December is the best month of the year, in december we get prepared for the winter, the weather becomes colder and the rain or even the snow starts to fall, and what is a better place to spend this beautiful month than istanbul with its coziness and the limitless things to do. in this article, i will talk about the best things to do in istanbul during december hope you will enjoy it.
published: 26 September 2022 / updated: 7 March 2024Share
December is the start of winter in Istanbul, as well as a fantastic month with Christmas and New Year fervor in the city. The average temperature is 10°C. The weather is cold, little snow. I recommend you bring a winter coat and a portable umbrella. Also, take a sweater for some warmer days. The days are still short but started to get longer, the sunset around 18:30.
New year’s eve:
New Year’s Eve is one of the best events that happen around all over the world, in Istanbul however, you can enjoy watching the fireworks with the countdown along the Bosphorus shores, or Bosphorus cruise, celebrate the night at one of the many great Istanbul clubs, or see the magical city light up at midnight with a New Year’s Eve meal in a top Istanbul restaurant with a view. It could be freezing in NYC, which makes Istanbul the best place with its warm weather (around 11C) to walk around comfortably. You can see the New Year Tree almost anywhere you go around Istanbul especially the malls which makes the amazing atmosphere all around. A lot of people tend to spend the New Year’s Eve at their homes watching TV, but at the same time if you are an active person and tend to go for a party or a bar you should check the availability first, the spaces during Istanbul’s New Year’s Eve are often limited. For the ones who want to spend the night outdoors with crowds and street parties, then I recommend Ortaköy, Nisantaşı, Bağdat Avenue in Kadiköy. I recommend Taksim Square and Istiklal Street in the evening because it gets crowded with the locals and you may enjoy walking around in the crowded place as I do.
Mystical night out at hodjapasha:
Your Key to Istanbul
Grab the Deal! Time Left to Claim:
05
hours
22
minutes
54
seconds
Planning Your Istanbul Trip?
Istanbul Tourist Pass®️ is your digital pass to 100+ attractions, including Istanbul’s top sights, guided tours and unique experiences. It gives you skip-the-line access and nothing to pay at the door.
✓ Valid for 1 year
✓ Mobile QR ticket
✓ Skip the ticket lines
✓ Save up to 50%
Top Attractions and 100+ Attractions & Experiences Included:
⭐ Trusted by 2M+ travelers since 2013 ⭐ 100% savings guarantee
Hodjapasha is a traditional old hammam (bath) which is located in Sirkeci Eminönü, it is close to Sultan Ahmet Square too. Hodjapasha has been turned into a high ceiling theatre cultural place, where they present three different shows, you can enjoy the Whirling Darvishes show which is a journey through man’s spiritual ascent to “perfection” through mind and love, a truly unmissable and astonishing experience of music and moves. Also, you can book your seat at their Rhythm of The Dance show, which is a brilliant walk into history with joy, they expose the traditional dance and exotic belly dance with fascinating modern 360-degree special visual effects which creates an exclusive and cozy atmosphere in this special historical place.
Catching winter sales in the malls:
Istanbul has 200 modern shopping malls. And due to the beginning of the winter, all the brands start the sales on the new products, so if you are into shopping it is a great opportunity so spend some quality time with the crowd looking for what you need. In the European Side Istiniye Park shopping mall comes on top of the list, it has 300 shops, both indoor and outdoor space, superior stores, cinema, entertainment, food, and activity areas. For the Asian side Viaport Asia in Pendik, it has 250 stores, 4,000 vehicle car-park, and cinemas. Designed in a street concept and offers shopping at affordable prices at the stores are designed in an outlet concept. A fun center for families with children, with the Pony Club, Amusement Centre, bowling and cinema in addition to the food and restaurants court.
Historical turkish bath (hammam) experience:
This is one time of experience during your visit to Istanbul. With a Turkish bath, also called Hammam, you can enjoy an authentic experience, relax your muscles, refresh your body. The traditional bath mostly includes a 15-minute massage. It can be a unique experience for you in these cold days.
Related Tours
Skip the Line
Recommended
Secure Payment
Full Day Tour
Audio Guide
Kids Friendly
Sightseeing
History
Nature
Guided Tour
Entrance Ticket
Pick Up/Drop Off
5 GB FREE INTERNET with eSIM! Skip-the-Line Access to 100+ Museums, Tours & Attractions with Show&Go instant e-Tickets! Get a flexible pass & Explore Istanbul by yourself. Save up to 50%
Every district of Istanbul is worth exploring. This city, which is a joy in every street, offers many new experiences to its visitors. It has a different beautiful aspect from every point of view. Looking at the city from above is known as one of these perspectives. Being on the best rooftop restaurants and enjoying the view helps the city lay before your eyes with all its glory. If you want to dine with a panoramic view of the city or sip your tea or coffee against the sea, the right choice is the rooftop restaurants.
Do you want to come to Turkey and explore Istanbul but don't know where to start? Then let's examine daily Turkish life, culture, and historical regions together with you. In Turkey, you can learn a few useful words in Turkish to communicate with tradespeople and feel more comfortable during shopping. When you discover Istanbul, you will see that the shopkeepers speak English, but communicating in Turkish will perhaps bring you closer to the Turkish culture.
Another interesting day walking around in the big city trying to figure out what or where to eat! lucky for you that istanbul has unlimited possibilities to get your back. we can talk about a lot during our search for food, but in today’s article we will figure out some of the backstreets foods in istanbul that is really interesting and delicious worth try and eat. so, let’s buckle up and travel between istanbul backstreet amazing food
Istanbul tourist pass will take you to one of the best and the most visited sights in istanbul. hagia sophia, which is considered to be a significant symbol of istanbul, has been standing strong for a very long time! located in the fatih district, which is filled with many historical architectures from different eras, hagia sophia is one of the most prominent and oldest architectures in different aspects.