Best time to go to Istanbul

Istanbul’s summer sees the types of temperatures you’d expect to find in the Med. You can get prepped for a hot and humid climate, with the mercury bobbing around the mid-twenties. Winter’s a different story though, where the temperature plunges into single figures during the coldest months.

Passports and Visas

Your passport will need to be valid for at least 150 days (5 months) from the date you arrive and there should be a full blank page for the entry and exit stamps.

British Citizens travelling to Turkey for tourist purposes can travel without a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

We recommend you visit the FCDO website for the most up-to-date information - www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey.

Don't forget to arrange your travel money and insurance before you go.

Health and safety

You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover you while you’re away. For the latest health and safety information, visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/health

Further Reading

  • Overview
  • Things To Do
  • Key Facts

    • Language - Turkish
    • Population - 15,700,000
    • Currency - TRY:New Turkish Lira
    • Flight Time - 3 hours 50 minutes from mainly Gatwick and Heathrow

    Travel Aware

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    Travel Aware – Staying Safe and Healthy Abroad
    The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and National Travel Health Network and Centre have up-to-date advice on staying safe and healthy abroad.

    See gov.uk/travelaware and follow @FCDOtravelGovUK on Twitter and Facebook.com/FCDOtravel – for the latest general FCDO travel advice, including coronavirus travel guidance, security and local laws, and passport and visa information.

    See gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice – for FCDO travel advice about individual destinations.

    Sign up for FCDO travel advice email alerts, so you automatically receive the latest travel advice updates and travel requirements for the destinations you want to know about.

    See Travel Aware page – for travel advice from First Choice.

    See travelhealthpro.org.uk – for current travel health news.

    The advice can change so check regularly for updates.