Istanbul - a feeble old man on the Bosphorus or a modern dynamic metropolis of the 21st century? Definitely the second, because in Istanbul, Islamic mosques and authentic oriental hammams are exquisitely and harmoniously combined with high-rise buildings that you would expect to see anywhere in Manhattan.
Istanbul is full of surprises in winter. Usually they try to come here in the warm season, but the most far-sighted tourists prefer to walk around Istanbul at a time when the city is ready to provide its guests with a number of pleasant bonuses - from low prices in hotels and sales in local stores to the absence of queues at museums and other significant tourist sites.
Discover the winter, mysterious, sometimes cloudy and sometimes sunny old city on the border of East and West. Go to museums, look into tea houses, ride a boat on the Bosphorus and do not get tired of confessing your love to Istanbul. He will be pleased!
Winter weather
In winter, the Poiraz wind reigns in Istanbul, which brings with it heavy rainfall. Most often it will rain. Only sometimes the air temperature drops so much that the rains turn into snowflakes.
Istanbul, where snow is falling from the sky, is an amazing sight. Snow in the city rarely lasts longer than two or three days, therefore, despite the dampness and piercing wind, during this period you need to walk, enjoying the beauty of the snow-covered streets.
The air temperature in Istanbul in winter starts from +3 and can reach +15 degrees Celsius. Most often, thermometers will show about +10 degrees.
December Istanbul resembles Moscow in November in its weather. During this period, the wind blows from the sea, bringing high humidity and piercing cold. The gloomy weather is partly smoothed out by the general expectation of a holiday. The streets are decorated with illumination, residents and guests of the city go shopping in search of New Year's gifts, festive melodies sound everywhere.
It gets colder by 3-4 degrees in Istanbul in January. It rains for about half a month, which can sometimes turn into snowfalls. January is a quiet and calm month for the tourism industry: there are visitors, but there are few of them, and they move in short dashes from a coffee shop to a hammam, from a museum to a store, etc.
February in Istanbul is almost spring, when the air temperature can be +15 degrees. The weather still makes fun of unlucky passers-by, showing them the sun, and then hiding it behind rain clouds.
Istanbul Monthly Weather Forecast
Where to go in Istanbul in winter
The most famous sights of Istanbul are located in the old city. Tram # 1 will take you to the Sultanahmet stop. Every tourist in Istanbul is primarily interested in two mosques - Sultanahmet, better known as the Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia, the former Hagia Sophia, which was again given to Muslims for prayer in 2020. These two beautiful buildings are located opposite each other and are separated by a small park.
Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century and for about a millennium was considered the largest Christian church in the world. In the 15th century, it was rebuilt into a mosque, so slender minarets still crown it. Until recently, it was a museum with expensive tickets. Now tourists are allowed to both mosques free of charge.
Also worth a look is Topkapi Palace - the walled palace of the Sultan, used for almost 400 years. Here you can see the chambers of the sultans and their mothers, the rooms where the concubines lived, the mint, the library and much more. Also, the sultan's residence offers a beautiful view of the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Asian part of the city.
A stone's throw from Topkapi Palace and the aforementioned mosques is the Golden Horn Bay. On the other side of it is the Galata Tower - the medieval symbol of Istanbul. You can climb it by elevator to see the whole city from above, at a glance.
From Galata Tower along Independence Avenue (Istiklal Caddesi), walk to Taksim Square - the modern part of Istanbul, built up with high-rise buildings with expensive restaurants and designer boutiques.
Half a kilometer from Taksim Square is the luxurious Dolmabahce Palace, which is worth visiting in the company of a guide.
Attractions and entertainment on vacation in Istanbul
What to do in winter in Istanbul
Walking and sightseeing are just a few of the things to do in Istanbul in winter. There is more than enough entertainment that Turkey's most secular city offers its guests. Among them, it is worth noting:
- cruise on the Bosphorus. A boat trip will allow you to see the European and Asian coasts of the city from the water. You can choose a short cruise to the second suspension bridge or a longer one - along the coast along the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea and back. Night cruises are considered to be very romantic fun. In winter, boat trips are available - you can warm yourself with tea and coffee served on the ship;
- shopping in the Grand Bazaar, a covered market with an area of more than 30 thousand square meters, consisting of 65 streets with shops, coffee shops and hookah bars. Here you can buy souvenirs and more. Spices and tea are best purchased in the Egyptian market;
- a trip to the aquarium. Sea Life Istanbul is a huge space with 29 reservoirs that are considered home to 15,000 marine life. It is best to watch the fish while standing in a transparent 100-meter long tunnel in the water column;
- tasting salep, a Turkish winter drink that not only warms, but also has medicinal properties, for example, it saves you from colds. Salep was drunk even during the Ottoman Empire. Now it is served in some cafes or right on the streets.
Istanbul is one of those cities that you can explore throughout your life. Even if you have already been to this city on the Bosphorus, which Napoleon Bonaparte called the "capital of the world", come back here in a different weather, under different circumstances and in a special company.
