Antalya best: Excellent
Large resort city with an old harbour and many nearby ruins.
The fastest growing city, hub to an array of beach resorts
Vitamin D in Turkey: best months for sun and a travel guide
The best months for vitamin D in Turkey are April to June, August to October. In June, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 9.5 usable sun hours a day. For a beach stay it is too hot in July and too cool from November to March.
Turkey month by month
Turkey is rated at its median coastal place, for skin type III at age 30. Click a month for the details.
| Month | Rating | Sun window | Peak UV | Full dose, age 30 | Full dose, age 65 | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Too cold | 2.2 h | 2.9 | 18 min | 34 min | 16°C | 10/30 |
| February | Too cold | 4.7 h | 4.1 | 13 min | 24 min | 16°C | 7/30 |
| March | Too cold | 6.6 h | 5.5 | 10 min | 18 min | 21°C | 5/30 |
| April | Excellent | 8.0 h | 6.8 | 8 min | 15 min | 23°C | 5/30 |
| May | Excellent | 8.7 h | 7.4 | 7 min | 14 min | 25°C | 8/30 |
| June | Excellent | 9.5 h | 8.0 | 7 min | 13 min | 33°C | 0/30 |
| July | Too hot | 9.4 h | 8.1 | 7 min | 12 min | 36°C | 0/30 |
| August | Excellent | 8.8 h | 7.5 | 7 min | 13 min | 33°C | 1/30 |
| September | Good | 7.6 h | 6.4 | 8 min | 16 min | 30°C | 7/30 |
| October | Good | 6.2 h | 5.1 | 10 min | 20 min | 27°C | 1/30 |
| November | Too cold | 3.8 h | 3.6 | 15 min | 28 min | 22°C | 9/30 |
| December | Too cold | 1.4 h | 2.5 | 21 min | 40 min | 16°C | 15/30 |
Sun window is the number of hours a day with UV Index 2.5 or higher. Full dose is the minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm out of 30.
Travel guide: why go to Turkey
Why go
Turkey offers long summers, all-inclusive resorts, Roman ruins and some of the best food and prices of the eastern Mediterranean.
Best for
Families, couples, budget travellers and sightseers.
What to expect
Hot dry summers, warm seas until October and a big choice of all-inclusive hotels. Beaches are often pebbly and busy in July and August.
Places in Turkey
Each place has its own climate, so its best months can differ from the country as a whole.
Kaş best: Excellent
Laid-back harbour town for diving and boat trips.
Kalkan best: Excellent
Whitewashed hillside town above clear water.
Alanya best: Excellent
Castle hill, big beaches and many all-inclusive hotels.
Side best: Excellent
Ancient Greek and Roman ruins right beside a sandy beach.
Kemer best: Excellent
Pine-clad mountains behind a pebble coast of resorts.
Bodrum best: Excellent
Castle, marina and lively nightlife on the Aegean.
A trendy coastal town in Southern Aegean which turns into a crowded city in season when it serves as a playground for Turkish and…
Marmaris best: Excellent
Big resort bay and boat trips to nearby islands.
Fethiye best: Excellent
Sheltered bay for paragliding and Lycian rock tombs.
Ölüdeniz best: Excellent
The Blue Lagoon beach beneath a paragliding mountain.
The incomparable postcard beauty of the "Blue Lagoon", perhaps the most iconic beach of Turkey
Çeşme best: Excellent
Windy Aegean resort town and a kitesurfing spot.
Kuşadası best: Excellent
Resort port near the ruins of Ephesus.
Datça best: Excellent
Quiet long peninsula of coves and almond groves.
Istanbul best: Excellent
Vast city of mosques, bazaars and the Bosphorus.
Turkey's largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, and the only major city in the world to…
Some short descriptions come from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Questions about vitamin D in Turkey
When is the best time to visit Turkey for vitamin D?
The best months for vitamin D in Turkey are April to June, August to October. In June, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 9.5 usable sun hours a day.
Can you get vitamin D from the sun in Turkey in December?
Yes, but slowly. In December a full dose takes about 21 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 1.4 usable hours a day.
How long do I need in the sun in Turkey?
In June, the best month, about 7 minutes at midday with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III at age 30; about 13 minutes at age 65. Darker skin needs longer and fair skin burns sooner, so keep sessions short. This is an estimate for planning, not medical advice.
Which months should I avoid in Turkey?
For a beach stay, avoid the months when it is too hot in July and too cool from November to March.
What is the best place in Turkey for vitamin D?
In June the strongest sun of the places we rate is around Kalkan. Each place has its own rating, so open the place list to compare them.
Plan by month
- Jan Too cold
- Feb Too cold
- Mar Too cold
- Apr Excellent
- May Excellent
- Jun Excellent
- Jul Too hot
- Aug Excellent
- Sep Good
- Oct Good
- Nov Too cold
- Dec Too cold