Turkey Weather in September: Travel Tips for First-Timers

September is a perfect month to visit Turkey with temperatures warm but not too hot, and great weather throughout the country. We recommend visiting the beaches, but also going sightseeing in September. Continue reading for more information on travel and weather, including average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, and travel tips for the month of September.

Turkey Weather in September: Overview

Averages:

• Temperature range: 17–28°C (63–83°F)
• Rainfall: 2 cm (1 inch)
• Rainy days: 4
• Sunshine hours/day: 8
• Sea temperature: 25°C (77°F)
• Humidity: 49–74% (dry in the south to more humid in Istanbul)

September in Turkey marks the end of the hot summer months, with warm weather still prevalent throughout the country. It's a busy time of year, as it is the end of the school holidays in many countries, and because the temperatures are slightly lower than they were in July and August.

The days in September are still long, with an average of 8 hours of sunshine per day, and there is still barely any rainfall (September sees 4 rainy days with approximately 2 cm (1 inch) of rain on average.

China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.

Huangshan We booked a 3 day tour of Huangshan with China Highlights. Tony was our guide in Huangshan. He was very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. I was able to appreciate the Hui culture and Huangshan more thanks to Tony. The entire trip went smoothly thanks to China Highlights! More helen, Dec 2023

Exploring Chengdu Two days with her guidance made my all dreams to come true (voluntairing experience in Research base of Giant Panda Breeding, meeting Leshan Giant Budha, strolling in Wuhpu Shrine and Jinli Ancient street, admiring Sichuan Opera, diving into local tea culture In People's park and of course tasting Sichuan hot pot dinner and other local food) in relaxed and joyful mode. Helen is really fond of pandas and all what she is doing. I was admiring her profesional skills in each step even in smallest ones. More Inspirator, Dec 2023

Albee was great in booking our tour to Albee was great in booking our tour to Indonesia Malaysia and Singapore.She was very friendly and responded to my request to change itinerary few times to fit our needs. More , Dec 2023

Olivia Tian, a sunshine tour guide! In October, my friend Amy booked a tour with Chinahighlights, Olivia Tian was our guide in Beijing, she is such a sweet n happy person to be around, not only she gave us the best guide service, also very accommodating, alter the plan as per our interest, took us to very local shopping n food district. Above all, she takes awesome pics, very patient!! Thank you so much for such pleasant 5 days in BJ, look forward to see you when we are back in China, Olivia!! More Venture216019, Dec 2023

One whole of a good experience ! Kevin was always making flexible arrangements for us making sure we meet our needs. Kevin also walked us to our desired restaurant daily making sure all are well before he left. Kudos to the whole team. Highly recommend ? More Cornelius C, Dec 2023

Excellent tour of Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai I should mention the three bilingual guides, all passionate about their location and very accomodating. Tim in Hangzhou was exceptional as was Kenny in Shanghai.All three drivers were very good too.All in all a great tour. Thoroughly recommended. More Deepak, Dec 2023

Family of 4 on 5 days Beijing trip My family did a 5 days' trip in Beijing with China Highlights and tour guide Lily Liu. Our tour guide Lily is very knowledgeable with chinese history and was able to explain in both English and Mandarin. She is very patient in explaining, ensuring that we understand every single details.We enjoy the well planned trip very much. More Valerie, Dec 2023

China is Amazing Wonders that do not stop coming at you.Great country Great job,Loved every minute of it,Ethan did an amazing job,True Ambassador of China,Just like the Chinese people,Friendly, dignified and hardworking,Very happy.China Highlights exceeded expectations and then some,I will never even think of travelling with another company. More Philip Sardar /Maps10321171537, Dec 2023

13 day tour with China Helen who set the tourist standard for us. She was super informative and consistently looked out for the best phot spots using her camera and ours. She always gave us a "smile countdown" and positioned us. She took candid shots which we later discovered as most precious. We did a private tour and also found the drivers to be very capable. More Can vi, Dec 2023

The tour was perfectly organised The tour was perfectly organised, the guides, Massimo, Giorgio, Helen and Luca were prepared and always ready to help and adapt themselves to our requests More Jonathan, Dec 2023

The tour was perfectly organised We had 2 tours with Helen in Chengdu and thoroughly enjoyed our tours with her.Helen was friendly, bubbly and knowledgeable.It was fun to be with her. China Highlight had arranged 5 tours for us during our stay. The company is reputable and had fulfilled all our request. More Silva, Dec 2023

