Turkey
Istanbul in December
🧥 WinterCool and some showers. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings · N95 mask for hazy days
Why December scores 7.5What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.6
- !Cool (11°C highs / 6°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 6.1°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~87 mm rain)
- Air quality4.5
- !Unhealthy for sensitive groups (PM2.5 ~46 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | May | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.5 Very good | 9.3 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🌷 Spring |
| High / low | 11° / 6° | 22° / 13° |
| Rain | 87 mm | 30 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 6° | dew pt 13° |
| PM2.5 | 46 µg/m³ | 18 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Istanbul Florya weather-station normals. Rainfall: Florya, Istanbul weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
No long holidaysNo long public-holiday weekends this month. School holidays aren't counted, so check those if you want to avoid family crowds.
No national public holidays in Turkey this month.
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Nature calendarBlossoms, leaves & seasons in Istanbul
- Snowy daysIn DecemberTypical datesSnow likely Dec–Feb (most in Feb: ~4 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Istanbul Florya.
Source: Istanbul Florya weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
Explore IstanbulEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyTurkey's largest city, spanning Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, with Byzantine and Ottoman monuments, bazaars and a famous food scene.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
RamadanDate variesIslamic calendar - moves about 11 days earlier each year
Daytime fasting is followed by lively evenings and iftar gatherings.
Why go: Restaurants stay open, but evenings around mosques are crowded.
Where: Citywide, especially Sultanahmet
Istanbul Tulip FestivalDate variesUsually April
Millions of tulips are planted across the city's parks.
Why go: Emirgan Park has some of the best displays.
Where: Emirgan Park, Gülhane Park and citywide
Istanbul Music FestivalDate variesUsually June
A long-running festival of classical music.
Why go: Some concerts take place in historic buildings.
Where: Concert halls and historic venues
Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine cathedral, later a mosque, museum and again a mosque, with a vast dome.
💡 Dress modestly; women need to cover their hair. Visiting is restricted during prayer times.
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
An early 17th-century mosque with six minarets and blue Iznik tiles inside.
Topkapı Palace
The main residence of Ottoman sultans for centuries, with courtyards, treasury and the harem.
💡 Allow at least half a day.
Basilica Cistern
A huge underground Byzantine water reservoir with columns and Medusa-head bases.
Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar
Historic covered markets selling carpets, ceramics, jewellery, spices and sweets.
💡 Bargaining is expected in many shops.
Bosphorus cruise
Boat trips along the strait between Europe and Asia, passing palaces, mansions and fortresses.
💡 Public ferries are a cheap alternative to tour boats.
Balık ekmek
Grilled fish sandwiches.
💡 Eminönü waterfront near the Galata Bridge
Simit
Sesame-crusted bread rings sold from street carts.
Meze and rakı
Small cold and hot dishes shared with aniseed spirit.
💡 Meyhanes (taverns) in Beyoğlu and Kumkapı
Baklava
Layered filo pastry with pistachios and syrup.
💡 Karaköy and traditional pastry shops
Turkish breakfast (kahvaltı)
A spread of cheeses, olives, eggs, honey, jams and bread with tea.
Turkish delight (lokum)
Soft gel sweets in flavours such as rose and pistachio.
💡 Spice Bazaar and confectioners
Iznik-style ceramics
Hand-painted plates and tiles in Ottoman patterns.
💡 Grand Bazaar and ceramic shops
Kilims and carpets
Hand-woven rugs from across Turkey.
💡 Specialist carpet dealers
Turkish coffee and tea
Finely ground coffee and black tea with traditional pots and glasses.