When to go · Istanbul
Istanbul in March
Good month. Cool; tulip season starts.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Temperature
- 12°C54°F / 5°C41°F
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 12
- Crowds
- Medium
- Türkiye (Turkey) overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Türkiye (Turkey) overall
Verdict
Cool; tulip season starts.
Weather in March
- IstanbulHighs around 12 °C, lows around 5 °C, rain on about 12 daysHighs around 54 °F, lows around 41 °F, rain on about 12 days
- Istanbul and Marmara, Türkiye (Turkey) · Istanbul, Bursa, Edirnecool
Wet, windy winters with occasional snow; humid 30 °C summers; May and September–October are the easy windows.Wet, windy winters with occasional snow; humid 86 °F summers; May and September–October are the easy windows.
Winter season
Few crowds and cheaper beds.
Watch: Cold, wet, short days; occasional snow.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Ramadan, then Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) check
Islamic calendar, moves yearly · Citywide
Restaurants adapt; the three-day holiday closes shops and clogs transport.
Ramazan Bayramı (Şeker Bayramı) big impact
9–11 Mar 2027 (lunar, moves yearly — check) · Türkiye (Turkey)
Three-and-a-half-day holiday, often extended; buses and flights sell out, Grand Bazaar closed.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Türkiye (Turkey) overall
- Medium
- Prices · Türkiye (Turkey) overall
- Medium
Türkiye (Turkey) overall: Warming but changeable; Ramazan Bayramı 9–11 Mar 2027 fills transport — check dates.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket