Mild but changeable: days around 17 °C, nights around 8 °C and about 12 rainy days. On average, December is Antalya's wettest month, yet there are plenty of bright, calm days between the showers that are pleasant for sightseeing. The sea is around 18–19 °C, too cool for most swimmers, so December suits a city break, ancient sites and a spa hotel rather than a beach holiday.

Plan around the rain: it usually comes in short, heavy bursts. Check the MGM forecast each morning and keep an indoor plan for wet afternoons.

Long-term averages for Antalya city (MGM, 1930–2025):

A "rainy day" means at least 1 mm of rain, so many of them still have sunny spells. Individual years vary a lot: the warmest December day on record reached 25.4 °C, the coldest night −1.9 °C.

The averages above come from the Antalya city station, and the resorts along the coast follow the same December pattern: mild days, cool nights and the same rainy spells. Regular visitors describe small local differences:

• Belek and Side: much like the city. Belek is 25–30 minutes from Antalya Airport, Side 60–75 minutes.
• Kemer: right below the mountains, so often a little cooler and wetter.
• Alanya: often slightly milder and drier. Gazipaşa Airport is only about 40 km away.

The difference is a degree or two, so choose your resort by hotel and plans rather than by weather.

Yes, if you want mild weather, quiet sights and low-season prices; no, if you need guaranteed sunbathing.

• Early and mid-December: among the quietest weeks of the year, with empty ancient sites and low hotel prices.
• Christmas to New Year: busier, with European and Turkish holidaymakers; book hotels and transfers early.

What is open? Antalya city, Kaleiçi and the shopping centres run as usual. Some resort hotels close for the winter or for renovation, and those that stay open usually run a winter concept with fewer restaurants and less entertainment. Ask what will run on your dates before you book.

More planning: Antalya in winter and Antalya weather in November.

Only if you like cold water. The sea averages about 18–19 °C in December (published averages) and keeps cooling towards January, while the air on a sunny day reaches about 17 °C. Most visitors swim in a heated indoor pool instead.

When choosing a hotel, ask whether the pool is heated on your dates and whether there is an indoor pool, spa or hammam; a "heated pool" in a summer description does not always run in December. Our winter guide names two hotel examples with winter-heated pools.

• St Nicholas Day, 6 December: Demre, about 2–2½ hours' drive west of Antalya, is where the 4th-century bishop who inspired Santa Claus served. A commemorative service is held in the church each year on 6 December (Daily Sabah); the 2026 programme had not been announced on 11 November. The St Nicholas Church museum is open daily, entry €17, and the Lycian rock-cut tombs and theatre of ancient Myra are nearby (open daily, €13).
• Christmas: 25 December is a normal working day in Türkiye. Some hotels offer a Christmas Eve dinner, but most keep it low-key.
• New Year's Eve: the big night. Many city and resort hotels hold a gala dinner with live music; ask what is included and whether it is part of your room rate. 1 January is a public holiday. No municipal celebration had been announced by 11 November 2026, and the city cancelled its events in December 2025, so do not count on public fireworks.

Important: in past years Antalya's hotels have filled up for Christmas and New Year (Sözcü, in Turkish). If you travel in late December, book your hotel and airport transfer early.

• Kaleiçi and the old harbour: the old town and Hadrian's Gate on a dry morning; cafés and restaurants stay open all winter.
• Düden waterfalls: at their fullest after December rain; Lower Düden drops straight into the sea near Lara.
• Perge and Aspendos: Roman sites open daily with shorter winter hours; check Perge and Aspendos before you go.
• Olympos cable car: choose a clear day for the view from Tahtalı (2,365 m) and check the operator for weather closures.
• With children: The Land of Legends theme park in the Belek area lists daily hours of 10:00–21:00 and a New Year programme from 14 November to 7 February; its water park is closed for the season.
• Rainy afternoon: Sefa Hamam, a historic Turkish bath in Kaleiçi (daily 12:30–20:00), or the MarkAntalya shopping centre (10:00–23:00).
• Snow: the Saklıkent ski centre, about 50 km from the city, opens only once enough snow has fallen, so it may still be closed in December (Ministry of Culture and Tourism).

Important: Antalya Museum closed in July 2025 for rebuilding (Hürriyet Daily News). Check muze.gov.tr for its current status before planning a visit.

December evenings come early: the sun sets at about 17:45 local time, so many flights land in the dark, sometimes in the rain. A private transfer takes you from the terminal to your hotel door, with flight monitoring and child seats on request.

One-way prices per vehicle (Vito, up to 6 passengers), checked 11 November 2026: Kaleiçi, Konyaaltı and Belek €30, Kemer €40, Side €45 and Alanya €65. For Alanya, Gazipaşa Airport is closer (Gazipaşa–Alanya €35). These are area prices; see all airport transfer prices or get a quote for your exact hotel on our booking page.

On a budget: the AntRay tram and city buses link the airport with Antalya city (Antalya Airport). A ride costs 42 TL with an AntalyaKart or 50 TL with a contactless bank card (AntalyaKart, checked 11 November 2026). For the resorts you usually change at the bus station.

• Layers: T-shirts for sunny middays and a warm sweater or fleece for evenings around 8 °C.
• A waterproof jacket, an umbrella and shoes that cope with wet streets.
• Swimwear for heated pools and the hammam.
• Sunglasses and sunscreen for bright days.

Smaller hotels and apartments are often heated with air conditioning or electric heaters, so ask how your room is heated (more in our winter guide).

Photos from Wikimedia Commons under the licences listed below. All images were resized and compressed; the main image was also cropped. Adapted CC BY-SA images are provided under the same licence.

• Main image: Antalya from birdeye – Rauşan, CC BY-SA 4.0
• St Nicholas Church: St. Nicholas Church, Demre 5509 – Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
• Gallery: St Nicholas Church Demre 039 – Yamen, CC BY-SA 4.0
• Gallery: Myra Rock Tombs – Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0
• Gallery: Duden Waterfall – zolakoma, CC BY 2.0
• Gallery: Antalya, Turkey skyline 19 February 2022 – Sharon Hahn Darlin, CC BY 2.0