Colors of Antalya - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Local residents follow a large number of religious traditions and customs. Despite the fact that women now have equal rights with men, they still have to stick to some ancient traditions. For example, they cannot go out without a special headscarf just like centuries ago, and clothes must remain closed and spacious. The indigenous people are quite tolerant to the traditions of travellers, but visitors are encouraged to follow some of the local customs. You shouldn’t make a walk wearing provoking clothes, do not drink alcoholic beverages in the wrong places and do not forget to take off your shoes at the entrance to someone’s house.

It is worth noting that the locals are very friendly, polite and hospitable. When communicating with new friends they pay attention, first of all, to manners of a newcomer and how good a person is familiar with the rules of the etiquette. Travelers are strongly recommended to learn at least several phrases in Turkish prior a trip to Turkey. Just a few phrases in their native language can make the locals very friendly, and they will be happy to help a polite tourist who is interested in their national culture. As a rule, every house always serves a table for guests, so coming to a house of a local resident suddenly is simply impossible. Tables for guests always contain fruits and sweets; hospitable hosts only need to make a coffee and dishes for guests will be completely ready.

Many travellers even consider the hospitality of the locals a bit intrusive. Sellers in the stores will definitely try to invite a passerby to come in for a cup of coffee. While guests enjoy the flavorful drink, sellers will tell them about the most interesting products and provide recommendations concerning best restaurants and shopping centers of the city. If tourists refuse to accept such invitation, it can seriously offend a host, so make sure your pay a little attention to a generous merchant and do not forget to thank him for his warm welcome. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

An orange has become a kind of a local peculiarity and the national symbol of the city. Monuments with a picture of the fruit can be seen right at every step in the city. The monuments of the fruit found in the city are made of different materials - stone, wood and plastic. Even entrances to some of the cafes and markets are decorated with colorful posters with the image of an orange. Throughout a year the residents of Antalya celebrate a series of interesting events, but the majority of them are connected to the lunar calendar, so these holidays do not have an exact binding to a particular date.

In May, the guests of the resort and local people will visit the Antalya Flower Festival. This event is considered one of the most colorful and impressive in Turkey. Local residents of Antalya plant extraordinary flowers with great love and every year they improve their skills. The annual Flower Festival is the real opportunity for them to show the miracles of gardening and demonstrate the achievements in flower breeding to numerous tourists. The festival is always held in May when Antalya turns into a fairytale flower city. During the event, you will see the flower platforms, moving slowly along the streets of the city, with wonderful floral figures. The flower festival is of great importance for the life of the country, it's like, another visit card of Turkey, which is proved by the presence of top management and officials of Antalya at the festival. The festival of flowers is not only a festive procession but also a lot of interesting festive events, such as exhibitions and competitions of flower decorators, fairs, and shows.

In June you will have a great chance to witness Antalya Opera and Ballet Festival. Music fans can attend the Antalya Jazz Festival, as well as Abdal Musa festival, and Fenike festival in Antalya. July is the time for an exciting Antalya Tourism Festival. Holidaymakers who planned their trip to August will attend the Antalya International Festival of Folk Music and Dance. This event gathers creative bands from all over the world and local choirs, orchestras, theater groups, and children teams, who perform in different genres. The main rule is that it should not be boring. Another condition organizers of the festival require from the participants is the involvement of spectators in the show. Tourists will be offered to study national songs, dance and perform together with artists. The main concert of the festival is held in the evening and lasts until late night. In September, the resort city invites tourists and their fellow travelers the Ibradi grape festival and the Golden Orange film festival.

Golden Orange is the important film festival in Turkey and one of the most respected in Asia. The first festival was held in 1964, and its first aim was to support Turkish cinema. In the main program of the festival participate more than one hundred films of different genres. This movie festival is not only a cultural event, but also a social one, during which you can visit various meetings with famous actors, cinematographers, concerts, and parties. In Antalya, on the beach of Lara, the festival of sand sculptures takes place. Sandland is the mega-exhibition: 10 thousand tons of sand on an area of ​​10 thousand square meters will be turned into unique sculptures by hands of artists who come here from around the world. Visitors are allowed to show their creative abilities: a special area is allocated on the territory, where everyone can make a small masterpiece if desired. In October, the International Mediterranean Music Festival starts on the Turkish coast.