Side weather in December
December in Side: cool, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 13 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Side · #998 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 59/100 (tier D)
- Days
- 15°C
- Nights
- 9°C
- Wet days
- 13
- Sun
- 7.2 h
- Humidity
- 74%
- Daylight
- 10 h

Traveller notes on Side in December
Other months in Side
The Side forum is full of people hoping for a beach-ready March, and the honest answer from regulars is: it's pleasant for sightseeing, not for swimming yet. Daytime highs mostly sit in the mid-teens C, several posters warned evenings turn properly cool and you'll want a jacket or cardigan the moment the sun drops, and a couple described getting caught out by a sudden, heavy downpour that shut down outdoor plans for an afternoon. It's a good month for walking the ancient theatre and harbor without summer crowds or heat, just don't pack only summer dresses like one traveler admitted she did.
Forum posters describe early September on Turkey's Turquoise Coast as still solidly hot, commonly 27-30C under cloudless skies, with humidity noticeably lower than the peak of July-August. One poster tracking a specific late-September week reported days staying warm while evenings turned genuinely chilly by the last week of the month - cool enough to want a jacket or cardigan after dark, a real shift from earlier in the month. Sea and pool temperatures are described as comfortably 'just right' for swimming throughout, with posters generally rating September as an easier, less oppressive alternative to midsummer while the back half of the month starts trending toward autumn evenings.
Add your own note from Side's card on the map.
Side climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Side in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Quietschool holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Side's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherSide's best weather comes in June, July and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Side in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Out of season
15 Nov – 31 Mar · usuallyOff-season shutdownClosuresThe hotels close, the shops board up and the ruins stand in an almost empty village. The temple of Apollo at sunset with nobody in the frame is the compensation.
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Side — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Side?
Side in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Side?
- December in Side: cool, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 13 rainy days. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Side on SeasonMap's comfort score (59/100).
- What is the weather like in Side in December?
- In December, Side averages a daily high of 15.2°C and a low of 9.3°C, with about 183.9 mm of rain over roughly 13.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Side in December?
- Side has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 36 in December.
- Does it snow in Side in December?
- Side sees roughly 1.3 cm of snowfall in December.
Within 300 km: Antalya's Antalya Piano Festival around 25 Nov – 20 Dec, and Alanya's Winter long-stay season around 15 Nov – 31 Mar.