Special: Tulip Festival in Istanbul

Tulip Festival Istanbul
April until the beginning of May is tulip season in Istanbul. Since 2006 the city of Istanbul is honoring the tulip with this festival. And it is totally free, no entry fees, no nothing.
As the tulips are literally spread all over the city, providing eye candy, there are some spots, namely parks, which are especially worth visiting to enjoy the colorful tulips. These four spots are the highlights of the Tulip Festival, or Lale Festivali in Turkish.


Yildiz Grove, Besiktas

The Yildiz Grove is actually located between Besiktas and Ortaköy, and therefore an ideal spot to visit on the way to the market or the mosque in Ortaköy - the Büyük Mecidiye Camii. It is one of the biggest green area close to the city and spreads over the hills above Besiktas delivering beautiful views of the Bosphorus, while inhabiting lots of different plants and an overwhelming amount of squirrels.

Easiest reachable by bus from Taksim or Besiktas.

Gülhane Park, Fatih/Sultanahmet

Right next to the Topkapi Palace and the Archeological Museum the Gülhane Park is easy to reach and provides for a nice relaxation after visiting the Sultanahmet area with Topkapi, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Being one of the oldest parks in the city, it is the literally the backyard of the Topkapi Palace and the emerald of the Historical Peninsula. Which makes him a silent witness to the rich history in Istanbul.

Best reachable by Tram T1 , Marmaray Station Serkeci, or Ferries from Üsküdar/Kadiköy.


Emrigan Grove, Tulip Festival

Emirgan Grove, Sariyer

Featured already in this blog, the Emirgan Park is directly on the shore of the Bosphorus  and provides great views. During the tulip season those are heavily challenged by all the colorful settings of tulips all over the Grove.
Best reachable by bus from Taksim or Besiktas  or by Metro M2 to stop ITU, continuing by bus or dolmus.



Camlica Grove, Üsküdar

The Camlica Grove is situated at the Camlica Hills, which provide a great view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. So visiting the whole area of Camlica delivers more than one eye-candy and is especialyl worth it during the tulip festival.

Best reachable by bus from Taksim or Kabatas. Alternatively by ferry to Üsküdar, followed by a bus.

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