Season guide · Cappadocia · Turkey
Cappadocia in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Cold and often snowy, with beautiful white landscapes, low prices and more frequent balloon cancellations. Expect highs up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 24 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -5°C (23°F) to 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 24
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4°C (39°F) | -5°C (23°F) | 8 | 9.7 h | 2/5 |
| February | 6°C (43°F) | -4°C (25°F) | 8 | 10.7 h | 2/5 |
| December | 6°C (43°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 8 | 9.5 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 5°C (41°F) against a yearly 17°C (63°F), and 24 of the year's roughly 72 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: New Year's Eve celebrations in cave hotels
Good choices for winter
Experience · Avanos
Avanos pottery workshops
Visit independently rather than on a tour stop to avoid pressure to buy, and haggle in the showrooms.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Art
Experience · Ürgüp
Wine tasting in Ürgüp
Cappadocia has been a wine region since antiquity, and the volcanic soil suits the native white Emir grape.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Couples
- Rainy day
Historic site · Derinkuyu
Derinkuyu Underground City
Avoid it if you are claustrophobic or have back problems; some passages require crouching.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Historic site · Kaymaklı
Kaymaklı Underground City
Wider and shallower than Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı has a maze of low tunnels and rooms over several levels, including storage chambers, a church and stone mortars.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Kayseri (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car or bus) — A large city at the foot of Mount Erciyes with Seljuk mosques, tombs and medreses, a covered bazaar and a reputation for food, especially pastırma and mantı.
- Mount Erciyes (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — The extinct volcano that dominates the horizon is home to a modern ski resort with lifts and pistes, usually from December to March or April.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Cappadocia?
It is a trade-off: Cold and often snowy, with beautiful white landscapes, low prices and more frequent balloon cancellations. The best months overall are April–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Cappadocia in winter?
Highs of up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 24 rainy days over the season.