La Tomatina (Spain)

This is the biggest tomato fight. Every year, thousands of tomato fans arrive in the village of Buñol, close to Valencia, Spain to take part in the epic tomato fight – La Tomatina. More than 30,000 people wait impatiently for the flare signalling the start the fight, and several trucks haul the tomatoes used in the fight. It takes place on the last Wednesday in August.

Burning Man (USA)

This festival is a must for every free spirit. It’s hard to put into words, so you have to be there to understand what exactly this event is all about. For two weeks each year, tens of thousands of people gather in the desert near the city of Reno, USA, to create a temporary metropolis dedicated to exchanging knowledge, skills, creativity and art. Nothing is sold, there are only acts of gift giving. The culmination of the event is the symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden effigy – “the Man”, from whence comes the name of the festival.

Holi (India) 

Holi, the colorful Indian festival

Every year during this joyful festival, the streets of Indian towns fill with people who throw colored powder and colored water at each other. No one gets out dry and uncolored! The holiday is dedicated to fertility. The date varies, it’s usually in March.

Songkran (Thailand)

Songkran, the Thai New Year

The New Year in Thailand, celebrated on 13th April, has turned into great fun for locals and visitors. The Thai people pay reverence to Buddha, clean their houses and pour water over elders as a way to show respect. Over the past years, though, the tradition has become a bit wilder – whether you’re an elder or not, expect water gun shoot-outs in the streets, whole buckets of water to be amicably poured over you or water balloons to be thrown at you.

READ MORE: Where to see Rafflesia in Thailand – the biggest flower in the world

Up Helly Aa (Scotland)

Up Helly Aa Festival in Sctoland

This is the name of the biggest fire-Viking creation of Scotland. A festival where every year a whole galley (Viking long ship) is burnt down. In the Scottish town of Lerwick there is a procession of burning torches and the term “Viking drinking spree” acquires whole new dimensions. It’s always held on the last Tuesday of January.

Menton Lemon Festival (France)

The Lemon Festival in Menton

In February the French Riviera will surprise you with a refreshing dose of vitamin C – a three-week, open-air festival, where scantily-clad dancers move to the rhythm of Brazilian music among huge sculptures of oranges and lemons. Each statue takes weeks to make, and the theme is different every year – from an round-the-world trip to Disneyland to antique heroes.

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Every year in April, Istanbul turns into the capital of tulips. This is when millions of bulbs show up in the parks and gardens of the city and transform old Constantinople into a flowery fairy tale.

In 2017, more than 26.5 million tulips of 160 varieties were planted across Istanbul.

If you are visiting the colorful fiesta that is the Istanbul Tulip Festival, here’s some useful information on where to go and what to see.

When do tulips in Istanbul bloom?

The exact date depends on the weather from year to year, but in general you can expect the tulips to start blooming at the end of March or the beginning of April. The flowers flourish for several weeks, until the beginning of May.

Tulips in Istanbul | Daxis/Flickr

What are the dates of the Istanbul Tulip Festival?

Usually, the festival spans the whole month of April. However, as you will see from the information below, you don’t need to plan your visit around any exact dates, as special events and brilliant spring flowers grace the city throughout the whole month. Although it’s called a ‘festival’, it would better be described as a rather loose series of events (like concerts, art workshops, and exhibitions) taking place mainly in Emirgan Park. The festival doesn’t have an official website, so the best way to discover what’s going on is to ask the staff at your hotel/hostel.

Why is the tulip a symbol of Istanbul?

The tulip is one of the most recognizable symbols of Istanbul. The flower was imported centuries ago from Iran, and its arrival created a real fever among locals, who competed to grow the best and most unusual bulbs in their gardens. A rare bulb could cost an absolute fortune at the height of tulip popularity in the city. Tulips made their way from Istanbul to Europe where, especially in the Netherlands, they caused a similar craze.

Tulips in Istanbul | Nezih Durmazlar/Flickr

Which parks in Istanbul have the most beautiful tulip gardens?

