Seasons on the Bodrum Peninsula, Month by Month

The Bodrum Peninsula has two lives. From June to September it is a full-tilt summer resort, hot, bright and busy. From November to March it is a quiet, green Aegean place where most visitors have gone and many waterfront restaurants close. The months in between are, for many people, the best of both.

The strip below shows average air and sea temperatures, sunshine and rainy days for each month, based on long-term climate records. Use it as a guide rather than a promise: a warm week in February or a stormy one in October is entirely normal.

1. 17° Jan 16° Jan: Sea 17°C, Air 16°C. Wettest stretch of the year; many waterfront places closed Wettest stretch of the year; many waterfront places closed
2. 16° Feb 16° Feb: Sea 16°C, Air 16°C. Almond blossom, green hills, cool sea and very few visitors Almond blossom, green hills, cool sea and very few visitors
3. 16° Mar 18° Mar: Sea 16°C, Air 18°C. Wildflowers and herb season; coldest sea of the year Wildflowers and herb season; coldest sea of the year
4. 17° Apr 22° Apr: Sea 17°C, Air 22°C. Warm days for walking; places start to reopen Warm days for walking; places start to reopen
5. 19° May 27° May: Sea 19°C, Air 27°C. Long light, quiet bays; the brave start swimming Long light, quiet bays; the brave start swimming
6. 23° Jun 32° Jun: Sea 23°C, Air 32°C. Proper summer arrives; sea is warm, crowds still manageable Proper summer arrives; sea is warm, crowds still manageable
7. 25° Jul 35° Jul: Sea 25°C, Air 35°C. Hot, busy and windy afternoons; book tables and rooms early Hot, busy and windy afternoons; book tables and rooms early
8. 26° Aug 35° Aug: Sea 26°C, Air 35°C. Peak season and warmest sea; traffic and prices at their highest Peak season and warmest sea; traffic and prices at their highest
9. 25° Sep 31° Sep: Sea 25°C, Air 31°C. Sea still warm, heat easing; many say the best month Sea still warm, heat easing; many say the best month
10. 23° Oct 26° Oct: Sea 23°C, Air 26°C. Golden light and easy swimming; first rains late in the month Golden light and easy swimming; first rains late in the month
11. 20° Nov 21° Nov: Sea 20°C, Air 21°C. Season winds down; mild days, sea still swimmable for some Season winds down; mild days, sea still swimmable for some
12. 18° Dec 17° Dec: Sea 18°C, Air 17°C. Mandarin harvest, storms and calm spells; very local Mandarin harvest, storms and calm spells; very local

October: Golden light and easy swimming; first rains late in the month

Winter: December to February

Winter here is mild by northern European standards, with daytime highs around 16°C, but it is also the wettest part of the year, with rain on about one day in three and strong southerly storms now and then. Between them come clear, still, sunny days that feel almost like spring. Most of Gümüşlük’s waterfront closes or opens only at weekends, but bakeries, village coffee houses, markets and some restaurants stay open, and Bodrum town carries on as normal. It suits writers, walkers, long-stay visitors and anyone who likes having a place to themselves. We cover it in detail in Bodrum in winter.

December. Short days and the year’s heaviest rain, but also the mandarin harvest, celebrated with a mandarin festival in Bitez, usually held this month. The sea is still around 18°C. Christmas and New Year are low-key, with a few hotels and restaurants in Bodrum town marking the occasion.

January. The quietest month. Expect around 16°C by day and 9°C at night, a sea of about 17°C and plenty of closed shutters. Houses can feel cold, so heating matters more than a pool.

February. Still wet and cool, but the hills turn green and almond trees blossom. Sea temperature drops to about 16°C. Good for walking, reading and seeing the peninsula as residents do.

Spring: March to May

Spring is short and lovely. Wildflowers cover the hillsides, wild greens and herbs appear in markets and on menus, and the light is clear. The sea stays cold until May, but the walking is excellent, and the peninsula’s spring herb and gastronomy events usually fall in this period. Read more in spring on the Bodrum Peninsula and our field guide to Aegean herbs.

March. Highs around 18°C, rain becoming less frequent, and the coldest sea of the year at about 16°C. Very few visitors, and some places begin repainting and repairing for the season. Ortakent’s wild greens festival usually takes place in late March.

April. Around 22°C by day, roughly eight hours of sunshine and only a handful of rainy days. Restaurants and guesthouses start reopening during the month. Easter and Turkish public holidays can bring busy weekends.

May. Warm, long days around 27°C and a sea near 19°C, which hardy swimmers enjoy. Most places are open, the bays are still quiet and prices are below summer levels. Bodrum often hosts a dance festival in May.

Summer: June to August

Summer is reliably dry and sunny, with close to ten hours of sunshine a day and almost no rain. It is also hot, busy and more expensive. The north wind, the meltem, blows most afternoons in July and August, cooling the air and roughening exposed beaches. Gümüşlük’s waterfront is full every evening, roads into the villages slow down at sunset, and booking ahead becomes essential.

June. Highs around 32°C, a warm sea of about 23°C and crowds that are building but still manageable. For many people this is the sweet spot of summer, especially in the first half of the month. Bodrum’s jazz festival usually takes place in June.

July. Hot, around 35°C, with the sea near 25°C. Peak season begins, with European school holidays and Turkish families arriving. The International Gümüşlük Music Festival runs through July and August, with concerts in the old Koyunbaba quarries.

August. The hottest, busiest and most expensive month, with the warmest sea of the year at about 26°C. Bodrum’s ballet festival is traditionally held at the castle in August. Swim early, rest in the afternoon and eat late, the way locals do.

Autumn: September to November

Autumn is when the peninsula exhales. The sea, warmed all summer, stays inviting well into October, the heat softens and the evening light turns golden. Crowds thin steadily after the first week of September. It is the favourite season of many residents, and our pick for a first visit; see September and October in Gümüşlük.

September. Highs around 31°C easing to the high 20s, a sea still near 25°C and noticeably fewer people after the first week or two. Cultural life picks up again once the heat breaks, and Bodrum’s film week usually falls in late September or early October.

October. About 26°C by day, a sea around 23°C and clear, calm days, though the first autumn rains usually arrive towards the end of the month. Many restaurants and guesthouses stay open until late October. The Bodrum Cup sailing regatta usually fills the harbour with gulets during this month.

November. The season winds down. Days are mild at around 21°C and the sea, at about 20°C, is still swimmable for some. Rain returns, places close one by one, and the village settles back into its own rhythm.

How to choose

If you want warm swimming without the crowds, come in June or from mid-September to mid-October. If you want heat, nightlife and long evenings, July and August deliver, at a price. For walking, wildflowers and quiet, choose April or May. For a long, slow, cheap stay with space to think, come in winter and accept that some days will be grey.

Event dates change from year to year, so check our events page or local listings closer to the time.