Colors of Istanbul - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

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.

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

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.

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.

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.