9 Awesome Reasons to Spend Winter in Istanbul

The ancient city Istanbul, which is the meeting point of Europe and Asia, offers utterly different beauty during the winter season. Winter travel to Istanbul provides you a unique experience with its squares, historical structures, Bosphorus, museums and parks. Check out these nine enjoyable reasons to visit Istanbul in the winter:

1 - Amazing Views

The most enjoyable thing about exploring Istanbul in the winter is the breathtaking scenery that it offers you. You feel that you are in a fairy tale world when it snows in this city. You will be very impressed with the view if you ascend to high points like Pierre Loti and observe Istanbul. Winter in Istanbul gives you spectacular photo frames that jog your memory.  

2 - Cheaper Prices

As you may know that traveling in the summer season is the most preferred time for tourism and of course the prices for all over the world are higher than winter season. Buying flight tickets, booking a hotel room and all the other expenses that you spend are cheaper in winter. Travel to Istanbul in winter ensures you a reasonably priced holiday. On the other hand, purchasing the Istanbul Tourist Pass can help you save even more money if you want to make the most of your Turkish lira. Please click here for cheap tickets to İstanbul.

3 - Indoor Activities

Istanbul is famous for its historical buildings and places. You can visit Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace, Hagia Sophia Mosque, Galata Tower, The Maiden's Tower. In addition to these locations, you can visit Grand Bazaar and go shopping of traditional and other things like carpets and kilims, jewelers, antiques, leather clothes, ceramics. Grand Bazaar is well-known for its streets where you can get lost and worldwide known jewelers.

4 - Weather Condition

Unlike other European cities, the winter months in Istanbul are not very cold. If you schedule your flight and visit at the beginning and end of the winter, you could travel to this city at the best winter season. The temperature in Istanbul at the beginning of the winter is from 15°C to 8°C. On the other hand, the temperature at the end of the winter is around 12°C to 5°C. For the best options to schedule this travel please click here for book flights.

5 - In Less Crowds, Stroll Around the City

Istanbul is one of the most crowded cities in the world as it’s a big, busy, and cosmopolitan city. Since most tourists prefer to visit this city in the summer, it becomes even more crowded during that time. Because of that, when you visit Istanbul in winter, you can take a walk around the city in fewer crowds and explore the city by walking. You can also get a local guide to let you know about captivating stories of Ottoman and Romans.

6 - Winter Sports

If you like winter sports, Istanbul is a good option for you. You can go skiing at the Kartepe Ski Resort which is near Istanbul. This resort provides you with professional or amateur skiing experiences and of course you can book a hotel room there. You can also take a visit to Snowpark which is located in Istanbul Esenyurt. It is possible to do many fun activities here such as snowboarding, skiing, snow tubing and snow rafting.

7 - Turkish Baths (Hammam)

Turkish baths present you a traditional and entertaining way to have a bath with Ottoman style. These historical baths called “hamam” were designed and built in old ages. You can get hammam rituals, classic spa, message, face, and body treatments if you would like to relax in an authentic atmosphere. You should try taking a warm bath in a hammam which is a unique bathing experience if you're visiting Istanbul in the winter.

8 - Winter Delicacies

Istanbul is also famous for its street delicacies. While you are exploring the city by walking, you can drink Boza and Salep which are the most traditional wintertime beverages in the city. Boza is a pudding-like fermented hot drink made from cereals like wheat, barley and corn etc. Salep is also a hot wintertime drink which is made from several orchid types, and it is worth drinking in Istanbul.

9 - New Year Celebration

There are too many options to celebrate the new year in Istanbul. Istanbul's main gathering spot on New Year's Eve is Taksim Square. Thousands of residents will be crowded into the square and its surrounding streets, particularly İstiklal Caddesi, you can participate in these celebrations, or you can watch magnificent fireworks upon the Bosphorus bridges and enter the new year in the middle of Europe and Asia.