Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
areas, but generally the shops,
any service buildings and banks
will be closed.
New Year's Day
- 1st January
Sacrifice Festival
- January
National Sovereignty and
International Children's Day
-
23rd April
Atatürk Commemoration and
Youths and Sports Festival
-
19th May
Victory Day
- 30th August
Republic Day
- October
Feast of Ramazan
- October
take part in exciting races. The
event has a festival atmosphere
(see p. 122).
The Children's Summer
Festival
, held in Feshane
Children's Entertainment Park
in Istanbul every summer (see
p. 61), is another good event.
Schools from around the city
host festivals and events aimed
specifically at children.
The Dernek Festivals
, another
favourite family event, take place
in various towns and cities,
notably Trabzon in the Black Sea
region. Families and friends
gather for a feast, dancing and
lots of traditional music. It is
usually held towards the end of
July. Visitors, especially those
with children, are welcomed at
almost any festival or event.
The Troy Festival
is held every
August at Çanakkale in the
Marmara region. Schoolchildren
release a white dove from a Trojan
Horse - a mighty wooden struc-
ture that celebrates the battles
with the Trojans at Troy (see
p. 90).
Special Events
Many special festivities take
place around the country that
are ideal for children.
International Children's Day
is
a public holiday. Children are
recognised as being the future of
the country, a thought that
prompted Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk, the founder of the
Turkish Republic, to declare 23rd
April International Children's
Day. Every year a week-long pro-
gramme of events such as exhibi-
tions, festivals and ceremonies is
held throughout the country.
Children even replace high-rank-
ing government officials from the
President, Prime Minister and
governors downwards for the day.
The Bodrum Cup's
International Wooden Yacht
Regatta
in Bodrum attracts fam-
ilies keen to either sail themselves
or watch the wooden sailing ships
What to Pack
Always take plenty of sun cream
and hats as the coastal areas and
central Anatolia can get extremely
hot in the summer months. If
staying in the Aegean, Marmara
or Mediterranean regions in sum-
mertime you will need light cot-
ton clothes for everyone in the
family and perhaps a wrap or
cardigan for putting over your
shoulders in the evening. In
39
Search WWH ::
Custom Search