Why May scores 9.2What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.5
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (23°C highs / 11°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 6.9°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~51 mm rain)
- Air quality8.3
- ✓Moderate (PM2.5 ~15 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| May | Jun | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.2 Excellent | 9.5 Excellent |
| Season | 🌷 Spring | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 23° / 11° | 27° / 14° |
| Rain | 51 mm | 40 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 7° | dew pt 11° |
| PM2.5 | 15 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Ankara weather-station normals. Rainfall: Ankara weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
Holiday weekA long local holiday falls this month. Expect crowds at sights, fuller trains and flights, and higher hotel prices on those dates. Book ahead.
- Eid al-Adha 15–19 May · 5 days off in a row
Other public holidays: Labour and Solidarity Day (1 May)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore AnkaraEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyAnkara is Turkey's capital and a large modern city in central Anatolia. Visitors come for Atatürk's mausoleum, an outstanding archaeology museum and the old quarter around the citadel.
No major events on our calendar for May.
Coming up later
Republic DayEvery year29 October every year
Turkey's national day, marked with official ceremonies and evening celebrations.
Why go: A lively time to visit, but some offices close and central roads may be blocked.
Where: Across the city, especially Anıtkabir
Atatürk Commemoration DayEvery year10 November every year
The anniversary of Atatürk's death, marked by a nationwide moment of silence at 9:05 am.
Why go: Anıtkabir is very crowded; be respectful of the silence.
Where: Anıtkabir and across the country
National Sovereignty and Children's DayEvery year23 April every year
A public holiday marking the opening of the Grand National Assembly in Ankara in 1920, with children's events.
Why go: Expect ceremonies and crowds at Anıtkabir and government sites.
Where: Across the city
Anıtkabir
The monumental mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, with a museum on the founding of the republic.
💡 Allow at least two hours and watch the changing of the guard.
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
A highly regarded museum covering Anatolia's ancient cultures, including Hittite and Phrygian finds.
💡 Combine it with the nearby citadel, as both are a short walk apart.
Ankara Castle (Hisar)
The old hilltop citadel with walls, narrow lanes and views over the city.
Kocatepe Mosque
One of the largest mosques in the city, built in classical Ottoman style.
💡 Avoid visiting during Friday midday prayers.
Hamamönü
A restored neighbourhood of Ottoman-era wooden houses with cafes and craft shops.
Ankara tava
A local dish of lamb baked with orzo or rice.
💡 Traditional restaurants in the old town
Simit
A ring of bread coated in sesame seeds, a common breakfast and street snack.
💡 Street carts and bakeries
Beypazarı kurusu
Crunchy dried bread rusks from the nearby town of Beypazarı.
💡 Bakeries, markets and Beypazarı itself
Mohair (Angora) textiles
Scarves and knitwear made from the wool of the Angora goat, named after the city.
💡 Shops around the citadel and Hamamönü
Copper and handicrafts
Copperware and traditional crafts sold in the lanes below the citadel.
💡 Shops on the streets leading up to Ankara Castle