#1Hot
Belek
- Day
- 25.4°C
- Sea
- 21.1°C
- Sun
- 9.7h
- Rain days
- 5
Your May weather guide
Weather in Turkey in May
Yes, May is a good month for Turkey if you want warm days without making hot weather the whole point of your holiday. Country averages of 23°C by day and 15°C at night suit time outdoors, with a layer for evenings. The catch is swimming: the average sea temperature is 19°C, so the water can feel brisk. Choose your destination carefully if warmer water or fewer rainy days matter most.
Long-term climate averages, not a forecast · 1991-2020
- Average daytime high
- 23.1°Cacross 18 destinations
- Average night-time low
- 14.9°Cafter dark
- Sea temperature
- 19.3°Cbracing
- Rainy days
- 7days1 mm or more
Turkey, month by month
Turn up the warmth
Warmest places in Turkey in May
Ranked by average daytime high. The full comparison is in the table below.
#2Hot
Kusadasi
- Day
- 25.4°C
- Sea
- 19.3°C
- Sun
- 9.7h
- Rain days
- 5
#3Warm
Antalya
- Day
- 24.8°C
- Sea
- 21.1°C
- Sun
- 9.4h
- Rain days
- 6
#4Warm
Lara Beach
- Day
- 24.8°C
- Sea
- 21.1°C
- Sun
- 9.4h
- Rain days
- 6
#5Warm
Marmaris
- Day
- 24.6°C
- Sea
- 19.9°C
- Sun
- 9.8h
- Rain days
- 6
#6Warm
Fethiye
- Day
- 24.6°C
- Sea
- 20.4°C
- Sun
- 9.7h
- Rain days
- 8
Turkey destinations ranked for May
All 18 places we track in Turkey, ordered by daytime high.
Scroll sideways for more weather, down for more places. Click a heading to sort.
| # | Destination | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belek | 25.4°C | 14.8°C | 21.1°C | 9.7 h | 5 | 4 h 24 min |
| 2 | Kusadasi | 25.4°C | 15.4°C | 19.3°C | 9.7 h | 5 | 4 h |
| 3 | Antalya | 24.8°C | 14.3°C | 21.1°C | 9.4 h | 6 | 4 h 24 min |
| 4 | Lara Beach | 24.8°C | 14.3°C | 21.1°C | 9.4 h | 6 | 4 h 24 min |
| 5 | Marmaris | 24.6°C | 16.8°C | 19.9°C | 9.8 h | 6 | 4 h 12 min |
| 6 | Fethiye | 24.6°C | 14.2°C | 20.4°C | 9.7 h | 8 | 4 h 18 min |
| 7 | Dalaman | 24.5°C | 15.2°C | 20.1°C | 9.9 h | 7 | 4 h 12 min |
| 8 | Dalyan | 24.3°C | 15.8°C | 20.0°C | 9.9 h | 7 | 4 h 12 min |
| 9 | Kemer | 23.5°C | 13.9°C | 18.3°C | 8.7 h | 6 | 3 h 48 min |
| 10 | Alanya | 23.3°C | 14.7°C | 21.2°C | 9.7 h | 7 | 4 h 30 min |
| 11 | Sarigerme | 23.0°C | 15.8°C | 20.1°C | 10.0 h | 6 | 4 h 12 min |
| 12 | Icmeler | 22.6°C | 17.5°C | 19.9°C | 9.8 h | 6 | 4 h 12 min |
| 13 | Oludeniz | 22.3°C | 12.3°C | 20.3°C | 10.1 h | 6 | 4 h 18 min |
| 14 | Bodrum | 22.1°C | 17.3°C | 19.8°C | 9.9 h | 4 | 4 h 6 min |
| 15 | Gumbet | 22.1°C | 17.3°C | 19.8°C | 9.9 h | 4 | 4 h 6 min |
| 16 | Istanbul | 20.0°C | 13.6°C | 15.4°C | 7.8 h | 6 | 3 h 54 min |
| 17 | Hisaronu | 19.4°C | 12.0°C | 15.2°C | 7.4 h | 7 | 4 h 6 min |
| 18 | Side | 19.1°C | 12.2°C | 14.9°C | 6.3 h | 15 | 4 h 36 min |
18 destinations shownClimate averages, not a forecast.
