January in Istanbul — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.2/10Expect 8°C (46°F) in January. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 91 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 19 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.6 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 6.2/10 on the same scale — 12th of 12 months, versus 9.4/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Istanbul — 3.2 points higher on the same scale.
February in Istanbul — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.5/10Expect 7°C (44°F) in February. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 76 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 19 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.7 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 6.5/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 9.4/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Istanbul — 2.9 points higher on the same scale.
March in Istanbul: strong conditions, 9th of 12
Good · 7.2/10March averages 8°C (47°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 76 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.2/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 9.4/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 2.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
April in Istanbul — reliably good (7th best month)
Good · 8.2/10Temperatures hover around 12°C (54°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 70 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 8.2/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 9.4/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
May is one of the strongest months in Istanbul (3rd)
Best window · 9.1/10May averages 17°C (62°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 57 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.5 hours of daylight.
A 9.1/10 puts this among the year's best months in Istanbul (3rd of 12); only June scores higher, at 9.4/10.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
June in Istanbul tops the year's climate scores
Best window · 9.4/10At 22°C (72°F) this is comfortable city weather in June, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
With around 42 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.1 hours of daylight fill the rest.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Istanbul at 9.4/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection.
July holds up well in Istanbul — 5th best month
Good · 8.4/10At 25°C (78°F) this is comfortable city weather in July, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
With around 33 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 31 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.8 hours of daylight fill the rest.
That is 8.4/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 9.4/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection.
August in Istanbul: strong conditions, 6th of 12
Good · 8.4/10August averages 25°C (78°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Expect 20 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 31 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.8 daylight hours.
It scores 8.4/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 9.4/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection.
September is one of the strongest months in Istanbul (2nd)
Best window · 9.3/10September averages 21°C (70°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Rainfall runs 49 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.5 hours of daylight.
A 9.3/10 puts this among the year's best months in Istanbul (2nd of 12); only June scores higher, at 9.4/10.
Figure on peak pricing, with crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
October in Istanbul — one of the year's strongest windows (4th)
Best window · 8.8/10Temperatures hover around 16°C (61°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 53 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.1 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is one of the strongest months of the year for Istanbul at 8.8/10 (4th of 12), just behind June at 9.4/10.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
November holds up well in Istanbul — 8th best month
Good · 7.4/10Temperatures hover around 13°C (56°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 100 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.9 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 7.4/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 9.4/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Istanbul — 2 points higher on the same scale.
December in Istanbul — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.3/10December averages 10°C (49°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 90 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 17 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.3 hours of daylight.
It scores 6.3/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 9.4/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 3.1 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
