Thanks to its hot weather and glorious sunshine Turkey is a major holiday destination all year round. Some of the warmest places in Turkey reach incredibly hot temperatures, often hitting the high 40 °Cs.
Turkey does have a more diverse climate than many people might realize. Whilst scorching temperatures are common across the country during the summer, winters in Turkey are often very cold. Snow is common in winter in cities like Istanbul and in areas inland away from the Mediterranean Sea. Temperatures even plummet to as low as -30 °C during the winter in more remote parts of the country. Yet in summer the temperature ratchets back up, and the warmest places in Turkey become incredibly hot.
Slap on some sunscreen and be sure to keep hydrated as we head off to seven of the warmest places in Turkey.
Cizre
Cizre is a small city located in Southeastern Anatolia Region in the far south east of Turkey, close to the border with Syria. A city with a long history, Cizre was founded in the 9th century and became a part of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. Part of a vital trade route between Asia and Europe, historically Cizre has had a cosmopolitan population, with settlers from all across Europe and the Middle East making the city home.
Nestled deep within West Asia, Cizre enjoys incredibly hot summers, with temperatures regularly exceeding 32 °C in the height of summer. In fact, Cizre can claim to be the hottest place in the entire country. In 2021 Cizre saw the highest temperature ever recorded in Turkey, when the mercury rose to a sweltering 49.1 °C. This broke the previous record of 49 °C that had stood for 60 years and was also set in Cizre.
Urfa
Urfa is another historic city located in the province of the same name. Home to a cosmopolitan mix of cultures and religions, the city is often called the City of Prophets, thanks to its strong Arabic, Christian and Jewish influences. Archeological evidence found in the city show that as far back as 9000 BCE there was already a thriving population living in the area. What is believed to be the world’s oldest temple was built near Urfa in the 10th millennium BCE.
As well as a wealth of history Urfa also enjoys plenty of hot weather and is easily one of the warmest places in Turkey. During the summer months of July and August temperatures here rise rapidly, usually staying in the mid-to-high 30 °Cs. Frequently they’ll go even higher, with temperatures regularly topping 40 °C at the very hottest times of the year. The highest temperature ever recorded in Urfa was a red-hot 46.8 °C.
Batman
We’ll pass up the urge to make a few terrible superhero puns and instead explain that Batman is another Turkish city that’s also located in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. A village of just 3,000 people as recently as the 1950s, the discovery of the largest oil field in Turkey on the outskirts of Batman saw a huge influx of people, and the city is now has a population of over 300,000.
As well as its vast supplies of oil Batman is also famous for its incredibly hot summers, which are amongst the warmest in all of Turkey. The daily average temperatures in Batman in July and August are a toasty 30 °C, with the average highs for the same months being 39 °C. With hardly any rain during the summer, Batman in July and August is easily one of the warmest places in Turkey. The highest ever temperature recorded in Batman was 48.8 °C.
Siirt
Just over 50 miles to the east of Batman is the city of Siirt. Siirt is another city with a long history, with evidence showing that the city dates back at least 4,000 years. Home to a large Kurdish population, Siirt’s diverse history has also left behind Arabic, Christian and Islamic influences on the city. The city’s most famous landmark, the Great Mosque, built in 1129, is just one of many ancient buildings that showcase Siirt’s historic roots.
During the summer Siirt also sees its fair share of hot weather. From late June through to August temperatures in the city on average tend to stay around 30 °C. Temperatures regularly peak even higher, often reaching up to 37 °C on the hottest days. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Siirt came in 1973, when it reached 46 °C. Interestingly, the winters in Siirt are often incredibly cold. In comparison, the lowest temperature ever recorded in Siirt was a bone-chilling -19 °C in January 1950.
Izmir
Izmir is the third most populated city in Turkey and home to just under 3 million people. Situated on the coast on the western edge of the region of Anatolia, Izmir has long benefitted from its location on the Aegean Sea. One of the oldest settlements in the Mediterranean, by the 17th century Izmir had become a major trading port. Today Izmir remains a major port city and is home to a number of vibrant districts and a diverse population.
Along with its geographic advantages, Izmir also benefits from some very hot weather during the summer. Izmir sees warm weather for around six months of the year, typically from early May to mid-October. The daily average temperature in Izmir during July and August is a little over 28 °C, whilst the typical highs are usually around 33 °C. The highest temperature ever in Izmir was 43 °C recorded in August 2002.
Adana
The city of Adana is located in southern Turkey, just over 20 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. Adana is another city with a long and illustrious history, and is believed to be one of the oldest continuously populated places in the world. Adana’s origins go back 8,000 years, and being located on the cusp of Europe and Asia brought a diverse cultural mix as well as huge wealth and prosperity to the city.
Being so close to the Mediterranean Sea means that Adana enjoys good weather all year round. The city particularly enjoys very hot summers, which typically last from late April to around mid-October. Adana’s annual average temperature is a pretty warm 19 °C. In the height of summer that daily average rises to 29 °C, with the average high reaching almost 35 °C. In July 1978, Adana saw its highest ever temperature when it reached 45.6 °C.
Amasya
Amasya is the farthest north of all of the cities on our tour of the warmest places in Turkey. Located in Turkey’s Black Sea Region, Amasya is situated at a high altitude amongst the area’s mountains. Amasya is known as a city of high culture, having been the home town of many artists, poets and scholars, as well as several monarchs. Amasya is also the setting of the famous Turkish tale of Ferhat and Shirin. Much like Romeo and Juliet, the tale of Ferhat and Shirin tells of two star-crossed but ultimately doomed lovers who were destined never to be.
Besides culture, Amasya is also a city of very warm summers. Thanks to its position in between mountains the city gets very hot in summer whilst also being protected from the worst of the cold winter weather. May to September are the hottest months of the year and in July and August temperatures typically reach a maximum average of 32 °C. Temperatures are known to go even higher, and in July 2000 the city saw a record high of 45 °C.
What is the warmest part of Turkey in winter?
Winter in Turkey is generally cold all over the country and very few places see hot weather at this time of year. The warmest part of Turkey in winter is the south west coast of the Anatolia region, where temperatures tend to stay between 9 and 11 °C.
Where is the warmest place in Turkey in December?
The warmest place in Turkey in December is Antalya, a city on Anatolia’s southern coast. Here temperatures usually remain at around 11 °C in December, sometimes reaching as high as 16 °C.
Where is the hottest place in Turkey in January?
The city of Alanya is the hottest place in Turkey in January which is just a couple of hour’s drive to the east of Antalya. Alanya is usually only a degree or two hotter than Antalya by the time January comes around, with daily temperatures here also ranging from 11-16 °C for most of the month.
