About Spring In Turkey
Our team loves nothing more than Spring in Turkey. We are getting excited with just a few weeks until this season officially arrives. Of course, everyone talks about summer when temperatures reach their peaks. While we like summer, something about Spring lures us to enjoy the three months from March to June fully. As cold weather subsides and warm sunshine takes over, Spring sees Turkish villages and towns come to life. So, we put together our list of reasons to visit Turkey in Spring, what to expect and places to go.
About Spring In Turkey
1: Spring Change of Wardrobe
Even though chilly nights mean wearing jackets, day temperatures rise. Couple this with blue skies and sunshine, and it is time to pack away coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. Trousers go back into the wardrobe as we cheerfully get our shorts and t-shirts out. We enjoy sitting outside in afternoons while sipping an ice-cold beer. Temperatures are just right and not too hot. We get even more excited when we see spring wear come into the shops. If you like outdoor activities, like hiking, visiting historical sites or golfing in Belek, Spring is ideal.
2: Nature Bursts into Action
We are keen gardeners and dread winter. Leaves start to fall, and flowers stop blooming, stripping away colourful delights of Mother Nature. However, Spring means celebrations. Popular flowers in Turkey like bougainvillaea, oleander, petunias, roses, and much more start to grow as tiny buds appear on bare vines.
3: Fewer Crowds and Better Prices in Turkey
We love seeing attractions but stay away from them during summer, when tourism in Turkey peaks, both foreign and domestic. Reasons are congested traffic, long queues to get into attractions, and fewer opportunities to fully appreciate them with serenity. Meanwhile, Spring means fewer crowds and chances to enjoy historic sites and attractions at our leisure without navigating hordes of visitors. Tourists also have more options at grabbing hotel rooms at reasonable prices since peak tourism season is yet to come.
4: Seasonal Spring Produce in Turkey
When Spring arrives, our routines also change. Heart-warming dishes like soups, casseroles, and stews are replaced with seasonal produce. Ask anyone who knows Turkey, and they will say, fruit and vegetables burst with flavour. Lemons, strawberries, aubergines, artichokes, herbs, peppers, and spinach burst with flavour, as do apricots and cherries. Fish lovers enjoy seasonal red mullet, a Turkish favourite, and at the end of Spring, Pandora fish. Both are tasty, twinned with mezes and traditional glasses of Turkish raki.
5: Longer Spring Days and Better Health
During winter in Turkey, we settle down on the settee to watch films with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. However, Spring means longer days, and enjoying the great outdoors. We enjoy sitting outside to eat dinner and evening strolls along beach promenades. Winter is our time to relax and recharge our batteries, but we are ready to kick back into action once Spring arrives, and often get a lot more done. Spring is also better for your health by getting outdoors for fresh air and natural vitamin D from the sunshine. All doctors will agree that this is good for our health. In addition, we feel more energetic and optimistic about starting the day.
7: Best Places to Visit in Turkey During Spring
Fethiye Region: Fethiye, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast earns admiration in our hearts. The Blue Lagoon and Oludeniz beach are quiet at the beginning of Spring yet strolling along the promenade perfectly starts the day. Saklikent Gorge and Butterfly Valley are two other sites to see. Also, head into the Taurus Mountains for historical sites like Tlos ancient ruins and traditional Uzumlu village. (More about Fethiye.)
Selcuk Town: Meanwhile, on Turkey's Aegean coast, Selcuk town presents numerous attractions and is worth a two-night stay. Of course, visit Ephesus ancient ruins, one of Turkey's top attractions that host millions of visitors every year. The Roman terrace houses, Celsus Library, and great theatre, give great insight into a city that nearly rivalled Rome in terms of importance. Two ideal places to visit during Spring are the Virgin Mary's house and Sirince winemaking village. Both are high in Selcuk hills and present beautiful landscape views. The Virgin Mary's house is a place of pilgrimage, while Sirince earns fame from the natural fruit flavoured wines it produces.
North East Attractions: Meanwhile, in North East Turkey, the Kackar mountain range attracts great outdoors lovers. Starting from Trabzon, drive to Uzungol. Uzungol translates into the long lake, accurately reflecting its picturesque appearance in between two domineering mountain ranges. Its secluded destination makes it the northeast's most popular tourist attraction. Other notable interests include Ayder plateau and Camlihemsin. From Trabzon, also visit the neighbouring province of Rize, Turkeys' tea making capital.
