Alanya lies on the Mediterranean coast, which gives the area an almost ideal Mediterranean summer climate and some 300 sunny days a year. Warm, dry summers and mild winters make Alanya worth visiting all year round.
Content:
- The climate of Alanya in figures
- The best time to visit Alanya
- Winter in Alanya
- The rainy season: when and how much
- What the climate means for a property buyer
- Popular questions
The climate of Alanya in figures
The annual average temperature is around 20 degrees, and over the year the thermometer normally moves between 9 and 32. July is the hottest month and January the coldest. Annual rainfall is about 515 mm, almost all of it falling in the colder half of the year.
| Period | Daytime air | Sea temperature | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| December – February | Around 12–15 °C, up to 17–19 °C on some days | Around 19 °C | The wettest stretch; December brings about 119 mm |
| March – May | From 17 to 26 °C | Reaches 21 °C by May | Rain tapers off through the spring |
| June – August | Up to 32–33 °C in July | About 29 °C in August | Practically dry, under 20 mm a month |
| September – November | From 29 °C in September to 20 °C in November | Stays warm into late October | Rain returns in November |
The swimming season is therefore longer than people assume: the sea stays comfortable from May to the end of October, and the warmest water comes in August and September.
The best time to visit Alanya
Summer in Alanya is dry and warm, and July and August are the hottest months. Daytime temperatures then sit around 32 to 33 °C and the sea warms to 28 or 29 °C. May and September are warm as well, though in May the sea is still cool at about 21 degrees. As for rain, May brings around 50 mm — modest next to the winter, when a single month delivers more than twice that.
The best time to travel, then, is from May to October, with sunny weather, the beaches and the landscape of the region at their best. The beaches vary: the famous Cleopatra beach is sand, but there are pebble stretches too, so it is worth checking the specific spot.
June, July and August are the busiest months, chosen by thousands of visitors. Anyone who would rather avoid crowded streets and beaches will find May, September and October ideal.
Which beaches on the coast hold the Blue Flag and what the award actually means is set out in our article on blue flags on Turkish beaches.
Winter in Alanya
Winter weather in Alanya is generally mild but changeable. The average temperature in December is around 12 °C, though it can reach 17 to 19. It is one of the coldest months, with persistent strong winds, and about 20 sunny days; on the remaining 10 or 11 heavy rain is possible.
January is much like December, but the days lengthen and the sun is up for about 9 hours. Statistically January is the coldest month of the year, averaging around 12 degrees.
February is cool as well, averaging 11 °C. You might think winter is not the season to visit the region, but it is in fact the chance to do the things that are too hot in summer — exploring the town and the surrounding country, for instance.
Snow never falls on the coast, but it does lie in the mountains above Alanya, and the ski slopes of the Taurus range are a few hours away. What else there is to do in Turkey in the cold season is collected in our article on New Year in Turkey.
The rainy season: when and how much
This is what surprises first-time winter visitors. A Mediterranean climate means not only a dry summer but a genuinely wet winter.
- Most rain falls between November and February, with about 119 mm in December alone — more than the whole summer combined;
- the rain is not drizzle but downpour: a month’s worth can fall in a few hours, streets flood, and that is a normal winter scene;
- from June to September there is almost none, usually under 20 mm a month;
- the annual total is about 515 mm, which is dry by northern European standards but very unevenly spread.
What the climate means for a property buyer
For a holiday these figures are about the swimming season. For an owner they turn into practical questions and utility bills.
- There is no central heating in buildings on the coast. Winter heating means air conditioners or electric convectors, and the January electricity bill can exceed the July one;
- humidity is high in winter while the buildings are designed for heat. Condensation appears in ground-floor apartments and in garden duplexes, so a dehumidifier is a common first-season purchase;
- an apartment left shut all winter greets its owner with stale air and sometimes mould in the bathrooms: it is better left in someone’s care;
- in summer the orientation of the windows decides everything. North-facing rooms stay cooler, while south and west sides heat up enough to run the air conditioning all day;
- top floors under the roof are the hottest in summer and the first to suffer leaks after the winter downpours.
What the utilities and the aidat add up to over a year is set out in our article on the cost of maintaining property in Turkey.
“People choose a coastal apartment in May, when everything is perfect. It is worth viewing in January: that is when you see how the building copes with the rain, whether there is damp, and what heating will cost,” says a property consultant in Alanya.
Popular questions
Which is the warmest month in Alanya?
July, at around 32 to 33 degrees during the day, with the sea reaching 28 to 29 degrees by August.
Which is the coldest month?
January, averaging about 12 degrees. Sub-zero temperatures are practically unknown on the coast.
When can you swim in Alanya?
From May, when the sea reaches about 21 degrees, until the end of October. The warmest water is in August and September.
Is May really a rainy month?
No. The wettest months run from November to February, with about 119 mm in December. May sees noticeably less.
Is it cold indoors in winter?
It can be. There is no central heating in coastal buildings, so people use air conditioners and convectors, and the electricity bill rises in winter.