Turkey Semester Break 2027: Dates and a 16-Day Bolu Plan

When is Turkey's 2027 semester break?

The 2027 semester break runs from Monday 25 January to Friday 5 February; report cards are handed out on Friday 22 January, and the second term starts on Monday 8 February. The sömestr, officially the yarıyıl tatili or mid-year holiday, is the two-week break that Türkiye's Ministry of National Education (Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, MEB) places between the two terms of the school year. Because the weekend after report-card day and the weekend before schools reopen are added on, pupils are out of school for a total of 16 days, from Saturday 23 January to Sunday 7 February.

MEB's announcement of 13 June 2026 gives the dates as follows:

"Yarıyıl tatili 25 Ocak 2027 Pazartesi günü başlayıp 5 Şubat 2027 Cuma günü tamamlanacak."

("The mid-year holiday will begin on Monday 25 January 2027 and end on Friday 5 February 2027.")

— Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, 13 June 2026

The 2027 semester break calendar

What happens	Date	Day
Last day of the first term, report-card day	22 January 2027	Friday
First school-free day	23 January 2027	Saturday
Official semester holiday	25 January–5 February 2027	Monday–Friday, 10 working days
Last school-free day	7 February 2027	Sunday
First day of the second term	8 February 2027	Monday
Second-term mid-term break	8–12 March 2027	Monday–Friday
End of the school year	25 June 2027	Friday

MEB's announcement states that the first term ends on Friday 22 January; report cards are handed out on that last day of term. You may come across websites giving an April date for the second-term mid-term break, but MEB's official text gives it as Monday 8 March to Friday 12 March. According to the calendar of Diyanet (the Presidency of Religious Affairs), that week also coincides with Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr): the eve is on 8 March and the holiday on 9–11 March (Dünya, 5 October 2026). We have a separate plan for the November break: November school break 2026.

Why is the "15-day holiday" actually 16 days?

The popular Turkish name "15 tatil" (the 15-day holiday) comes from the break lasting roughly two weeks. The official holiday is 10 working days; with the weekends either side, the time out of school in 2027 is exactly 16 days. Those 16 days contain three weekends: 23–24 January, 30–31 January and 6–7 February. Those three weekends are what really shape a Bolu plan.

When is the semester break for universities?

The MEB calendar only covers schools under the Ministry: pre-schools, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools. Universities follow their own academic calendars, and the dates when final exams end and the spring term begins vary from university to university. If a family member is at university, check their calendar separately. We could also find no published statement for 2027 on whether teachers will be required to attend professional development during the semester break; if one parent is a teacher, confirm your plans against the school management's announcement.

How busy is Bolu on each day of the semester break?

The busiest days are the break's three weekends; the quietest are the weekdays of 25–28 January and 1–4 February. Crowds are not spread evenly across Bolu. Figures from the Bolu Provincial Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks for the 2024 semester break show this clearly (TRT Haber, 6 February 2024):

Site	Visitors, 2024 semester break
Abant Lake National Park	98,339
Gölcük Nature Park	28,700
Yedigöller National Park	1,530
Göksu, Sülüklügöl, Sünnet Gölü and Karagöl nature parks	364
Total	128,933

In other words, roughly three quarters of those visiting nature sites during the semester break go to Abant, while Yedigöller (the "Seven Lakes" national park) stays almost empty in winter. The weekend peak is on record too. On the middle Sunday of the 2024 break, the state news agency Anadolu Ajansı (AA) reported from Abant:

"Abant'a araçlarıyla gelen vatandaşlar, milli parkın girişinde yaklaşık 10 kilometre araç kuyruğu oluşturdu, girmeyi başarabilenler ise uzun süre park yeri aradı."

("People arriving at Abant by car formed a queue of vehicles about 10 kilometres long at the national park entrance, and those who managed to get in spent a long time looking for a parking space.")

— Anadolu Ajansı, 28 January 2024 (as published by Bengütürk)

Accommodation follows the same pattern. According to a report by the local news site Bolu Gündem on 25 May 2026, Bolu's hotels run at close to 100 per cent occupancy on Fridays and Saturdays thanks to the semester break and the winter season, while occupancy can drop to 10–15 per cent from Monday to Thursday.

