Climate in Istanbul

Overview

It makes sense that a city as diverse and historically multicultural as Istanbul would have such varied weather.  The climate changes considerably as you head from north to south, east to west. The area around the Bosporus has a balmy Mediterranean climate, and as you head towards the Black Sea, the rainfall increases.  Towards the west of the city, the winters are cold and marked by heavy snowfall, whereas the east has hot summers and cold winters. On some spectacular days, you could even find yourself in the midst of a snow drizzle, while in the sky, the sun shines brightly on other parts of town.  

Generally however, when people talk of Istanbul’s climate, they mean the warm and pleasant Mediterranean type of climate – winter with rain and snowfall, pleasant summer temperatures, and short springs.  

Spring is the best time to visit Istanbul for your medical tourism vacation, although holiday season doesn’t begin officially till summer.  Spring officially begins in March but the real beauty of the season begins closer to April and May when the gardens and parks blossom in full.   

Summer begins in mid June, and this is when tourists and travelers begin flocking to the beaches.  If you’re looking to take a quick dip in the sea on your medical tourism holiday, you’ll find that the journey from the city center to the beach is less than an hour away.  Swimming in the seas during summer months is even more pleasant than it used to be thanks to a recent citywide clean-up project designed to beautify the coast.  

Autumn in Istanbul is quite long, overlapping with the end of summer and the beginning of frost-covered days in November.  Expect a few days of snowfall if you arrive in December for your medical tourism visit, and bring both a heavy coat and umbrella.

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