We had 2 tours with Helen in Chengdu We had 2 tours with Helen in Chengdu and thoroughly enjoyed our tours with her.Helen was friendly, bubbly and knowledgeable.It was fun to be with her. China Highlight had arranged 5 tours for us during our stay. The company is reputable and had fulfilled all our request. More Sooi, Dec 2023

Wonderful times with the pandas The tour was amazing and we loved the pandas we got so many wonderful pictures and our guide Helen was great. She is super knowledgeable and always ready to help More Kavita, Dec 2023

Xi’an During our trip around China, we spent three days in Xi'an. Thanks to our wonderful guide, Susan, who took us to visit the most beautiful places, explaining additional details about the dynasties. We especially enjoyed the Terracotta Warriors, where we had the chance to create one at a local workshop. Susan was very attentive; she tried to find a restaurant where everyone was happy with the food and found a pizza for our little son. She even made a gift for our daughter—a beautiful hairpin. Very positive experience! More Kamilya1818, Dec 2023

Wonderful trip to Beijing and Xian Had a great trip to bejing n xian. Our guide lily liu is so well versed in english and we have no worry here at all. We managed to dine in great halal restaurants though out our trip. Highly reccomended to all muslims travellers. More Efen Reyes, Dec 2023

Great experience, highly recommended! Additionally, she helped me with all my personal needs like getting a SIM card, finding an ATM, shopping, dining, checking in at the train station, hotel, suggested a couple additional very entertaining art events. Was also punctual and spoke good English. More Wayne S., Nov 2023

Chengdu and surrounding area tours Our guide Helen was the complete package. She guided us every step with deep knowledge and energy. But, that's not all. She bought us snacks for the optional kungfu show. She helped us check into every hotel and inspected our room to ensure it was perfect. She translated at every need. She even bought a bamboo stick to help us ward off some aggressive monkeys. We had 4 lovely days with Helen and our excellent driver, Mr. Wu. Highly recommended! More Chris, Nov 2023

Like a dream come true, but better The experience itself was above and beyond what was described. The driver and vehicle was spotless and on time, the lantern festival and seats were like something from a wonderful dream. The lesson to make kratong and the dinner after were perfect. This whole experience has been a dream come true and I cannot recommend it enough. More Diana B, Nov 2023

excellent communication Bangkok guide Mr. Samart was great, and saw to all our needs. Mr. Chong in Chaing Mai was fun and very sweet. (5 Stars, Mr. Chong!) Finally, Nittaya is experienced, flexible to our needs, and took good care of us right to the flight out. More Abigail Kamelhair, Nov 2023

We really enjoyed touring Chiang Mai She met us at the airport and accompanied us on hiking tours, market visits, temple and pagoda tours, and our Thai cooking class, and then returned us safely to the airport where she helped us navigate the check-in process. More Steve, Nov 2023

Weather of Turkey's Major Cities in September

13-Day Turkey Natural Beauty Immersion Tour

The Best Places to Visit in Turkey in September

September is the best time of the year to visit if you're hoping to visit both the beaches and see the historical and cultural sights that Turkey has to offer. The temperatures are still warm enough to relax by the pool or the ocean, but you'll also find that temperatures in Istanbul, for example, have dropped enough to make walking around the city more pleasant.

You will find some more ideas of where in Turkey to visit below, ranging from some of Turkey's most beautiful beaches to its best city destinations, with something for each kind of traveler.

1. Test your Tastebuds in Istanbul

Istanbul is a great city to visit for foodies, with lots of different restaurants showcasing Turkish cuisine including some of the following dishes The 10 Dishes You Must Try in Turkey.

For further details on what to do while you are visiting Istanbul, check out our Weather in Turkey in May article, or you can find more information here: Top 10 Things to Do in Istanbul.

Follow your culinary adventures with a little bit of shopping at one of Istanbul's many markets to find some souvenirs to take home. We've put together some guidance to help you pick what to buy here: 10 Best Turkish Souvenirs to Take Home

• Istanbul Old City Walking Tour — Full-day Guided Immersion of the Old Days
• Istanbul Land & Sea Combo with Food Tasting — 2-Day Istanbul Sightseeing and Food Tasting Tour

3-Day Top Natural Heritages Combo of Turkey Tour

2. Do Absolutely Nothing But Relax on Fethiye's Beaches

With September still being a great time of the year to visit one of Turkey's beaches, we recommend heading on over to Fethiye, home to some of the country's best beaches for relaxing, swimming, and sunbathing.

