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travel guide Turkey

Turkey in April

Spring is definitely one of the best times to visit Turkey. The climate is perfect for sightseeing in Istanbul and on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Aside from the mountains, where it’s still cold, you can enjoy a lovely vacation in any part of Turkey in April.

Weather

Spring in Turkey means the weather is quite unpredictable. You may experience lovely warm days with sunshine, but you might also experience rain fall. Or a combination of the two. But regardless of the weather, the scenery is magnificent, with wild flowers and cherry blossoms in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Central Anatolian regions.

It’s almost possible to swim in the waters of the Aegean and the Mediterranean and by the end of the month you’ll be able to enjoy sun bathing and swimming, for sure. If you head to the mountains, it’s still cold there, while the southeast is quite pleasant now.

Some sample temperatures

Ankara avg high 15C / avg low 3C
Antalya avg high 21C / avg low 10C
Bursa avg high 18C / avg low 7C
Denizli avg high 20C /avg low 8C
Istanbul avg high 15C / avg low 8C
Izmir avg high 20C / avg low 10C

>>read more about Weather in Turkey

Flights and accommodation

With the exception of Istanbul, Turkey doesn’t have a winter tourist season per se. But most accommodation on the shores is closed until late April.

If you plan to head to the resorts on the Aegean or Mediterranean shores, now it’s a lovely time to do so because the flights are cheap and the accommodation is affordable too.

Should you plan to visit Istanbul, the accommodation prices are higher due to the Tulip Festival. Book the hostel bed or hotel room in advance.

What to do

Head to Istanbul for the Tulip Festival. Three million tulips and a variety of colors provide plenty of ideas for taking photos and enjoying nature at its best. But, be aware that the hostels and hotels are fully booked and the prices are at their highest.

And while you are in Istanbul, make sure to enjoy some sightseeing. Some of the things to do in Istanbul include: shopping in the Bazaars, visiting the mosques , taking a ferry across the Bosporus and enjoying the Turkish food.

National Sovereignty Day is on April 23 and is an important holiday in Turkey. It also marks Children’s Day and an international children’s festival takes place in Ankara.

ANZAC Day is on April 25 and remembers the 500,000 men who died or were wounded here during World War I. Services take place in Gallipoli.

April is a good choice for a vacation on the shores of the Aegean or Mediterranean. By the end of the month it’s possible to swim. And thankfully, the resorts aren’t crowded yet.

You can set your base in Izmir, which is served by an airport handling both domestic and international flights, and visit the ancient city of Ephesus , the hot springs of Pamukkale and plenty other Roman ruins in the area.

Or you can set your base in Kayseri, also served by an airport, and explore the region of Cappadocia , with its famous cave dwellings and great wines.

Photo credit : Antalya beach in April , Istanbul Tulip Festival