The table below is an estimate based on those figures and our own observations on winter weekends:

Date	Day	Expected crowds	Suggestion
22 January	Friday, report-card day	Heavy traffic in the evening	If leaving in the afternoon, cross the Bolu Mountain pass in daylight
23–24 January	Saturday–Sunday	Very high	Travel and settle in; Abant only early in the morning
25–28 January	Monday–Thursday	Low to moderate	The quietest window: Yedigöller, Gölcük, Kartalkaya
29 January	Friday	Moderate to high	Weekend traffic builds from the evening
30–31 January	Saturday–Sunday	Very high	A snow day around the resort, or Mudurnu; stay away from Abant
1–4 February	Monday–Thursday	Low to moderate	Second quiet window; the most flexible nights for accommodation
5 February	Friday	Moderate to high	Return journeys begin
6–7 February	Saturday–Sunday	High	Sunday afternoon is heavy towards Istanbul and Ankara; head home early

Days are short in January: on 23 January the sun rises in Bolu at about 08:12 and sets at around 18:00; by 7 February sunset has moved to 18:18 (our own calculation). It gets dark earlier in the forest and in the valleys, so plan to head back by 16:00.

What is open in Bolu during the semester break?

Gölcük, Abant, Kartalkaya and Mudurnu can all be visited throughout the winter; in winter, though, Yedigöller is reached via Mengen rather than from the Bolu side. Winter details for each place are in our guide to Bolu in winter; here is just the summary you need for a semester-break plan. Distances are from Nesilce Tatil Köyü in Mengen, on snow-free roads:

Place	From Nesilce	What to expect during the break
Yedigöller National Park	48 km, via the Mengen–Yazıcık road	Very quiet; the park road from the Bolu side may be closed
Gölcük Nature Park	~70 km, ~1 h 10 min (via Bolu)	Short lake loop, sledging on the snowy slopes
Abant Lake National Park	~1 h 10 min	The busiest site of the break; queues at the gate at weekends
Kartalkaya	~90 km, 1.5–2 h (via Bolu)	Mid ski season; a high, winding mountain road
Mudurnu	110–125 km, ~1 h 45 min–2 h	Indoor sights; good for a bad-weather day

• Yedigöller: The Bolu–Yedigöller park road is closed when there is a risk of snow and ice. On 22 November 2024 it was closed by order of the provincial governor's office and traffic was diverted via Mengen (AA); on 31 December 2025 it was again closed temporarily because of ice (İşçi Haber). Nesilce is on this winter route. The lake shores can freeze; do not step onto the ice. Route details: reaching Yedigöller in winter.
• Abant: On 29 January 2026 the news agency DHA reported that children visiting Abant for the semester break were sledging down the snow-covered hills, and that part of the lake had frozen in the cold (DHA). Go on a weekday, in the morning. Details: Abant guide.
• Gölcük: About 13 km from Bolu city centre; the walk around the lake is about 1.3 km. According to AA's report of 28 January 2024, snow in the park had reached a depth of about 50 cm that week. Details: Gölcük guide.
• Kartalkaya: According to GoTürkiye, the ski season at Kartalkaya starts in December and ends at the end of March, so the semester break normally falls mid-season. No opening date has yet been announced for 2026–2027, and it depends on the snow; we track the latest in our article on the 2026–2027 ski season. On whether to stay on the slopes or in the valley: where to stay for a Kartalkaya ski holiday.
• Mudurnu: With the Yıldırım Bayezid Hamam, dated 1382 and, according to the Ministry's Kültür Portalı, still in use as a Turkish bath today, and its historic bazaar, Mudurnu is a good place to spend a snowy or bitterly cold day indoors. Details: Mudurnu travel guide.

Park entry: Under the 2026 fee tariff of DKMP (Türkiye's General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks), entry to Yedigöller, Abant and Gölcük is 75 TL per person or 225 TL per car; children under 7 enter free. The 2027 tariff may change at the start of the year, so check before you go.

What is the weather like in Bolu in late January and early February?

During the semester-break weeks, expect 5–7 °C by day and between -2 and -4 °C at night in Bolu; about half the days bring rain or snow. Measurements from the Bolu (city centre) station of MGM, the Turkish State Meteorological Service, for 1929–2025:

MGM, Bolu (1929–2025)	January	February
Average temperature	0.6 °C	1.9 °C
Average high	5.4 °C	7.2 °C
Average low	-3.5 °C	-2.5 °C
Average days with precipitation	15.5 days	14.4 days
Total monthly precipitation	57.8 mm	48.3 mm
Daily sunshine	2.0 hours	2.9 hours
Lowest temperature recorded	-31.5 °C	-25.8 °C

January is Bolu's coldest month. The greatest snow depth MGM has recorded at this station is 72 cm, measured on 6 February 1950, a date that falls within today's semester-break weeks. These figures are for the city centre; the roads to Kartalkaya and Yedigöller climb higher, so snow and ice arrive there before they reach the valley. For a month-by-month table, see our guide to Mengen and Yedigöller weather.

