-airline comparator
Kiwi →

🎟️ Activities & tours · Istanbul

GetYourGuide selection · free cancellation

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Affiliate link · GetYourGuide
Practical info

What you need to know before you go

Three angles: the country (language, currency, safety, budget), the year-round climate, and the specifics of a beach trip.

Country · Turkey

🗣️LanguageTurkish
💶CurrencyLivre turque (₺)
🚗DrivingRight-hand
🛡️Safety ⓘVery safe · 1/5
💰Cost of living ⓘCheap · 2/5

🌡️ Climate

🌍Climate typeTemperate oceanic
📈Climate trend ⓘStable
🔥Hottest monthAugust · 86°F
❄️Coolest monthJanuary · 50°F
🌧️Rainiest month ⓘJanuary · 30%

🏖️ Beach trip

📅Peak seasonJuin → Sept
🏖️Swell (Sept–Mar) ⓘModérée
Explore

Related destinations & guides

If this destination doesn't fit your dates, here are alternatives and guides.

Similar climate destinations

Peloponnese · Greece→Rome · Italy→Skiathos · Greece→Hvar · Croatia→

Nearby destinations

Izmir · Turkey203 mi →Alaçatı · Turkey233 mi →Samos · Greece249 mi →Bucharest · Romania277 mi →

Guides & rankings

World ranking 2026See →
Best summer destinationsSee →
Winter sunSee →
Where to go in JulySee →
Location

Where is Istanbul ?

Global position + regional geographic context.

🌍 World
🔍 Geographic context
Temperate oceanic climate with a 9.3 → 4.0 gap between best and worst month. 10 years of ERA5 data to choose by project.
41.01°N · 28.95°E
Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit Istanbul?
July is the best month with 84°F highs, 70°F lows, 10.3h of sunshine and 10.0% rainy days. The months of July & June offer comparable conditions.
How many hours of sunshine does Istanbul get in July?
Istanbul averages 10.3 sunshine hours per day in July. It is the sunniest month with a climate score of 9.0/10.
What is the rainiest month in Istanbul?
January is the most unfavourable month with January has the lowest climate score of the year and the lowest climate score of the year.
What are the temperatures at night in Istanbul in July?
In July, overnight lows reach 70°F, while afternoon highs average 84°F.
Is Istanbul good in winter?
In winter (December-February), Istanbul scores 4.0/10 on average — Difficult period — prefer the peak season.. The best month overall remains July with a score of 9.0/10.
When should you avoid Istanbul?
January is the most difficult month to visit Istanbul, with January has the lowest climate score of the year. Climate conditions are at their lowest of the year during this period.