Antalya in February: Weather, Things to Do & Travel Tips

Intro

February is the month tourists skip and locals quietly enjoy. The city belongs to itself again: Kaleiçi’s lanes are empty, the orange trees lining the streets are heavy with fruit, and the Taurus Mountains behind the city wear a full coat of snow. It is not beach weather, and this guide will not pretend otherwise. But if you want museums without queues, five-star hotels at a third of summer prices, and the strange pleasure of skiing in the morning and drinking tea by the Mediterranean in the afternoon, February might surprise you. Here is an honest local’s guide.

February Weather: The Honest Numbers

February is late winter in Antalya, and the second half already whispers of spring.

• Daytime highs: 15–17°C on average, but sunny afternoons regularly reach 18–20°C
• Nights: 6–8°C, occasionally colder. You will want a proper jacket after dark.
• Rain: Around 8–10 rainy days. Less than December and January, and when it rains here it tends to pour hard and clear quickly rather than drizzle all day.
• Sea temperature: Around 17°C. Swimming is for the brave and the local winter swimmers you will spot at Konyaaltı, but it is not a holiday activity.
• Sunshine: This is the part people do not expect. Even in February, Antalya averages 5–6 hours of sunshine a day. Many February days are bright, crisp and genuinely beautiful.

The short version: pack layers, bring one warm jacket and a compact umbrella, and expect a mix of glorious sunny days and the occasional dramatic Mediterranean storm.

What Makes February Special

Citrus season at its peak. Antalya’s streets are lined with bitter orange trees, and February is when the whole city smells faintly of citrus. Fresh orange and pomegranate juice from street vendors costs a fraction of summer prices, and the local markets overflow with mandarins from Finike, which locals will tell you are the best in Turkey.

Snow on Tahtalı, sea at your feet. February is the one month where the famous photo actually works: snow-capped mountains rising directly behind a blue Mediterranean. The Olympos cable car up Tahtalı Mountain near Kemer runs year-round, and in February you step out at 2,365 metres into real alpine snow while the coast below sits at 18°C. Note that this is the Tahtalı cable car near Kemer; the Tünektepe cable car in Antalya city has been closed since April 2024 and remains closed.

Skiing an hour from the beach. Saklıkent Ski Centre (not to be confused with Saklıkent Gorge near Fethiye) sits about 50 minutes from the city centre at 2,000 metres on Bakırlı Mountain. It is small and charmingly local rather than a world-class resort, but the novelty of a morning on the snow followed by a seafront lunch is hard to beat anywhere in Europe.

Almond blossoms. In the last week of February, almond trees begin to bloom across the region, the first visible sign of the Mediterranean spring. The ancient site of Termessos, scattered with blossoming trees at 1,000 metres, is particularly beautiful.

Things to Do in February

1. Museums, finally in peace. The Antalya Museum is one of Turkey’s finest archaeological collections, and in February you may have the Hall of Gods almost to yourself. Perfect rainy-day insurance too.

2. Kaleiçi without the crowds. The old town in winter is a different place. Locals reclaim the tea gardens, cats own the streets, and you can photograph Hadrian’s Gate without a single person in frame.

3. Ancient cities in ideal walking weather. Perge, Aspendos and Termessos are far more enjoyable at 16°C than at 38°C. Termessos especially involves a genuine uphill hike, and winter is honestly the best season for it.

4. A proper Turkish bath. A hamam makes sense in a way it never quite does in August. The contrast of cold February air and a marble hot room is exactly what the tradition was built for.

5. Waterfalls at full power. Winter rain means Düden and Kurşunlu waterfalls are at their most dramatic. The Upper Düden falls, fed by winter water, thunder in February.

6. Day trip to Alanya or Side. Both towns are quiet, atmospheric and easy to explore in winter. Side’s Temple of Apollo against a stormy winter sky is one of the coast’s great photographs.

Where to Stay in February

February is Antalya’s cheapest month for hotels. Five-star Lara Beach resorts that charge premium rates in July offer heated indoor pools, spas and fireside lounges at a fraction of the price. For atmosphere, a boutique Ottoman mansion hotel in Kaleiçi is the winter choice: think stone walls, courtyards and a short walk to everything. Skip the outlying resort areas like Belek and Side in February unless you specifically want spa isolation, as many smaller hotels and restaurants there close for the season. The city centre stays fully alive year-round.

What to Pack

A warm jacket for evenings, layers for daytime, waterproof shoes or trainers, a compact umbrella, and sunglasses, because you will use them more than the umbrella. If you plan the Saklıkent ski day or the Tahtalı summit, add gloves and a hat.

Page last updated: August 2026