OrangeSmile Tours Best destinations around the world - Travel Guide
Istanbul

Colors of Istanbul - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Istanbul Residents of Istanbul have several distinct national characteristics. In Istanbul, as well as in any city in the country, the natives have great respect for religious customs and traditions. Women wear closed clothes, the same applies to visitors – people in open clothing may be denied to enter many mosques and public institutions.
The prestigious Legacy Ottoman is open in an eye-catching historical building in Byzantine style. Its design is reminiscent of a luxurious museum. Simply every detail in Legacy Ottoman … Open
Istanbul residents value their homes, so they always remove their shoes when they enter a house. This rule applies to mosques, which are also considered the house for everyone. Food is one of the most important aspects of life. The Turks can talk and argue on this topic endlessly. But when it comes to alcoholic beverages, the locals are more than careful - alcohol is banned by their religion. Tourists should also not walk on the streets of the city with a bottle of beer in their hands as this can offend residents and cause a lot of discontent.
Colorful markets are a striking national feature of Istanbul. People come here not only for shopping, but also for socializing. Bargaining is normal and even recommended in local shops and bazaars. As a rule, it helps reducing the item’s price by 2 - 3 times. Each year residents of Istanbul celebrate numerous national holidays, each of which has interesting customs and traditions. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Eurostars Hotel Old City remains one of the leading hotels in Istanbul. The hotel is full of national charm and hospitality. Eurostars Hotel Old City has won love and dedication of thousands … Open
Many national holidays, which the locals celebrate throughout a year, have a religious character. Typically, on these days of celebrations restaurants and cafes of Istanbul stop selling alcoholic beverages. A notable fact - more than 60% of the population of Istanbul is people under the age of 35 years, so there’s no wonder why Youth Day is one of the most popular and anticipated celebrations. The holiday is celebrated on May 19, and this is the official day off. The celebration starts with laying wreaths at the monument of the Republic, then the holiday is continued by colorful parades and sports competitions. Holiday program is rich in musical performances, various relay races, competitions and master classes. On evenings the main squares of the city become venues for music concerts and firework shows. Both travellers and native people really enjoy this amazing holiday.
Istanbul In such metropolis as Istanbul, many festivals, celebrations, exhibitions, and cultural events are held annually. Every spring, a huge number of tourists come to Istanbul to celebrate one of the most beautiful holidays. Annually in April, here passes the well-known Istanbul Tulip Festival. According to the legend, happiness lives on the bottom of the tulip, therefore the Turks regard their favorite colors with great trepidation. Tulip is also a symbol of the country. During the Tulip Festival, many entertaining events are also held. Especially colorful at this time is the park Emirgan, however, it is located far from the city center. Children's Day is celebrated on April 23; Turkish families usually have many children and very fond of their younger generation.
While selecting a place for a romantic vacation in Istanbul, it’s worth paying attention to Sumengen-Special Category. This hotel is open in a beautiful Osman style mansion that is … Open
Every a year from 2 to 15 July Istanbul turns into New Orleans 20's or New York's 40's - these days in the city there is already a well-known jazz festival, which participants are both globally renowned musicians and still unknown, but promising jazz talents. Moreover, at the festival you can hear not only jazz - rock, blues, trip-hop, reggae - all this is also not alien to the holiday of music. The history of the festival began in 1984, when a tremendous concert by Chick Corea and Steve Kuyal was held, followed by several jazz legends such as Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Modern Jazz Quartet, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Goetz for several years in Istanbul. And since 1994 such events have acquired an organized character.
Istanbul Shopping Fest takes place every year at the end of spring or summer. For about two weeks, Istanbul turns into the World's center for shopping and entertainment. During the Istanbul Shopping Fest, the largest shopping centers in the city - such as Kapalycharshi and Mysyr Charshisy - work round the clock. In addition, these days are an excellent opportunity to purchase goods and clothes with significant discounts up to 50%; especially lucky are the foreign tourists - when hopping off Turkey - you have a full right to return the tax paid when buying things. Among the discounts here, shoppers have the possibility to enjoy numerous promotions, prizes, contests, entertainment programs, fashion shows and all kind of parties. The largest number of tourists are attracted to shopping areas: Sultanahmet Square, Abdi Ipekchi Avenue, Baghdad Avenue, Baharie Avenue, Istación Avenue, Istiklal Avenue.
Istanbul - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

City tours, excursions and tickets in Istanbul and surroundings

Reference information
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Istanbul
♥   Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, 1.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Saint Antoine de Padoue, Istanbul, 1.8 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Ayatriada Rum Katoliki Kilise, Istanbul, 2.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique-Cathédrale Saint-Esprit, Istanbul, 3.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all castles
Survived castles around Istanbul
♥   Castle 'Rumelihisaru' , 10.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Anadoluhisaru' , 11.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Yoros Castle' , 20.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Rentals in Istanbul

Preferred to Open 9 New Hotels in 2022

In September 2022, the Sommerro hotel in Oslo will start operating in a carefully restored 1930s Art Deco building. This building is a true landmark of Frogner, a historic neighborhood of the Norwegian capital. A multi-million-dollar renovation carefully turned the largest preservation project in Norway into a modern hotel with 231 rooms, including 56 residences. Preferred will open five more hotels in 2022, namely, The Wall Street Hotel in New York, Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences on Singer Island (Florida, the US), TOA Hotel & Spa in Zanzibar, Pendry hotel in Washington, and Pendry Park City hotel in Utah. Read this

19.03.2024

Colors of Istanbul in photos

Search for popular touristic sites on Istanbul map

Address/Sight name City/Region Country Within radius, km
 Types of touristic objects to search for
Hotels & Car rental
Carhire locations
0 star
1 star
2 stars
3 stars
4 stars
5 stars
Touristic places
Art galleries
Churches/Temples
Museums
Castles/Palaces
Monuments
Touristic areas
Sightseeings
Attractions
Attraction parks
Casino
Theaters/Cinema
Disco/Clubs
Parks
Zoo
Aqua parks
Transport
Airports
Train stations
Bus stations
Metro
Parkings
Fuel stations
Ports/Ferries
Open the list of object types
Health/Sport
Open the list of object types
Food/Money
Open the list of object types
Shopping
Open the list of object types
Beauty/Medicine
Open the list of object types
City services
Open the list of object types
Useful services

Traditions and festivals in cities around Istanbul

Cityguide on traditions, mentality and lifestyle of people in Istanbul. Learn the best periods to visit Istanbul to discover its soul - authentic festivals, events and celebrations. We will also reveal the interesting habits, attitude towards the world and to tourists in Istanbul.
OrangeSmile.com - online travel reservation expert providing reliable car rental and hotel booking services. We feature more than 25.000 destinations with 12.000 rental offices and 200.000 hotels worldwide.
Secure Server
Head office
Weegschaalstraat 3, Eindhoven
5632 CW, The Netherlands
+31 40 40 150 44


Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About us
Copyright © 2002 - OrangeSmile Tours B.V. | OrangeSmile.com | Under the direction and management of IVRA Holding B.V. - Registered at Kamer van Koophandel (KvK), The Netherlands No. 17237018