Turkey · May
Turkey in May: Weather, Crowds & What's On
What May is actually like in Turkey — average highs and lows, how much rain to expect, public holidays that fill trains and hotels, and verified places to go.
Weather in May
The 5th warmest month of Turkey's year. The 5th wettest month, at 10% of the year's rain.
Every month compared
Public holidays in May
Domestic travel peaks around these dates — book earlier and expect busier sights.
- May 1 İşçi Bayramı · Labour Day
- May 19 Atatürk'ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı · Atatürk Commemoration & Youth Day
- May 27 Kurban Bayramı 1. Gün · Eid al-Adha First Day
- May 28 Kurban Bayramı 2. Gün · Eid al-Adha Second Day
- May 29 Kurban Bayramı 3. Gün · Eid al-Adha Third Day
- May 30 Kurban Bayramı 4. Gün · Eid al-Adha Fourth Day
- May 16 Kurban Bayramı 1. Gün (Tentative Date) · Eid al-Adha First Day (Tentative Date)
- May 17 Kurban Bayramı 2. Gün (Tentative Date) · Eid al-Adha Second Day (Tentative Date)
- May 18 Kurban Bayramı 3. Gün (Tentative Date) · Eid al-Adha Third Day (Tentative Date)
- May 19 Kurban Bayramı 4. Gün (Tentative Date) · Eid al-Adha Fourth Day (Tentative Date)
Verified quiet times
Real foot-traffic data for places worth timing right.
Places to go in Turkey
attraction Topkapi Palace Museum
Topkapi Palace, the seat of Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years, sits on the tip of the historic peninsula in Sultanahmet, a short walk from Hagia Sophia.
attraction Duden Waterfalls
Duden Waterfalls (Düden Şelalesi) in Kepez, Antalya, is best visited in the Upper Duden Park (Düden Şelalesi Parkı) where the falls tumble in front of a
attraction Clock Tower of İzmir
The Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi) sits in the middle of Konak Square in Izmir, right by the waterfront and the Konak Pier tram/ferry hub — it's a five-minute
hidden gem Hierapolis
Hierapolis sits directly above the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, in Denizli province in southwestern Turkey, and is included in the same ticketed
hidden gem Bodrum Castle
Bodrum Castle (Kale, in Turkish) sits on its own small peninsula between Bodrum's two harbor bays, and it's easily worth a half-day: budget 2-3 hours to
attraction Pigeon Valley
Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik Vadisi) links Uçhisar and Göreme via an easy, mostly flat-to-gentle 4-5km trail through a canyon dotted with dovecotes carved into
hidden gem Hadrian's Gate
Hadrian's Gate (Üçkapılar) sits on Atatürk Caddesi in Antalya's old town, Kaleiçi, right where the modern boulevard meets the ancient walls — a three-arched
attraction Ankara Castle
Ankara Castle (Ankara Kalesi) crowns the old Kale district on a rocky hill above the city center — climb up in the late afternoon for panoramic views over
Climate figures are 30-year averages from Open-Meteo; holidays from public calendars. Updated monthly.