Historically known as Constantinople and Byzantium, Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city and the fifth largest city in the world with a population of roughly 12.5 million people. With its long history being the capital of the Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul is a place rich in history, culture and tradition. There are several festivals that take place annually in Istanbul and visiting Istanbul during these times is an experience not to be missed.

International Jazz Festival

The International Jazz Festival takes place every year in July. This is one of Istanbul’s main festivals and is very popular among locals and international Jazz musicians and tourists. The festival is organized by the Foundation of Art and Culture and features several open air concerts. The first concert was held in 1986 and featured Jazz music. From 1994 the festival has been a place to showcase various styles of music such as Pop, Reggae, Blues, Rock, New Age and much more.

International Puppet Festival

  The International Puppet Festival is held every year in the month of May. The puppet festival is an event where teams from different parts of the world come to perform. Participants have come from the countries of France, United States, Austria, Greece, Portugal, Holland and Spain. The puppet festival also has several other events including conferences, film screening, exhibitions and workshops. The festival is a great event and occasion to witness some extraordinary talent.

International Theater Festival

For over 15 years the International Theater Festival has been a very popular festival in Istanbul. With over 2,700 artists from 19 different countries and with an audience of over 270,000, this is by far one of the most popular festivals in Istanbul. The festival takes place every year during the month of May. Some of the highlights of the festival are the theater performances, dramatic operas and theatrical dances.

Tunel Art Festival

The Tunel Art Festival is another popular festival that takes place during the month of May in Istanbul. The main goal of the festival is to encourage and support local and international artists. The festival is an interesting event for all art lovers and one that is not to be missed if you are in Istanbul during the month of May.

Tulip Festival

From the year 2006, this has become one of Istanbul’s popular festivals. Thanks to the initiative of the government, the city government has planted 3 million tulips in the several parks, open grounds and traffic roundabouts. The tulips bloom between March and April and are a great sight to see because the whole city is virtually covered with colorful patches of tulips.