SeasonMapTurkey in May
May is one of Turkey's best months (rank 3 of 12): its 26 destinations average 85/100, led by Istanbul at 94 — 22°C and 8 rainy days — while Uludağ is cooler at 10°C and scores 32.
#3 of 12 months for Turkey · 26 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Where in Turkey in May
| # | Place | Type | Feels-like high | Rain | Comfort | At its best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Istanbul | City | 22°C | 40 mm · 8 days | 94 tier S | Yes |
| 2 | Selçuk | City | 27°C | 26 mm · 5 days | 93 tier S | Yes |
| 3 | Ankara | City | 22°C | 54 mm · 10 days | 92 tier S | Yes |
| 4 | Bursa | City | 25°C | 76 mm · 12 days | 92 tier S | Yes |
| 5 | Izmir | City | 27°C | 42 mm · 7 days | 91 tier S | Yes |
| 6 | Göreme | Trekking hub | 20°C | 67 mm · 13 days | 90 tier S | Yes |
| 7 | Mardin | City | 26°C | 29 mm · 5 days | 90 tier S | Yes |
| 8 | Ürgüp | Trekking hub | 20°C | 68 mm · 13 days | 90 tier S | Yes |
| 9 | Fethiye | Beach | 29°C | 49 mm · 10 days | 88 tier A | — |
| 10 | Kalkan | Beach | 29°C | 25 mm · 5 days | 88 tier A | — |
| 11 | Kaş | Beach | 29°C | 26 mm · 5 days | 88 tier A | — |
| 12 | Pamukkale | City | 28°C | 45 mm · 8 days | 88 tier A | Yes |
| 13 | Alanya | Beach | 27°C | 38 mm · 7 days | 87 tier A | — |
| 14 | Marmaris | Beach | 29°C | 32 mm · 6 days | 87 tier A | — |
| 15 | Ölüdeniz | Beach | 26°C | 27 mm · 5 days | 87 tier A | — |
| 16 | Antalya | Beach | 28°C | 45 mm · 5 days | 86 tier A | — |
| 17 | Safranbolu | City | 21°C | 89 mm · 15 days | 86 tier A | — |
| 18 | Bodrum | Beach | 26°C | 21 mm · 5 days | 85 tier A | — |
| 19 | Side | Beach | 26°C | 35 mm · 5 days | 85 tier A | — |
| 20 | Datça | Beach | 25°C | 13 mm · 2 days | 84 tier A | — |
| 21 | Çeşme | Beach | 25°C | 10 mm · 3 days | 83 tier A | — |
| 22 | Rize | City | 20°C | 168 mm · 20 days | 82 tier A | Yes |
| 23 | Van | City | 17°C | 63 mm · 14 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 24 | Trabzon | City | 19°C | 189 mm · 19 days | 78 tier B | Yes |
| 25 | Kars | City | 17°C | 131 mm · 21 days | 73 tier B | — |
| 26 | Uludağ | Ski resort | 10°C | 125 mm · 17 days | 32 tier F | — |
Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means May is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.
What's on in Turkey in May
- Kurban Bayrami · Istanbul and 9 more places · 27–30 May
- Istanbul Music Festival · Istanbul · 30 May – 30 Jun (usually)
- Storks on the aqueduct · Selçuk · 15 Mar – 31 Aug (usually)
- Loggerhead nesting at Patara · Kaş · 1 May – 30 Sep
- Culture, Art and Tourism Festival · Alanya · 22–24 May
- Kurban Bayrami coast exodus · Antalya · 27–30 May
- Loggerhead nesting · Side · 15 May – 30 Sep (usually)
- Pearl mullet spawning run · Van · 15 Apr – 15 Jul (usually)
Seasons in force
Peak crowds at 2 of Turkey's 11 well-known places this month.