There is a wide range of beaches nearby, including Blue Lagoon, Oludeniz, or Calis Beach. For those who are traveling with their family, there is also Sultans Aqua City with slides for thrill seekers of all ages.

If you'd like to see more beach options in Turkey, we recommend The 10 Best Beaches in Turkey.

3. Explore Caves and Castles on the Coast in Alanya

Alanya, not to be confused with Antalya, is a beautiful resort town which is perfect to add onto a Turkey summer itinerary. Some of the most popular sights there include Damlatas Caves, which has its entrance on one of Alanya's beautiful beaches.

Other sights in Alanya, apart from the many beautiful beaches that you can choose from, include the famous Alanya Castle, built in the 13th century. The building is an open-air museum and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

10-Day Turkey Honeymoon Tour

4. Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus in Izmir

One of the best-preserved classical cities in the eastern Mediterranean, Ephesus was built by Greek colonists in the 10th century BC. Its preservation makes it an important historical sight to visit while you are in Turkey, and any budding archaeologists' dream.

You can explore the Temple of Artemis, as well as the Library of Celsus and Hadrian's Temple, as well as the 25,000-seat Great Theater of Ephesus, once the largest open-air theater in the ancient world. There is also Ephesus Archaeological Museum, which houses many of the treasures that were uncovered there.

Turkey Festivals in September: Milad un Nabi

In September for the next three years, Turkish Muslims celebrate Milad un Nabi, the annual celebration commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. The celebration takes place in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal which is the third month on the Islamic Calendar.

In 2023, Milad un Nabi falls between the evening of September 26 and the evening of September 27, in 2024 between September 15 and 16, and in 2025 between September 4 and 5. These days are public holidays in Turkey, and you might find that some restaurants and shops are closed, and that some mosques are either closed to tourists or that they are busier than usual on the practicing side.

Start of Low Season: Less Crowded and Cheaper

September is a great time of the year to visit Turkey because it falls in Turkey's low season (high season is between June and August). As a result, there are fewer tourists throughout the country, with less crowds at all the most popular sights, and prices at hotels and for internal flights are lower.

7-Day Turkey Classical Wonders Tour

What to Wear in September

September's weather is largely still warm, so we recommend wearing light-colored clothing and items made of natural fabrics. Cotton or linen shirts are a good idea, as are loose trousers or longer skirts.

Most Turkish people identify as Muslims, and you will see that Turkish people tend to dress more conservatively as a result. We recommend covering your shoulders and knees, to show respect while you are visiting, especially if you are going to be seeing some of the beautiful mosques.

If you are visiting the beaches, it is fine to dress however you would like, and the same goes inside the resorts and hotels, where the staff are used to tourists and there are less expectations on how to dress.

For those visiting Cappadocia and Istanbul, we recommend bringing a layer such as a coat or a jumper for the mornings and evenings, when the temperatures are lower. This is especially the case for Cappadocia, where temperatures can drop a lot at night.

Monthly Weather in Turkey

Suggested reading: Best and Worst Times to Visit Turkey>>>

16-Day Turkey Great Circle Tour

Recommended Tours for Turkey in September

September is an ideal time of year to visit Turkey, especially for first time visitors, with the weather being great in so many of Turkey's main tourist destinations and it being low tourist season with lower prices throughout. From the beaches to the mosques, September is ideal for any type of visitor to Turkey.

Bearing in mind that September is a good time to visit, below are some of our most popular Turkey itineraries. If you have specific spots you want to see, let us know how long you are hoping to visit Turkey for and when, and our experts can tailor an itinerary especially for you. Contact us to begin a tour inquiry.

• Natural Beauty Immersion — 13-Day Natural Highlights of Turkey: Istanbul–Fethiye–Faralya–Blue Cruise–Antalya–Cappadocia
• Classical Wonders — 7-Day Top Highlights of Turkey: Istanbul–Cappadocia–Kusadasi
• Top Natural Heritages Combo of Turkey — 3-Day Private Adventure Tour through Cappadocia and Pamukkale
• Romantic Turkish Honeymoon — 10-Day Private Honeymoon Tour: Istanbul–Fethiye–Antalya–Cappadocia
• Turkey Tours