For children: a thermal base layer, a fleece, a waterproof coat and trousers, a hat, two pairs of gloves, waterproof boots and spare socks. Break snow play into 1–1.5-hour stints and change wet clothes straight away.

How should you drive on Bolu's winter roads?

Winter tyres, snow chains and checking before you set off: if you are driving to Bolu for the semester break, do not skip any of the three.

1. Winter tyres. Under an amendment published in the Resmî Gazete (Official Gazette) on 4 October 2025, winter tyres are compulsory every year from 15 November to 15 April for commercial vehicles carrying passengers or goods between cities; they are recommended for private cars. According to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, provincial governors can extend this period by up to a month either side within their province. On mountain roads, though, the decision of the gendarmerie (jandarma, the rural police) is what counts: when the Yedigöller road reopened after being closed by snow on 18 October 2026, only vehicles with winter tyres were allowed through (DHA). Fit winter tyres to your private car too.
2. Snow chains. Türkiye's General Directorate of Highways (KGM) recommends carrying snow chains, a tow rope and wheel chocks in winter (KGM). Practise fitting the chains once at home.
3. Checking. For state highways, the KGM road information line 0312 449 91 99 and the closed roads query on e-Devlet (the Turkish government portal); for the Yedigöller park road, the Bolu Branch Directorate of National Parks on 0374 215 52 81.
4. Navigation. Map apps may suggest the closed Bolu–Yedigöller road; in winter, choose the route to Yedigöller via Mengen yourself.
5. Timing and speed. Finish mountain roads in daylight and do not overtake snowploughs; the road ahead of them may not have been cleared yet.

A sample 3-night family plan from Mengen

The most balanced plan is to skip the first weekend's crowds and stay three nights from 25 to 28 January; the same programme fits 1–4 February exactly. The winter rule is simple: one big destination per day. The programme is based at Nesilce Tatil Köyü in Mengen and designed for families with school-age children.

Day 1, Monday 25 January: Travel and settle in

• About 3 hours from Istanbul and about 2.5 hours from Ankara (on snow-free roads). Check-in 14:00.
• It gets dark at around 18:00, so set off before midday.
• Relax in the bungalow in the evening; ask about the next day's park road conditions the night before.

Day 2, Tuesday 26 January: Yedigöller under snow

• Leave at 09:30 after breakfast; the park is 48 km away via the Mengen–Yazıcık road.
• A short walk around Büyükgöl; in snow, stints of 1–1.5 hours are enough, with breaks back in the car or somewhere warm.
• Head back at 15:00. If the park road is closed, plan B: a snow day around the resort and an early dinner.

Day 3, Wednesday 27 January: Kartalkaya or Gölcük

• For skiing or high-mountain snow, Kartalkaya: leave at 08:00, about 90 km via Bolu city centre, 1.5–2 hours without snow. Leave the slopes at 15:00; check the season and facility status the day before.
• For families who do not ski, Gölcük: a short lake loop and sledging. If you want to add Abant the same day, do Gölcük in the morning and start back by 15:30.

Day 4, Thursday 28 January: Head home

• Check out after breakfast (12:00). Leaving on Thursday gets you home before the 30–31 January weekend traffic.
• Check the state of your route with KGM once more before setting off.

If there is snow around the resort, sledging and short forest walks are the easiest activities for children. Ask before you arrive whether activities such as ATV rides and horse riding run in snowy conditions; for routes, see our Mengen nature walks and ATV guide.

If you can only come at a weekend

Spend Saturday travelling and around the resort, then go early on Sunday morning to Gölcük or, if the road is open, Yedigöller. If you are going to Abant at a weekend, enter the park before 09:00; the 10 km queue in 2024 formed on a Sunday. For a general look at weekend crowds, see our article on weekdays versus weekends at Yedigöller.

When should you book for the semester break?

Ask about weekend nights and family-size rooms before New Year, and about weekday nights as soon as your dates are fixed. This is not a price or occupancy forecast, just a reading of how demand is spread: during the semester break, demand in Bolu piles up on Friday and Saturday nights (Bolu Gündem, 25 May 2026), and in our ski-season article we flagged the semester break as the period that needs the earliest booking.

