Turkey, one of the most visited countries in the world, attracts a vast majority of its tourists during the summer months, when the country’s world-renowned seacoasts can be enjoyed in their full glory. Yet classifying Turkey as a strictly summer destination would be rather wrong.
Thanks to its sheer size and diverse climate the country offers winters to anyone’s liking: from a “barely-a-winter” winter to a mild one to a freezing, snowy fairytale. And it’s the latter that often attracts most people – luckily there are several places around Turkey that can offer you just that.
Though winter destinations can sometimes be associated with accessibility issues, that is not the case for the Turkish winter hotspots. Many of them are located near relatively big cities with efficient transit infrastructure and an abundance of accommodation not limited to hotels and similar lodging establishments.
Let’s now dive into some specific locations for a perfect winter holiday in Turkey.
Bolu
Bolu province is one of Turkey’s top destinations for nature lovers – and deservedly so.
Forest areas cover around two-thirds of the province, which is home to some of the most gorgeous lakes, mountain ranges, ski resorts and nature parks. In winter under a thick blanket of snow these locations turn into absolutely unique sights where every photo you take will look like a postcard.
Bolu’s top destinations, including Yedigöller (Seven Lakes) National Park, lake Abant, Aladağ and Köroğlu mountains, and Kartalkaya ski resort are all located within the 50-kilometer (31-mile) range from the Bolu city center, which offers many listings for rental and would serve as a perfect base to explore the riches of the province.
A variety of houses and villas where one can get in touch with nature are also available for rent in close proximity to the aforementioned landmarks.
Bolu’s great advantage is the fact that it’s only a three-hour drive away from Istanbul.
Bursa
For the most part, Bursa owes its status as one of Turkey’s main winter destinations to just one place: Uludağ.
The mountain hosts what is widely recognized as the best Turkish ski resort. Although simplifying Uludağ to a mere ski resort is somewhat insulting to the area, which in a reality provides a full winter package to its visitors.
In addition to top-notch facilities, infrastructure and services, the ski resort is surrounded by lush beautiful forests – declared a national park – where you can have stroll down a trail along snow-covered trees or rent out a cozy house.
Though hotels and rental houses right at Uludağ may seem as the best accommodation options, the mountain is just an hour away by car from the Bursa city center. And there is an even better way to reach the mountain – the gondola service that rises up from within Bursa to an elevation of 1,870 meters (6,140 feet). That’s why staying in the city, where far more places for rent are on offer, may be the way to go.
In addition to being one of the five largest cities in Turkey, Bursa is the former capital of the Ottoman Empire listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Kayseri
Kayseri is another city located on the slopes of a mighty mountain and known for its excellent ski resort, making it a popular winter destination.
The resort is located on Mount Erciyes, the highest mountain in the Central Anatolia region, based at an elevation of around 2,100 meters. With multilevel slopes and unlimited off-pistes for more experienced skiers, the Erciyes resort is one of the most favored in Turkey.
Kayseri itself is by no means a small city, so finding housing for rent would not be a problem. The same goes for reaching the ski resort from the city center, which with favorable traffic conditions would take around half an hour.
Seasoned vacationers, meanwhile, combine their trip to Kayseri and Erciyes with a visit to the world-famous Cappadocia. This unique area is just an hour-long drive away from Kayseri – another factor in favor of picking Kayseri city as your “base of operations.”
Erzurum
One of Turkey’s coldest cities, Erzurum, is known for its freezing but beautiful and snowy winters. Among the reasons for such climate conditions is the fact that the city center is located just 10 kilometers away from the peak of Palandöken Mountain, which on its slopes hosts the eponymous ski resort.
Having been established for the 2011 Winter Universiade, the Palandöken resort offers two of Turkey’s longest ski tracks, exciting many experienced skiers, as well as top-notch modern infrastructure. Along with Uludağ and Erciyes, Palandöken makes up the top three largest ski resorts in Turkey.
Due to the aforementioned close proximity to Erzurum, many choose to stay in the city during their vacations. Aside from hotels, the city, naturally, offers an array of various housing options for short-term rent.
Kars
Further east from Erzurum you would find Kars, another Turkish city known for its bitterly cold winters.
Kars has become a rising star of winter tourism in Turkey, with Eastern Express – a recently popularized 24-hour passenger train route from Ankara – playing a major role in the city’s prominence. Once in Kars, people also started exploring what the province has to offer.
As is with all other cities on this list, Kars also has a nearby ski resort: Sarıkamış. The relatively large resort is surrounded by rich pine forests that look magical in winter, making skiing along its scenic tracks a uniquely relaxing experience.
Another center of attraction in Kars is the ruins of the medieval Armenian city of Ani right at the border with Armenia.
Both Sarıkamış and Ani are about an hour away from the city of Kars.
