May can be considered as the unofficial start of the summer in Istanbul, and with an average temperature of 20°C and precipitation 34 mm. May is great for city sightseeing and museum hopping, staying outdoors, and a good month for some popular festivals and events. You can enjoy sunny and clear days. We recommend you to bring shorts, dresses, t-shirts for warm afternoons. Also take long pants for some cooler nights, and umbrella just in case. The days are started to get longer than the winter months, the sun set around 20:15. (Average Max Temp.: 20°C – Average Max Temp.: 12°C)
Istanbul 5 Days Weather Forecast
Public holidays, Festivals & Events
- Labor and Solidarity Day (National holiday – 01 May 2020)
- Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth & Sports Day (National holiday – 19 May 2020)
- Ramadan Feast’s Eve (Religious Holiday – half day – 23 May 2020)
- Ramadan Feast (Religious Holiday – goes for 3 days – 24-26 May 2020)
- International Istanbul Theater Festival (May-June, biennial)
Top 10 Things to Do in Istanbul in May 2020
Things to do in Istanbul are endless and it is not possible to mention all the best attractions in Istanbul. We just put together below the most fascinating ones that best suit for May.
1. Historic Day Out in Sultanahmet
For the ones who are a true enthusiast of history and want to see the city’s historic sites, we highly recommend you to visit and see Sultanahmet neighborhood. It is the best way to get the most out of the city’s sights, sounds, and scents. Sultanahmet hosts about all of the most visited historical and tourist sites in Istanbul, such as the Sultanahmet Square (Hippodrome), Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Istanbul Archaeology Museums and Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts are situated here and all can be explored by walking. Continue reading…
Guided Sultanahmet Tours via Get Your Guide Book Sultanahmet Day Tours via Viator
2. Take a Bosphorus Cruise
Bosphorus Cruise is one of the more popular and fantastic forms of entertainment on your Istanbul visit. Typical Bosphorus Cruises begin slightly to the east of the famous Galata Bridge and continues to Anadolu Kavagi which is the Bosphorus’ entrance to the Black Sea making numerous sightseeing stops along the strait. Continue reading…
Take Bosphorus Cruise via Get Your Guide Book & Enjoy Bosphorus via Viator
3. Explore the city on the Hop-on Hop-off Tourist Bus
BigBus Istanbul tour is a cheap way to discover and explore the popular zones of Istanbul which you just couldn’t walk to and see in one day. It drives through the popular sights along the interesting and different districts and neighborhoods of Istanbul and offers informative pre-recorded commentary that is available in 8 languages. The open topped double decker tourist bus really looks cool. Continue reading…
Take Big Bus Istanbul via Get Your Guide Book Big Bus Istanbul via Viator
4. Mystical night out at the Whirling Dervishes Show
Whirling Dervishes Show or Ceremony (“Sema” in Turkish) is one of the most visited attractions in Istanbul with the tourists. It is because that this ceremony is a very unusual event for the tourists and when they hear about it, majority of them try to catch this one hour show and witness the miracle of the whirling dervishes. The best performances take place at the Hodjapasha Culture Center in Sirkeci, Eminonu. Note that as this show is very popular among the majority of the tourists, you should buy your tickets at least 2 or 3 days before the show. Continue reading…
Book Whirling Dervishes via Get Your Guide Book Whirling Dervishes Ceremony via Viator
5. Enjoy the lively atmosphere at the Istiklal Street
Located in the Taksim neighborhood, Istiklal Street (Istiklal Avenue) is probably the most famous street and entertainment area in Istanbul. It is a long colorful pedestrian street full of all kind of shops, restaurants, cafes, street shows and more. Continue reading…
Book Istiklal Street Tours via Get Your Guide Guided Istiklal Street Tours via Viator
6. Visit the charming Museums of Istanbul
For the ones who are a true enthusiast of culture and art, Istanbul museums offers the best of the city’s historical heritage, culture and modern art. Istanbul hosts more than 80 museums and many art galleries showcase all the culture, arts and history; including painting, sculpture, photography and more. Istanbul Archaeology Museums, Hagia Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul Modern, Rahmi Koc Transport Museum and Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts are amongst the best museums in Istanbul that won’t want to miss. Continue reading…
