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/Sult