Turkey, a country rich in culture, diversity, beautiful landscapes, and magical historical sights, is one of the most visited countries in the world. Many tourists love traveling to Turkey between the months of May and August. However, Turkey is special in each and every month.

You can check our blog which talk about traveling to Turkey in each month here.

What about visiting Turkey in December? Will it suit you? What activities can you do?

We are here to help you find the best places and activities to do in your next trip to Turkey in December!

 

What is the weather like in Turkey in December?

The weather in Turkey is pretty chilly during the late fall and winter seasons, usually there are no snowfalls yet in most regions. However, the country experiences a lot of rainfall. If you are traveling to inland or mountainous areas, the weather will be colder than coastal areas.

Antalya and Bodrum have average temperatures of 15C but it could be lower. Which Istanbul has an average temperature weather of 11C. Cappadocia, Ankara, and Konya have much lower temperatures averaging at 6C, the weather at night is always colder.

If you are visiting from colder countries, these temperatures may not seem too cold for you, and that’s a positive thing!

Remember to bring an umbrella (or buy one here), raincoat, windbreaker, a warm jacket, warm clothes, and comfortable rainboots. You may also need to bring additional clothing items depending on where you are visiting (like a bathing suit if you are visiting Pamukkale thermal pools)

 

Activities to do in Turkey in December:

A couple throwing snow at a ski resort

  • Uludag Ski Center

Uludag is in the south of Bursa, it has one of Turkey’s best winter sports center. You can get to the Uludag ski center either by car or a cable car!

The Uludag mountain is one of the longest mountains in the Western Anatolian region with a peak of 2543M. The mountain is covered with trees and forests, the snow is powdery during the beginning of the season and gets slushy at the end of the season.

The best time to visit Uludag is from December to early April or late March. You can ski from altitudes ranging 1750M to 2543M, there are 22 different lifts that are suitable for different levels so whether you are a beginner or an expert you can go skiing in the resort!

On the mountain you can rent a room at one of the 27 hotels, go to restaurants, bars, cafes, healthcare centers, or even shopping halls.

Its important to note that the ski resort is open between 9am and 4pm.

In ancient times Uludag was known as the Mount Olympus of Mysia, in mythology this mountain is known to be where the gods watched the Trojan war. So, if you want to enjoy some winter sports, magnificent snow-covered forests, and be part of mythology, you should definitely go to Uludag during the winter!

A view of the sea from a small window from the Alanya castle

  • Alanya Castle

This castle was built in the 13th century during the Hellenistic period. The castle survived and hosted the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman civilizations.

Today, you can visit this castle as it’s considered an open-air museum, the Alanya castle is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea from 3 sides, giving it a magical view.

You can get to the castle by either taking a car, using public transportation, or for more fun you can take a cable car which will allow you to see an amazing view before reaching the awesome castle.

If you love history and want to visit a medieval castle, visiting this castle in Alanya would be a great adventure for you!

Antalya Submarine

  • Antalya Submarine Dive

If you love the water, underwater activities, swimming, or miss the summer already, you can discover the underwater marine life with a submarine tour, just because summer is over doesn’t mean you can’t do any beach or water activities!

The submarine tour will last 1 to 2 hours, you will be able to see the St. Didiler shipwreck, learn about the French warship, and enjoy the beautiful secrets of the underwater world. The submarine is fully conditioned and comfortable as it has high ceilings and multiple windows for you to admire the underwater journey. There is also a café that can offer you different types of drinks and snacks

If you do want to join this trip please make sure to tell us if you are pregnant or have an health issues as some people are not allowed to go on the submarine for their own safety.

You can book this trip here: Antalya Submarine Dive

A plane which has sank into the sea with a shark swimming in Antalya Aquarium

  • Antalya Aquarium and selfie park

If you love taking selfies for your social media accounts or just for fun and memories, the selfie park is a great place to visit. You can get creative with how you take the pictures and which backgrounds you use, the museum has over 50 rooms, each with its own theme, colors, and props, so you can be whatever you want and wherever you want.

Let your uniqueness and artiness go loose and take some memorable photos!

You can go to the Antalya aquarium before or after going to the selfie park. The Antalya aquarium is the 2nd largest aquarium in Europe, you can see various types of sharks while they are swimming around or being fed by experienced and well-trained divers, you can also see a bunch of different fish and sea creatures which are in 40 different thematic aquariums.

The Antalya aquarium also has the largest tunnel aquarium in the world with a length of 131 meters and a width of 3 meters, you can view a shipwreck which was prepared by a famous Italian sculptor from this tunnel.

If you want some more activities, you can go planning in the snow in the Snow World Ice Museum in the aquarium! Or if you have a fascination in seeing all sorts of animals, you can also see the most colorful and poisonous reptiles and snakes in the WildPark.

Hungry after such a long trip? The aquarium has a bunch of dining options you can choose from!

If you are interesting in visiting these amazing places check our tour: Selfie park & Antalya Aquarium tour