May climate overview
Daytime highs across Turkey in May run from 19.1°C (Side) to 25.4°C (Belek). In Belek about 54% of May days reach 25°C. Nights average 14.9°C; the coldest 10% of nights in Side fall to 9°C or below.
Rainfall in May
Expect around 7 rainy days (1 mm or more) in May, with Bodrum the driest (4 days) and Side the wettest (15 days). The wettest May at Belek between 1991 and 2020 was 2020 with 123 mm; the driest was 1999 with 1 mm.
Sea temperature
The sea averages 19.3°C around Turkey in May - warmest at Alanya (21.2°C). That is bracing: fine for a dip, cool for long swims.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 9.3 hours of sunshine a day on average, out of 14.0 hours of daylight (sunshine estimated from cloud cover).
May against the rest of the year in Turkey
May is the 6th warmest month of the twelve in Turkey. It is 4.5°C warmer than April and 4.8°C warmer in June. The hottest month here is August (31°C) and the coolest January (12°C).
Which part of Turkey in May?
- Most sunshine: Oludeniz, 10.1 h a day.
- Driest: Bodrum, about 4 rainy days.
- Warmest sea: Alanya, 21°C.
- Hottest: Belek, 25°C by day.
- Coolest (better for walking and cities): Side, 19°C.
What to pack for Turkey in May
Based on the averages: light layers - warm in the sun, cooler in the shade; a light jumper for evenings (15°C at night); a light waterproof for the odd shower; swimwear if you do not mind a bracing 19°C sea.
Similar weather elsewhere in May
Within 1.5°C of Turkey's May daytime average: Albufeira (24°C, sea 17°C), Sicily (24°C, sea 18°C), Valencia (24°C, sea 18°C), Costa de la Luz (24°C, sea 18°C), Hammamet (24°C, sea 19°C). See the full ranking for May.
Where to go for warmth and swimming
Belek is a strong choice if you want warm afternoons and relatively warm water: daytime temperatures average 25°C, the sea reaches 21°C and there are 5 rainy days. Antalya and Lara Beach offer the same air and sea temperatures, but slightly more rainy days. Kusadasi suits travellers who put drier weather ahead of warmer swimming, with 4 rainy days and a 19°C sea. Marmaris offers a middle ground for the water at 20°C, alongside warm days. These differences matter more if you plan to spend much of your holiday swimming rather than walking. For cooler daytime weather, Side averages 19°C, so do not assume every Turkish destination will feel equally warm.
What the weather means for your plans
Plan for light daytime clothing, sun protection and an extra layer after sunset. The country averages 9.3 hours of sunshine, so there is plenty of scope for outdoor plans, but 7 rainy days mean a light waterproof is sensible too. Keep plans flexible rather than expecting uninterrupted dry weather. May can also run hotter than the averages suggest: in Belek, 54% of days exceed 25°C, making shade and a slower pace useful around midday. Evenings deserve separate thought from afternoons. Marmaris averages 17°C at night, while Antalya and Fethiye average 14°C, so a warm day does not necessarily lead to a warm evening.
A little more detail
Turkey in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Where is the hottest place in Turkey in May?
Belek is the warmest of the 18 places we track in Turkey in May with an average high of 25.4°C; Side is the coolest at 19.1°C.
Is the sea warm in Turkey in May?
Not really: the warmest sea we track in Turkey in May is 21.2°C at Alanya, below the 22°C most people find comfortable.
Is Turkey warmer than London in May?
Yes. Turkey averages 23°C by day in May, compared with London's 17°C. That makes lighter daytime clothing more practical, though Turkey's average night temperature of 15°C means you should still bring something warmer for evenings.
Is the sea warm enough to swim in May?
It depends on your tolerance for cool water. Belek, Antalya, Lara Beach and Alanya have sea averages of 21°C, making them better choices for warmer swimming. Kusadasi averages 19°C and Kemer 18°C, which may suit shorter dips rather than lingering in the water.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at 18 destination points.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C