1. Choose your dates first. The weekday nights of 25–28 January or 1–4 February are the easiest nights for both roads and crowds.
2. Settle on the room type. Nesilce has 8 two-storey bungalows for 4–6 people, and this is the most popular type; families of four or more should ask about it early.
3. Ask about winter conditions. If the road closes, what are the terms for changing dates or cancelling? Does breakfast time suit an early start? How is the room heated?
4. Choose your channel. You can book directly by phone or WhatsApp, or through Airbnb or Hotels.com; for the differences, see our guide to booking a bungalow in Bolu.

Where should you stay in Bolu for the semester break?

For families with children, the most practical choice is accommodation with more than one bed, breakfast included, and a location that does not leave you behind a park road that may close in winter. Mengen sits on the winter route to Yedigöller, about 50 minutes (55 km) from Bolu city centre.

Nesilce Tatil Köyü is a 25-unit resort set in the forest in Mengen:

• Two-storey bungalow for 4–6 people (8 units): with a living room; one double bed and two single beds.
• Standard bungalow for 2–3 people (10 units) and hotel room for 2 people (7 units).
• Included: Turkish village breakfast, free parking, Wi-Fi. Pets are welcome with advance notice.
• Good to know: there is no swimming pool or jacuzzi; this is a nature resort.
• Check-in 14:00, check-out 12:00. Rated 4.3 on Google (595 reviews, October 2026).

For room types, see our bungalows in Bolu page; for details for families with children, see our guide to family bungalow holidays in Bolu.

How we prepared this guide

We took the school dates from MEB's official announcement, the religious holiday dates from the newspaper Dünya's summary of the Diyanet calendar, the weather data from MGM's Bolu station statistics, the visitor and crowd information from reports by TRT Haber, Anadolu Ajansı, DHA and Bolu Gündem, and the winter-tyre rule from the Resmî Gazete. Sunrise and sunset times are our own calculation. The day-by-day crowd table is not a measurement; it is an estimate based on news reports from previous years and our winter observations at the resort. MEB's announcement does not mention report-card day separately; we have given it as the last day of the first term. As of 30 October 2026, we could find no official information on Kartalkaya's 2026–2027 opening date, DKMP's 2027 entry fees or teachers' work schedule during the semester break; we will update this article as announcements appear.

Sources

• MEB, "2026-2027 Eğitim Öğretim Yılı Takvimi Açıklandı" (13 June 2026)
• NTV, "MEB 2026-2027 eğitim öğretim yılı takvimini belirledi" (13 June 2026)
• Dünya, "2027 bayram tarihleri... Kurban Bayramı, Ramazan Bayramı ne zaman?" (5 October 2026)
• MGM, official climate statistics: Bolu (1929–2025)
• TRT Haber, "Bolu'nun doğal güzelliklerini sömestirde yaklaşık 129 bin kişi ziyaret etti" (6 February 2024)
• Anadolu Ajansı (Bengütürk), "Abant ve Gölcük'te yarıyıl tatili yoğunluğu yaşanıyor" (28 January 2024)
• DHA, "Abant'ta çocukların sömestirde kar keyfi" (29 January 2026)
• Bolu Gündem, "Bolu'nun kronik turizm çelişkisi: hafta sonu yüzde 100, hafta içi yüzde 10" (25 May 2026)
• Anadolu Ajansı, "Bolu-Yedigöller yolu kar ve buzlanma riski nedeniyle kapatıldı" (22 November 2024)
• İşçi Haber, "Bolu-Yedigöller yolu buzlanma nedeniyle ulaşıma kapatıldı" (31 December 2025)
• DHA, "Bolu'da Yedigöller yolu 3 saatlik çalışmayla trafiğe açıldı" (18 October 2026)
• GoTürkiye, Kartalkaya
• Resmî Gazete, 4 October 2025, amendment to the Winter Tyre Communiqué
• T.C. Ulaştırma ve Altyapı Bakanlığı, "Zorunlu kış lastiği uygulaması 5 aya çıktı" (5 October 2025)
• KGM, Kar ve Buzla Mücadele Çalışması (snow and ice control)
• e-Devlet, Karayolları Trafiğe Kapalı Yol Sorgulama (closed roads query)
• DKMP, Protected Areas Fee Tariff

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For availability during the semester break and help planning your programme, call us or message us on WhatsApp on +90 505 790 50 17.