When to go · Istanbul
Istanbul in February
Mixed month. Cold; short days.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C) / 4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 13
- Crowds
- Low
- Türkiye (Turkey) overall
- Prices
- Low
- Türkiye (Turkey) overall
Verdict
Cold; short days.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than February?
February is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in February
- IstanbulHighs around 10 °C (50 °F), lows around 4 °C (39 °F), rain on about 13 daysHighs around 50 °F (10 °C), lows around 39 °F (4 °C), rain on about 13 days
- Istanbul and Marmara, Türkiye (Turkey) · Istanbul, Bursa, Edirnecool
Wet, windy winters with occasional snow; humid 30 °C (86 °F) summers; May and September–October are the easy windows.Wet, windy winters with occasional snow; humid 86 °F (30 °C) summers; May and September–October are the easy windows.
Winter season
Few crowds and cheaper beds.
Watch: Cold, wet, short days; occasional snow.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Ramadan, then Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) check
Islamic calendar, moves yearly · Citywide
Restaurants adapt; the three-day holiday closes shops and clogs transport.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Türkiye (Turkey) overall
- Low
- Prices · Türkiye (Turkey) overall
- Low
Türkiye (Turkey) overall: Like January; Ramadan starts around the second week of February in 2027 — check.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Istanbul, side by side.
Verdict
Feb: Mixed
May: Great (better)
Daytime high
Feb: 10 °C (50 °F)50 °F (10 °C)
May: 22 °C (72 °F)72 °F (22 °C)
Night low
Feb: 4 °C (39 °F)39 °F (4 °C)
May: 13 °C (55 °F)55 °F (13 °C)
Rain days
Feb: 13
May: 7 (better)
Crowds
Feb: Low
May: High
Prices
Feb: Low
May: Medium
Festivals listed
Feb: 1
May: 1
February: Cold; short days.
May: Warm; long days; crowds building.
Istanbul: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket