Athens vs Istanbul: Weather & Climate Compared
🇬🇷 Athens, Greece · 🇹🇷 Istanbul, Turkey
Warmer overall
Athens
Sunnier
Athens
More rainy days
Istanbul
Athens vs Istanbul weather right now
At this moment, Istanbul is the warmer of the two by 4°F (2°C).
The short answer
Across the year, Athens is the warmer of the two: its annual average of 64°F (18°C) beats Istanbul's 60°F (15°C) by roughly 4.9°F (2.7°C).
Head to head
- Sunshine: Athens collects 10.5 hours of daily sun across the year; Istanbul manages 9.4.
- Rain: the rain gauge favors Athens: 65 wet days a year to Istanbul's 106.
- Snow: Istanbul is the snowy one, averaging about 6 snow days a year.
- Peak heat: Athens tops out in July (92°F (34°C) highs); Istanbul peaks in August (84°F (29°C)).
- Coldest nights: January lows of 42°F (5°C) in Athens; January lows of 39°F (4°C) in Istanbul.
Athens vs Istanbul month by month
| Month | Athens high / low | Istanbul high / low | Athens rain days | Istanbul rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54° / 42° | 48° / 39° | 8 | 13 |
| February | 57° / 44° | 51° / 40° | 7 | 11 |
| March | 60° / 46° | 54° / 42° | 7 | 11 |
| April | 69° / 52° | 62° / 47° | 5 | 9 |
| May | 77° / 61° | 70° / 56° | 5 | 8 |
| June | 86° / 69° | 79° / 65° | 6 | 8 |
| July | 92° / 74° | 84° / 69° | 2 | 5 |
| August | 91° / 73° | 84° / 71° | 2 | 3 |
| September | 83° / 67° | 78° / 65° | 3 | 8 |
| October | 74° / 59° | 68° / 57° | 3 | 7 |
| November | 65° / 52° | 61° / 50° | 7 | 9 |
| December | 57° / 46° | 53° / 44° | 8 | 12 |
Who's warmer, month by month?
Athens is warmer in every single month - the question is never which city is milder, only by how much. The gap is widest in July, when Athens's afternoons run about 8°F (5°C) ahead, and narrowest in December, when the two nearly meet.
Sunshine, daylight and rain chance
| Month | Athens sun | Istanbul sun | Athens daylight | Istanbul daylight | Athens wet-day chance | Istanbul wet-day chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.3 h | 5.5 h | 9.8 h | 9.5 h | 27% | 43% |
| February | 8.5 h | 6.8 h | 10.7 h | 10.6 h | 25% | 38% |
| March | 9.6 h | 7.8 h | 11.8 h | 11.8 h | 24% | 36% |
| April | 11.4 h | 10.2 h | 13.1 h | 13.3 h | 17% | 30% |
| May | 12.2 h | 11.7 h | 14.2 h | 14.5 h | 16% | 27% |
| June | 13.5 h | 12.9 h | 14.8 h | 15.1 h | 18% | 28% |
| July | 13.6 h | 13.5 h | 14.5 h | 14.8 h | 6% | 15% |
| August | 12.9 h | 12.6 h | 13.6 h | 13.8 h | 8% | 11% |
| September | 11.4 h | 10.9 h | 12.4 h | 12.4 h | 11% | 26% |
| October | 9.6 h | 8.4 h | 11.1 h | 11.0 h | 10% | 24% |
| November | 8.2 h | 7.1 h | 10.1 h | 9.8 h | 25% | 29% |
| December | 7.3 h | 5.5 h | 9.5 h | 9.2 h | 27% | 40% |
Seasons compared
| Months | Athens high / low | Istanbul high / low | Athens rain days | Istanbul rain days | Athens sun | Istanbul sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December - February | 56° / 44° | 51° / 41° | 24 | 37 | 7.7 h | 5.9 h |
| March - May | 69° / 53° | 62° / 48° | 17 | 29 | 11.1 h | 9.9 h |
| June - August | 90° / 72° | 82° / 68° | 10 | 17 | 13.3 h | 13.0 h |
| September - November | 74° / 60° | 69° / 57° | 14 | 24 | 9.7 h | 8.8 h |
Best months for sightseeing
Counting months with average highs between 64°F and 82°F (18-28°C) and fewer than 12 wet days:
- Athens: April, May, October, November (4 months)
- Istanbul: May, June, September, October (4 months)
Both cities are at their most comfortable in May, October, the easiest window for a trip that takes in both.
Records, distance and time difference
- Athens records (2015-2024): high of 111° in June, low of 26° in January.
- Istanbul records (2015-2024): high of 102° in July, low of 20° in March.
- Distance: Athens and Istanbul are about 349 miles (562 km) apart as the crow flies.
- Time difference: the two cities share the same local time right now.
Athens vs Istanbul: quick answers
Is Athens warmer than Istanbul?
On the annual mean, Athens is the warmer city by roughly 4.9°F (2.7°C), though the margin shifts with the seasons.
Which city is sunnier, Athens or Istanbul?
Athens, with 10.5 hours of average daily sunshine against 9.4 in Istanbul.
Which city gets more rain?
Istanbul - roughly 106 days with measurable precipitation a year, compared with 65 in Athens.
Dig deeper
More comparisons with Athens
More comparisons with Istanbul