Get 5 Days Guided Museum Pass via Get Your Guide Buy 5 Days Museum Pass + Boat Tour via Viator
7. Explore the city’s popular sights on bike
September is a great month to be outdoors and touring the popular tourist spots on bike is definitely a great attraction. Wind through the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sultanahmet. Explore the Golden Horn, the hub of culture and entertainment in the Beyoglu district. Navigate the maze of vendors selling Turkish rugs, spices and lamps in the Grand Bazaar. Marvel at the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia. Continue reading…
8. Visit Grand Bazaar and make shopping
The world famous Grand Bazaar (Kapalicarsi) is one of the greatest historical malls in the world, with its more than 4000 shops. You can find anything here from boots and slippers to gold and silver jewelry. Continue reading…
Get Guided Grand Bazaar Tours via Get Your Guide Book Guided Grand Bazaar Tours via Viator
9. Fun day out at the Istanbul’s Theme Parks
Istanbul offers great theme parks ranging from huge ones with variety of great thrills and rides to aquariums, dolphinariums, themed museums and more. Amusement and theme parks are not only the places for fun, but also great places for your kids’ learning and imagination development. We recommend you to visit the Isfanbul (formerly Vialand), Aquarium Sea Life Istanbul and Istanbul LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Continue reading…
Skip-the-Line Theme Parks Tickets via Get Your Guide Skip-the-Queue Theme Parks Tickets via Viator
10. Enjoy Istanbul’s lively nights with its bars, pubs and clubs
Entertainment in Istanbul revolves around many of the entertainment venues that the city has to offer. The nightlife in Istanbul has really come alive in recent years and the locals will all tell you that the nightlife spreads out in all directions throughout the city. With its numerous bars, pubs, cafes, night clubs, music venues and restaurants of Istanbul, you can easily spend the night bouncing from one venue to the next. Continue reading…
Istanbul Night & Pub Crawl Tours via Get Your Guide Istanbul by Night Tours & Bar Crawl via Viator
Tours & Excursions
You may explore Istanbul via daily tours made by the local travel agents with professional guides. It is a very good option if you don’t want to go through the hassle of making all the arrangements including the tickets, waiting at the long queues and 2-ways transportation by your own. And we recommend the two world brands GetYourGuide or Viator, with insurance and easy cancellation process.
Istanbul’s Tourist Discount Passes & Cards
There are three types of Istanbul passes & cards that you may buy and have access to variety of Istanbul attractions including museums with fixed price and save a lot. We recommend those cards for the travelers that has a stay in Istanbul at least from 3 to 7 days. The most practical and cheapest way to explore Istanbul’s sights.
Istanbul Tourist Pass
Rather than paying for each item individually, this digital Istanbul Tourist Pass allows you to choose from 30+ Istanbul attractions so you can pack as much into your stay as possible for a single set price. It is the most popular and recommended discount tourist pass in Istanbul that you will get valuable discounts of up to 70%. You’ll also get 3-days of unlimited mobile internet access with your pass along with WhatsApp traveler support, and one way airport transfer. Highly recommended for travelers that will stay more than 3 days in Istanbul.
Istanbul Welcome Card
This is a travel discount card that offers combo attractions for less for individual, family or group during their Istanbul visit. And you will get valuable discounts of up to 50%. There are four types of Istanbul Welcome Card (Classic, Premium and Deluxe), and all are valid for 7 days. You’ll also get unlimited mobile internet access plus free public transportation rides.
- Istanbul Welcome Card by Get Your Guide from € 50
- Istanbul Welcome Card Classic by Viator from € 25
- Istanbul Welcome Card Premium by Viator from € 50
- Istanbul Welcome Card Deluxe by Viator from € 75
