EVENTS IN TURKEY FOR 2008

ASPENDOS OPERA & BALLET FESTIVAL

Every summer, operas and ballets are performed in the 20,000-capacity Aspendos Antique Theatre in Antalya. Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the 2000 year-old amphitheatre (one of the largest in Turkey), resounds to classical tunes at 12 performances in June and July, attracting upwards of 80,000 people each year.

Organised by the Turkish Culture Ministry's State Opera and Ballet Directorate, this year's programme includes Verdi's La Traviata and Nabucco and Puccini's Tosca.

Istanbul's State Opera and Ballet Company, Antalya's State Opera and Ballet Company, Izmir's State Opera and Ballet Company and Ankhara's State Opera and Ballet Company have all contributed to the festival over the last decade.

6th June 2007 - 19th July 2008

Click 'Here' for details of Aspendos Opera & Ballet Festival

The Butterfly Valley

June - September 2008 (annual)near Fethiye

The Butterfly Valley near Fethiye is a hidden gem of Turkey's Turquoise Coast. Deep, steep and accessible only by boat or via the Lycian Way walking trail, it is a protected site because millions of butterflies - over 30 daytime species including the Jersey Tiger Moth and 40 noctural species - come here to breed between June and September.
Construction is prohibited, so come by boat, bring a tent and camp overnight or stay in the tree-houses provided to appreciate this natural phenomena for yourself. In addition to the clouds of butterflies fluttering by, there are also two small waterfalls to discover, providing a refreshingly cool shower after a hike through the secret valley.

Boats leave daily from Belcekiz Beach in Olu Deniz and the turquoise water of the little bay means swimming here is also delightful. There is a small restaurant in the valley where you can have lunch if you choose.

Please remember that this is a haven for a sensitive type of insect, so don't shout to hear your own echo in the valley, take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, and if you see any litter on your journey, pick it up. The butterflies would thank you if they could!

Turkish Grand Prix

9th, 10th & 11th May 2008

The new, state-of-the-art International Circuit of Kurtkoy, located at Pendik, 90km east of Istanbul will host the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix.

Turkey made its debut on the Formula One calendar in 2005 with an all-new purpose-built circuit in Istanbul. The spectacular 5.378 kilometer track is designed by famed German architect Herman Tilke, the man behind Sepang, Bahrain and Shanghai, and features 14 turns – eight lefts and six rights –.

The Istanbul Park is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, approximately 90 kms from the centre of Istanbul.

Impressive spectator facilities can easily pursuit the very high standards set by Bahrain and China in 2004. The seating capacity is 155,000, with 25,000 of those in the main grandstand, and parking is available for 20,000 cars. Dominating the circuit's skyline are the two seven-floor VIP towers built at either end of the paddock

Click 'Here' for details of the Turkish Grand Prix

'Saint Nicholas' Festival

3rd to 7th December 2008

The jolly old saint who was to become the rotund and bearded incarnation of Christmas was once a fasting ascetic-turned-bishop in fourth century Demre, Turkey.

He had a long and arduous journey ahead of him, across several continents and more than 1500 years, before finally achieving global domination in his present shape in the 20th century. Today his humble origins are commemorated every year by the inhabitants of his hometown, who celebrate a feast in his honour.

The feast mostly takes place in the Martyrium church, reputedly erected on the site of the saint's final resting place. The tomb of the saint has a gaping hole in its side, said to have been left by pirates from the Italian city of Bari who were hired to steal the body in the 11th century. During the celebration visitors to the shrine place candles on and around the saint's crypt and there is a special multi-denominational service held at the church.

Visitors can also pay homage to some bones and other material remains of the saint in the local museum. Whether you want to tell your kids that 'Saint Nicholas' is actually officially dead or not is up to you...

The festival of the Whirling Dervishes

10 - 17 Dec 2008

Museum of Mevlana, Konya, Turkey

The Commemorative Ceremony for Mevlana, the great Sufic saint (1207-1273), is one of the world's greatest spectacles. More than a million people descend on Konya, the ancient Seljuk capital, for the festival of the Whirling Dervishes.

At the Mausoleum of Mevlana in Konya, mystical ceremonial dances are performed in honour of the great teacher and thinker. Mevlana (which in Arabic means "Our Lord") taught the preeminence of complete tolerance, positive thinking and awareness of God through love. He also believed that a union with God could be achieved through dance. Thus the Mevlana followers have been performing this religious "whirling" dance for centuries.

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