Turkey from Poland in 2027: Ferie Dates, Best Months and Tours

Poles can travel to Turkey in 2027 without a visa and with just a valid ID card (dowód osobisty), for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and the flight to Istanbul takes under three hours. The best months are May, June, September and October; the Polish calendar adds three useful windows: ferie zimowe in January and February, the majówka weekend of 1-3 May, and the summer wakacje from 26 June. If you already know the Antalya beach, the next step is to add Cappadocia or Istanbul: our Istanbul and Antalya tour package, 8 days, starts from $1,980 per person. Below are the entry rules, flights, the 2027 holiday dates by voivodeship, what each period is good for in Turkey, and our matching tours.

Entering Turkey from Poland: ID card or passport

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Polish ordinary passport holders as visa-exempt for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Since a presidential decree published in April 2022, Polish citizens with a valid identity card also travel visa-free for tourism and transit, on the same 90-in-180 rule.

What that means in practice:

• A dowód osobisty is enough for a holiday. Check that it is valid for your whole stay, with a margin.
• Every child needs their own document, an ID card or a passport.
• Your airline must accept it. Most flights from Poland to Turkey do, but check at booking, especially if you connect through a third country.
• There is no e-visa and no entry fee for tourism.

Turkey is not in the EU or the Schengen area, so you pass passport control on arrival, and EU roaming rules do not apply. Check your operator's roaming prices, or buy a Turkish SIM or eSIM. If others in your group hold different passports, see our page on Turkey visa requirements.

Flights from Poland and the time difference

• LOT Polish Airlines flies to Istanbul from Warsaw and Kraków, and since January 2026 also from Gdańsk.
• Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul from Warsaw and Kraków.
• Summer holiday charters fly from many Polish airports straight to the Turkish coast, mostly Antalya, as part of package holidays.

Check which Istanbul airport your ticket uses. Istanbul Airport (IST) is on the European side; Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side and further from the Old City. Our private airport transfer page explains both drives.

The time difference is two hours in winter and one hour in summer. Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year, while Poland switches between UTC+1 and UTC+2.

The 2027 Polish calendar: ferie, long weekends and wakacje

This is the calendar a Polish family plans around. Winter break dates come from the Ministry of National Education (MEN) for the 2026/2027 school year.

The school year ends on Friday 25 June 2027. Note that 1 May falls on a Saturday in 2027, so majówka is a three-day weekend unless you add leave.

Ferie zimowe in Turkey: what January and February are good for

Winter in Turkey is not beach weather, but it is a good time for cities and for Cappadocia. The Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) gives these long-term averages:

• Istanbul: average highs of 9.6°C in January and 10.2°C in February. Cool and often wet, but the Old City has its shortest queues of the year.
• Cappadocia (Nevşehir): highs of 4.0-5.5°C, lows below zero. Snow on the fairy chimneys is common, and the cave hotels are warm and quiet.
• Antalya: highs of 15.0-15.6°C. Pleasant for the old town and the ancient sites, too cool for swimming for most people.

A ferie trip that works: four days in Istanbul and two or three in Cappadocia. Balloon flights in winter depend on the weather and on permission from the aviation authority each morning, so keep two mornings free; our page on the Cappadocia balloon in winter explains the odds. For skiers, the Cappadocia and Erciyes ski tour from Istanbul, 3 days with flights, starts from $588 per person. More ideas are on our Turkey winter holidays page.

Majówka and Boże Ciało: short trips that fit

A three- or four-day weekend is just right for Istanbul. May is one of the best months there, with an average high of 22.3°C.

• Three days in Istanbul: the Old City with a guide on day one, Topkapı Palace and a Bosphorus cruise on day two, the Asian side and Kadıköy on day three. Our Istanbul 3-day itinerary sets it out. Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Dolmabahçe Palace on Mondays.
• A private guided day with our licensed guide for 1-3 days starts from $199 per group, whatever the size of your family or group of friends.
• Four days for Boże Ciało: two days in Istanbul and two in Cappadocia. The Cappadocia 2-day trip from Istanbul with flights is from $599 per person.

A Polish-speaking guide can be arranged on request, subject to availability, and is quoted once confirmed. Our page on the Polish-speaking guide in Istanbul explains how it works and lists places in the city with a Polish story, such as Polonezköy.

Summer holidays: the coast plus one inland stop

For many Polish families, Turkey means a week by the pool in Antalya. It is easy to add something different to the same trip.

Heat first. MGM gives an average July high of 34.2°C in Antalya, 34.8°C in Denizli near Pamukkale, 29.7°C in Istanbul and 28.5°C in Nevşehir in Cappadocia. Inland sightseeing is best early in the morning and late in the afternoon in July and August.

Ways to combine the beach with culture:

• From the Antalya coast: a boat day such as the Suluada and Adrasan boat tour, from $50 per person, or the Demre, Myra and Kekova boat trip, from $120 per person, with the rock-cut tombs of Myra and the sunken city.
• Cappadocia from Antalya: the 3-day Cappadocia tour from Antalya by flight is from $613 per person. Our page on the Cappadocia tour from Antalya compares flying and driving.
• Istanbul first, then the beach: the Istanbul and Antalya package, 8 days, from $1,980 per person, splits the week between the city and the coast.
• The full loop: the 6-day Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Antalya tour from Istanbul is from $1,489 per person.

Late June and the last week of August are less crowded than mid-July. September, after the wakacje, is often the best month of all on the coast: Antalya still averages 31.2°C, the sea is still warm after the summer, and the crowds thin out.

Money and practical tips

• The złoty is not used in Turkey. Pay by card in hotels, restaurants and shops, and keep some Turkish lira in cash for taxis, small cafés, tips and the bazaar. Some museum tickets are priced in euros but can be paid by card.
• Tipping is usual in restaurants, at around 5-10 percent, and for guides and drivers at the end of a tour.
• Dress for mosques. Cover shoulders and knees; women need a headscarf inside.
• All-inclusive hotels often sell excursions. Compare what is included, such as entrance tickets and lunch, before you book.

For a full first trip, our Turkey itinerary for 7 days and the Turkey trip cost page are good places to start, and our Antalya tours page lists everything on the coast.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul and Antalya Tour Package: 8 Days with Flight: from $1,980 per person, city and beach in one week.
• Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Antalya Tour from Istanbul: 6 Days: from $1,489 per person, the classic loop ending on the coast.
• 3-Day Cappadocia Tour from Antalya by Flight: from $613 per person, the inland add-on to a beach holiday.
• Private Istanbul Tour with a Licensed Guide: 1-3 Days: from $199 per group, for a majówka weekend.

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