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Best time to visit

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Due to moderate temperatures and room rates, March to May and September to November are considered to be the best time to visit Istanbul. During this period, you won't be wrestling with crowds while rejoicing in a bicycle ride or enjoying the sunset Bosphorus cruise. June through August is the time when the city steps into a peak season known for inflated prices. Hot weather conditions is another con, but cold ayran and famous sticky ice cream know how to deal with the heat. The period between December and February is the coldest and the wettest one, so you can't go wrong packing layers and an umbrella. However, a trip during these months can be advantageous as winter is the right season to visit traditional Hammam and the cheapest time to stay in Istanbul.

33 things to do in Istanbul

Victory Day or Zafer Bayramı

August 30 Event

To celebrate the end of the War of Independence, the Turks hold extravagent parades across the city streets

Istanbul Marathon

November 3, 2024 Event

The world's only marathon that begins in Asia and ends in Europe offers a unique experience for adventurous runners

Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth & Sports Day

May 19 Event

The holiday celebrates the beginning of the Turkish Republic and its future, embodied by the country's lively energetic youth

Green Almonds

April–May Food

Spring delicacies of Istanbul prove that the human body can get used to anything—food adventurers will rejoice here.

Sunset Bosphorus Cruise

early June–mid-September Activity

This strategic waterway divides the continents and links the seas

Tulips

late March–early May Nature

Millions of flowers in Istanbul's valleys are proof that Turkey is the real world capital of tulips

Warm up in Traditional Hamam

November–February Activity

Want to feel like Sultan Süleyman or his beloved Hürrem? Centuries-old hamams and professional masseurs and masseuses do miracles

Fish Sandwich (Balık-ekmek)

July–September | November–January Food

Mouth-watering fish sandwiches are traditionally made of mackerel, grilled, and served right on the boat

Whirling Dervish Sema Ceremony

all year round Event

Spinning prayers pave their way to the divine and pass on newly established spiritual treasures to spectators

Grape Season and Turkish Wine Tasting

August–October Food

Istanbul offers all the pearls of the Turkish millennial wine industry, including world-known sorts and local exclusives.

Princes’ Islands

April–October Activity

Riding in a horse-drawn carriage among 19th-century mansions encased with splendid greenery makes for a peaceful weekend

Football: Süper Lig

mid-August–mid-May Activity

It is not a good idea to cheer 'away' teams playing in Istanbul,—Turkish Süper Lig is both exciting and safe to watch

Boza

December–February Food

Don't get scared if you hear a street vendor crying out "Booozaaa!"—this tradition, as well as the recipe, has survived since the Ottoman Empire!

Sugar Feast (Ramazan Bayramı)

April 10–12, 2024 Event

The abundance of Turkish sweets, illuminated mosques, and traditional puppet plays highlight the end of Ramadan

Sailing

June–August | December–February Activity

Sailing in the Bosphorus means comfortable yachts, scenic minarets towering afar, and the pleasant company of gulls and dolphins

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day

April 23 Event

For one day a year, kids are allowed to sit in parliament and rule the Turkish Republic

Pomegranate Fresh Juice

September–February Food

Istanbul is truly the city of pomegranate delight.

Cumhuriyet Bayramı or Republic Day

October 29 Event

The community rejoices, celebrating the birthday of their country through parades and torchlight processions.

Barbunya (Red Mullet)

October–January Food

The attractive, reddish, crispy skin of fried Barbunya covers this incredibly palatable and delicate meat

Bicycle Tours

April–October Activity

Biking routes in Istanbul vary from peaceful rides along the seashore to extreme mud-biking in the Belgrade forest

Iftar

March 11–April 9, 2024 Event

Sucuk, pastirma, börek, kuzu tandır, hünkar beğendi, mantı, güllaç, şerbet, ayran—the list of Ramadan dishes goes on and on

İstanbul Film Festival

April 17–28, 2024 Event

It began in 1982 as a Film Week, the following year it grew wider to Istanbul Filmdays, and 1989 brought it world-wide recognition and its modern title

Aşure or Noah’s Pudding

July 27, 2023 Food

On the tenth day of Muharram, every Turkish household is preoccupied with cooking Aşure,—imitating the dish the very Noah once cooked in his ark at the Mount of Ararat

Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim

August 25, 2024 Event

Swimming from one continent to another—sounds challenging but it's totally a real accomplishment

Salep Drink

December–February Food

A hot drink made from milk and wild orchids' roots powder is hard to find outside of Turkey

Judas Tree in Bloom

April–May Nature

Glorified throughout history, the shy but graceful Judas trees adorn the city of Istanbul

Call to Prayer between Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia

Five times a day Activity

Ezan, or call to prayer, takes on great dimensions when the chants of the Blue Mosque alternate with those of the Hagia Sophia

Traditional Turkish Puppet Shadow Theater: Karagöz & Hacivat

April 23–May 23, 2020 Event

The fights between uneducated yet witty Karagoz and literate Hacivat used to make even the very Sultan laugh

Green Plums or Erik

mid-April–May Food

Small, tart "erik" is a real passion of Istanbulites, who eat them raw and add them to soups, stews, sauces, and salads

Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)

all year round Activity

This gem of Byzantine architecture was once a Christian basilica, later an imperial mosque, and today is the most outstanding museum in Istanbul and a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Istanbul Coffee Festival

October 3–6, 2024 Event

Join over 30,000 people at one of the world's biggest coffee festivals

New Year's Eve

December 31 Event

If you think there's nothing to do in Istanbul on New Year's Eve, let us prove you wrong!

Akbank Caz Festivali

March 25–April 4, 2024 Event

For over two weeks in fall, Turkish and international jazz will ring throughout Istanbul

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