Turkey in Winter 2026: Weather by City, Snow and Where to Go

Turkey in winter packs three climates into one trip: the Antalya coast with 15°C average highs in January, a cold, wet Istanbul averaging 6.8°C, and an interior and east below freezing with snow and ski resorts, from Cappadocia and Bolu to Erzurum and Kars. Winter sets in properly in December and peaks in January and February.

Every temperature here is from the Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) 1991–2020 normals, every distance from the General Directorate of Highways (KGM) table dated 3 March 2026, and everything else from search results on 7 October 2026.

Average January temperature in Turkish cities from Antalya to Kars, per the Turkish State Meteorological Service 1991-2020 normals.

Turkey in winter temperature by city

The article's canonical table, average monthly temperature in °C:

City	December	January	February	January low
Antalya	11.7	10.1	10.7	6.1
Trabzon	9.6	7.6	7.3	4.8
Istanbul	9.0	6.8	6.9	4.2
Bursa	7.4	5.4	6.2	1.8
Bolu	2.8	0.6	1.9	−3.5
Nevşehir (Cappadocia)	2.1	−0.1	0.9	−3.6
Erzurum	−5.7	−9.1	−7.6	−13.9
Kars	−6.7	−10.7	−8.8	−16.2

In practice the gap between the warmest and coldest city in January is over 20°C, so pack for the destination, not for "Turkey".

Turkey in winter weather in one paragraph

It depends on the region: in January Antalya averages 10.1°C with 15°C highs, Istanbul 6.8°C, Cappadocia's Nevşehir −0.1°C and Kars −10.7°C, per MGM's 1991–2020 normals.

Snow and ski spots in Turkey and their road distance from Istanbul, from Kartepe and Sapanca to Erzurum, per the KGM tables.

Things to do in Turkey in winter: where to go

Destination	Winter trip	Distance from Istanbul
Kartepe (Kocaeli)	Snow and skiing for a day trip	115 km
Sapanca	Lake, cabins and crisp weather	138 km
Bursa and Mount Uludağ	Turkey's best-known ski resort and cable car	244 km
Bolu (Kartalkaya · Lake Abant)	Snowy forests and skiing	263 km
Cappadocia (Nevşehir)	Fairy chimneys under snow, balloons	726 km
Kayseri and Mount Erciyes	Large ski resort near an airport	766 km
Erzurum (Palandöken)	Heavy snow and skiing in the east	1,229 km
Kars	Snow and frozen Lake Çıldır	1,431 km
Antalya	Mild coast without snow	715 km

Road distances from the KGM tables (provinces, and districts for Kartepe and Sapanca). Short trips from the city are in day trips from Istanbul.

Turkey winter snow: ski resorts and snow spots

The snow and ski spots search results name most: Uludağ in Bursa, the best known; Kartepe near Sapanca, the closest to Istanbul; Erciyes in Kayseri; Palandöken in Erzurum; Kartalkaya in Bolu; and Kars with frozen Lake Çıldır. Search results put mountain snow from November–December until April.

Istanbul in winter by the numbers: December, January and February averages, January rainy days and the record low.

Turkey winter Istanbul: weather, rain and snow

Istanbul in winter is cold and wet more than snowy. MGM normals:

Month	Average	High	Low	Rainy days
December	9.0°C	11.8°C	6.5°C	15.5
January	6.8°C	9.6°C	4.2°C	16.3
February	6.9°C	10.2°C	4.2°C	13.9

Istanbul's lowest recorded temperature since measurements began in 1950 is −9.0°C, in February. Snow in the city comes in short spells in January and February per search results and does not last all season. Indoor sights, covered bazaars and hammams are covered in our Istanbul travel guide.

Cappadocia, Bursa and Bolu in winter

• Cappadocia: Nevşehir averages −0.1°C in January with −3.6°C lows; its record low is −23.6°C in February. Fees and balloon rules are in our Cappadocia guide.
• Bursa: 5.4°C in the city in January, with snow on Uludağ above it; 244 km from Istanbul.
• Bolu: 0.6°C average and −3.5°C lows in January, so snow at city level; 263 km from Istanbul.

Warmest places in Turkey in winter: Antalya, Fethiye and Trabzon

Antalya is the warmest on the list: 15.0°C average highs in January and 16.7°C in December, though those are also its wettest months, about 12 rainy days each. Trabzon on the Black Sea averages 7.6°C in January, with snow in the mountains around it such as Uzungöl in Çaykara district, 106 km by road from central Trabzon. See Antalya, Fethiye and Trabzon attractions.

Turkey in winter travel tips

1. Pick the destination before the wardrobe: Antalya and Kars differ by over 20°C in January.
2. Save money in the low season: search results put hotels, private tours and domestic flights 30% to 60% cheaper from December to February than in peak summer, except around New Year.
3. Fly or take the train inland: mountain roads in the centre and east can close with snow.
4. Layers and waterproofs: rain for Istanbul, snow gear for the highlands.
5. Two climates in one week: Istanbul plus Sapanca or Bursa gives you a city and snow.

For month-by-month timing see the best time to visit Turkey, hotels in hotels in Turkey, and flights in flights to Turkey.

Turkey in winter guide sources

1. Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) — province statistics, 1991–2020 normals: Istanbul, Antalya, Bursa, Bolu, Nevşehir, Erzurum, Kars, Trabzon. Read 7 October 2026.
2. General Directorate of Highways (KGM) — province and district distance tables dated 3 March 2026. Read 7 October 2026.

Plan your Turkey in winter trip with Livist Group

In summary: Turkey in winter is not one destination but a mild coast, a rainy city and snowy mountains a few hours apart. Livist Group designs your winter trip around what you want, snow near Istanbul, Cappadocia under snow or Antalya sunshine, with flights, hotels and transfers. Tell us your dates and group size.