Every spring Istanbul transforms into a colourful river of flowers which charm tourists and locals. In April and May it is the time of the tulips in this ancient city. It all starts when millions of tulips are planted in Istanbul’s gardens and parks, the tulips then come to bloom usually at the beginning of April.
If you thought that the home of the tulip is the Netherlands, you have to reconsider. Actually the beautiful flower was brought to Turkey by the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 16th century. The tulip is now one of the symbols of Turkey and the locals call it with the tender name “lale”.
flickr/ozgur ozkok
flickr/Marisa y Angel
The tulip festival itself starts at the beginning of April and lasts for a couple of weeks. In fact it is a great time of year to visit Istanbul, not only are there millions of blooming flowers, the weather is sunny, the temperatures are moderate and it is not crowded with tourists yet.
The centre of the tulip festival is Emirgan Park, located in the European part of the city. It is not very close to the center of Istanbul but there are many buses going to Emirgan and the trip is pleasant due to the beautiful route.
flickr/Jennifer Hattam
flickr/Nadide Korbey
Emirgan park is home to more than 120 species of plants but during spring it is all about the tulips. The skilful gardeners prepare incredible flower figures which look magnificent when the tulips bloom. The three wooden pavilions in different colors: pink, yellow and white, the lakes and fountains make the atmosphere in the park magical. It is a favourite place for many of the locals, people bring their food and blankets and have a bite on the grass among the flowers while the organizers usually provide live music and entertainment.
Emirgan is not the only place where the tulips form a beautiful setting. Some other parks like Yıldız, Gülhane, Beykoz and Camlica are also part of the tulip festival. And the view of the Blue Mosque or Dolmabahçe Palace surrounded with blooming tulips every spring is simply glorious!
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