Turkey has a vast number of historical sites that attract tourists from all over the world. It’s the most wonderful country with breathtaking scenery, fascinating history, and intricate architecture. But if you want to have a fantastic time during the winter in Turkey, you must take part in a number of thrilling winter activities. In this season, the country is covered with a thick blanket of snow, making it the best time to indulge in adventures like skiing, taking a hot air balloon ride, or enjoying the scenic views. This place, with its beautiful sightseeing, old buildings, and grand bazaars, gives a heavenly experience, especially in the winter season.
How Cold are the Winters in Turkey?
Due to its immense size, Turkey has three different climate zones. Winter in Turkey starts in mid-December and ends in mid-March. Depending on the climate zone, the country’s daily temperature can range from –13C to 24C. The different regions of Turkey experience different quality of winter. This country is a good choice for the winter getaways and is a perfect chance to indulge in the history of this stunning location. Also, you may experience the Turkish culture at a number of country’s coldest locations.
Activities in Turkey during the Winter Season
Winter is the best time to enjoy the wonderful landscapes in Turkey, making it an important tourism hotspot. It’s an ideal place for winter sports enthusiasts, as it offers a variety of winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding and sleighing. The winter season in Turkey, with its high-altitude lake and mountainous regions, makes this place a favorite winter destination. Below, we have listed some of the best activities that one should do in Turkey during the winter season.
- Enjoy scenic views
- Have a Good Time Skiing in Uludag
- Take a Ride in a Hot-Air Balloon
- Sleigh Ride on Lake Cildir
- Eastern Express Train Trip
- Take a City Break in Turkey
- Warm Up in a Turkish Bath
1. Enjoy the Scenic Views
Turkey, with beautiful landmarks, museums, and natural wonders, is the best place to explore the scenic views and spectacular architectural wonders, especially in the winter. The serene, old land offers the chance to see various magnificent streets during the winter season in Turkey. There are numerous stunning beaches with bright turquoise waters and gorgeous upscale resorts, making this place a popular tourist attraction. Also, the endless sunshine, frozen lakes, and charming villages give you the most extraordinary sight.
Location: Istanbul, Bodrum, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Butterfly valley, Kas and Patara
2. Have a Good Time Skiing in Uludag
Skiing is one of the best things to do in Turkey in winter season, and the country is also known for several skiing resorts. This is the most exciting experience both for children and adults. Also, it’s the best way to enjoy the chilly winter days and snow-covered mountain tops. So, if you are a regular skier and want to surprise your family and friends, then get them the best skiing experiences with incredible views and fantastic ski conditions.
Location: Uludag Ski Area and Palandoken Ski Center
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3. Take a Ride in a Hot-Air Balloon
If you are looking for the hot air balloon ride, then you must visit the Turkey. Here you can have a panoramic view of hundreds of hot air balloons gently flowing above the valleys. This is one of the most popular activities in Turkey because of its amazing and spectacular landscapes. During the winter in Cappadocia, Turkey one can celebrate the amazing smooth-sailing balloon flight experience.
Location: Cappadocia
4. Sleigh Ride on Lake Cildir
The lake Cildir freezes over in winter, and tourist can enjoy sleigh rides on its surface. The Lake starts freezing at the beginning of the winter as the temperature starts dropping to minus ten degrees Celsius at night. Also, it is transformed into a stage for sleigh rides after the ice sheet thickens to over 25 centimeters. So, this is one of the best places in Turkey in the winter season, offering several amazing experiences.
Location: Çıldır, 28 miles from Ardahan Castle
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5. Eastern Express Train Trip
The Eastern Express Train runs from the Turkish capital, Ankara. It is the best way to explore the snowy views of Turkey. This experience provides a wealth of landscapes and vistas, especially for videographers and photographers. This is one of the best things to do in Turkey because it allows you to enjoy the green sceneries along the way. The Eastern Express departs from the Ankara Train Station and goes to Kars Train Station.
Location: Eastern Express departs from Ankara Train Station and goes to Kars Train Station
6. Take a City Break in Turkey
Turkey has some of the most exciting places, such as Cappadocia, Izmir, or Ephesus, where you can take a perfect city break. This is a small vacation, especially for those who want to explore the urban areas. Here you can discover several specific landmarks, which are also the best places to visit in the Middle East. So, get ready to enjoy strolling around the city and having the most wonderful experiences with your loved ones.
Location: One can take a city break to the top locations of Turkey such as Istanbul, Cappadocia, Izmir, Ephesus and much more.
7. Warm Up in a Turkish Bath
After the sightseeing in the chilly temperatures, one can warm up while indulging in a steam, soak, and scrub in a hammam. These are the local hammams in Turkey, which are an important part of Turkish culture and have been around since the 16th century. This is a place where one can relax and rejuvenate while taking a steam bath. Also, these are the most ideal places to visit in Turkey, offering a refreshing Turkish bath.
Location: Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Hamam Sk. No:1, 34425 Beyoğlu/Istanbul, Turkey
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8. Enjoy Fishing with Your Loved Ones
Fishing is the best activity one can do beneath the thick layers of ice. With the help of shovels and pickaxes, anyone can continue the century-old way of fishing. This is one of the most enjoyable experiences that one can have with their family and friends. Apart from several places to visit in Turkey in winter, one may also enjoy fishing here and have the best time of their life.
Location: East of the Bosphorus Strait, the Marmara Sea, Turkey
So, if you are an adventure seeker and looking to enjoy some of the winter activities done in the mountainous landscapes, then you must explore the winter season in Turkey. During this period of time, Turkey becomes a snow-covered landscape and a perfect place for several winter sports activities like hot air balloon rides, skiing, and much more. Also, avail yourself of the best Turkey tour packages and explore this tremendously beautiful country with several religious sites and magnificent seaside resorts.
Winter in Turkey - FAQs
There are several amazing activities that one must do during the winters in Turkey. Below we have listed some of those activities.
- Enjoy scenic views
- Skiing
- Hot-Air Ballooning
- Lake Cildir Sleighing
- Eastern Express Train Trip
Istanbul, Bodrum, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Butterfly valley, Kas and Patara are the places in Turkey where one can enjoy the amazing scenic views. These are the most exciting places to visit with several amazing experiences.
The amazing balloon ride in Turkey can be experienced in the Cappadocia. Here the panoramic view of hundreds of hot air balloon gently flowing above the valleys will give you a memorable experience.
Lake Cildir in Turkey is famous for sleighing in winter because the lake gets freezes over in winter season and tourist can take advantage of its surface to enjoy the sleighing rides.
Cappadocia, Izmir or Ephesus are some of the places in Turkey where one can have a perfect city break. This is a short-term vacation especially for the people who want to explore the urban areas.
The best place to take a Turkish bath is the Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Hamam at Sk. No:1, 34425 Beyoğlu/Istanbul, Turkey. However, there are several local hammams in Turkey and are an important part of the Turkish culture.
Turkey is famous for its historical places, old mosques, breathtaking sceneries, fascinating history and much more. This is an incredible country and a perfect tourist destination as well.
Turkey winters starts from the mid-December and ends in mid-March. The daily temperature of the country may vary from –13C to 24C depending on the climate zone.