Pamukkale: Located inland on Turkey's Aegean coast, Pamukkale represents Mother Nature’s glory. The name translates into the cotton castle, an apt reflection of white calcium pools cascading down a hillside. Twin visiting Pamukkale with Hierapolis ancient ruins. This city was a centre of spa healing for wounded soldiers during ancient times thanks to its location near the calcium pools. These days, both UNESCO sites count themselves among Turkey's most popular attractions.
Cappadocia in Central Anatolian Turkey: Prepare for a Spring travel experience unlike anywhere else. The area appears deserted, but with closer inspection and some adventurous exploration, lunar-like mesmerising plains come into view. Popular things to do in Cappadocia include an early morning hot air balloon trip, exploring underground cities and the UNESCO Goreme open-air museum. Annually, 2.5 million tourists visit Cappadocia, and the region is a favourite place for proposals and honeymoons.
Bolu Province: Bolu is an essential midpoint between Ankara and Turkey's largest city, Istanbul. Famous for its mountain location, green forests, Lake Abant, a favourite Spring spot for Turkish and foreign travellers, boasts natural beauty and many tree species and wildlife. Also known as Seven Lakes National Park, Yedigöller National Park, established in 1965, includes seven lakes formed by landslides. Situated close to Mengen, several streams feature handcrafted bridges with small waterfalls.
Lake Van: The country's largest lake in the far east is a saline soda lake, preventing freezing in winter. The lake often hosts water sports like sailing and powerboat racing, and there is much to see. On Akdamar Island lies the 10th century Holy Cross Church, which served as a royal church to the Armenian Vaspurakan kingdom and many Armenian monasteries. Find many historic tombstones in and around Ahlat town, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage waiting list.
Alacati: A fishing village ambience, cobblestone streets, alleyways, windswept beach, and cafe culture attracts many upmarket travellers. Alacati is indeed charming during Spring and has so far escaped mass tourism. Until recently, only the country's elite and a few foreigners went to Alacti, but popularity is growing. On the outskirts of Izmir, the town is Turkey's windsurfing capital. The old, whitewashed houses, with blue shutters and doors also reflect the region's Greek history.
Dalyan: Sitting next to the winding Cayi River and majestic rock tombs ruins in the background, this town is an outdoor adventure. Hot summers and mild winters, and places of natural beauty like nearby Koycegiz lake encourage life outdoors. Because of the inland location, houses give off river views rather than the sea, but beautiful Iztuzu Beach is 30 minutes away. (More about Dalyan.)
Spring Festivals in Turkey
Naturally, given the impact of Mother Nature kicking back into action, the spring festivals in Turkey tend to revolve around local produce. Alacati herb festival traditionally takes place in April. Visitors browse stalls, learn about medicinal herbs, and sample the dishes created using them. People attend workshops, speeches, and seminars, learn about local plants, and use them in everyday dishes. Parades, children's performances, and cookery competitions attract people near and far.
Meanwhile, over in Uzumlu, they celebrate Spring Morel mushrooms. Quaint village streets fill with craft stalls, pancake stands, and locals selling homemade cakes and pastries. Morel mushrooms, prized by chefs and foodies worldwide, are spring gourmet treats and, unlike most mushrooms, grow in the wild.
When Izmir's Urla province celebrates Spring artichokes, visitors fill cobbled streets to sample dishes and buy fresh artichokes. Turkish and foreign chefs share culinary tips, and music and dance fill the streets throughout the day and evening. Lastly, during the Spring month of April, Istanbul pays homage to tulips by filling their parks and green spaces with this colourful flower.
About Us: We are Turkey Homes, a registered real estate agent with offices in Istanbul, Fethiye, Bodrum and many other regions in Turkey. We have helped many overseas buyers find their dream home by offering comprehensive property buying services from start to finish. We also took our local and regional knowledge and experience to form our blog about Turkey. We hope we have given you many ideas of what to do during Spring in Turkey. Should you want to know more, the blog provides more helpful information about Turkish culture, traditions, and other destinations to buy a holiday home in Turkey.
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