Emirgan Park (or Emirgan Korusu) – with its colorful pavilions, millions of tulips and other spring flowers, plus its stunning views over the Bosphorus, this park is the headquarters of the festival. Open stages pop up in April to host musicians, actors and other performers. You will also see traditional marble drawing demonstrations, calligraphy, glass blowing, and photo exhibitions.

Göztepe Park – This is the other festival hot spot, with plenty of events on its schedule. It is located on the Asian side of Istanbul.

Beykoz Korusu – This is another green oasis in the Asian part of Istanbul. Here you can enjoy relaxing walks along the Bosphorus, with the strait on one side and lush greenery on the other.

Gülhane Park – More than a million tulips are planted here every spring.

Yıldız Park – This park is located close to Yıldız Palace, hence the name. It used to be the sultan’s private hunting ground, but today its thick forest areas and Ottoman pavilions are open for visitors.

Sultanahmet Square – The square next to Sultanahmet Mosque – one of the main attractions in Istanbul – turns into a carpet of flowers in spring.

Çamlıca Hill – This hill is a secret part of Istanbul that few tourists ever visit. If you don’t mind a bit of a climb, you will be rewarded with the sight of thousands of tulips on the way up and a magnificent vista from the top.

Here’s a map of the best tulip parks in Istanbul:

Read more: Keukenhof: where you can see more than 800 varieties of tulips in Holland

11 quotes about Istanbul that explain why everyone loves it

14 smells of Istanbul that always bring you back there

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A visit to the Rose Valley in Bulgaria in May and June is a must. You’ll see, touch and smell the oil-bearing roses, whose aroma has made them famous around the world, especially for visitors from China and Japan. It’s easy to understand why so many tourists travel thousands of miles to come here.

Why is the Bulgarian rose so special?

The oil-bearing rose Rosa Damascena, grown in the Rose Valley, is a symbol of Bulgaria recognized across the world. It possesses great beauty and a unique fragrance, and is widely recognized as the only rose capable of producing the highest quality rose oil. We can prove it: in almost every expensive French perfume there are several milligrams of Bulgarian rose oil.

Amazingly, the precious liquid is also used as the finest grease in NASA’s space shuttles.

The Rose Valley, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

How to join the rose picking at the Rose Festival?

The peak season for visiting Kazlanak, from the end of May until the end of June, coincides with the town’s Rose Festival, which has been held for more than a century. During this time, the town’s streets fill with the sweet fragrance of roses. Roll up your sleeves and help pick the rose petals, or see how the precious oil is extracted from the roses. There’s only one condition – you have to get up before sunrise to take part in the work.

Ask at your hotel what’s the nearest rose-picking event (they are usually held in a different village every Saturday and Sunday morning during the Rose Festival).

Rose oil distillation facility in Kazanlak, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

Don’t miss Kazanlak’s Rose Museum, which displays more than 10,000 exhibits related to rose oil production. It’s the only one of its kind in the Balkans and is located in the Rose Park in the city.

What else can you do in the Rose Valley?

Kazanlak was crowned the capital of the Rose Valley a long time ago, but centuries earlier Thracian kings ruled their empire from this area. The UNESCO-listed Tomb of Kazanlak, located in Tyulbeto Park in the town center, is a masterpiece of antiquity with its exceptional frescoes.

Just a few kilometers from the town, submerged beneath the Koprinka Reservoir, the ancient city of Seuthopolis – the capital of the Odrysian kingdom – lies in its watery grave. Spread across the foot of the mountains, the Valley of the Thracian Kings is home to more than 1,500 Thracian mounds. Some of the most impressive to visit are Golyama Kosmatka (the Tomb if Seuths III), Shushmanets and Ostrusha.

More information about the tombs’ opening hours, admission fees, etc., you will find here.

The bronze head of Seuth III found in Golyamata Kosmatka Mound near Kazanlak | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

Fun fact…

A phial (“muskal” in Bulgarian) is a measurement unit of rose oil, equal to 4.810 grams. Until World War I, the oil was measured in phials (as gold is weighed in carats). One phial of pure rose oil was considered equal to 24 carats of gold.

Food from roses

The rose is not only used for fragrances in the Rose Valley. You can find it served on the table as well. Don’t leave the area without tasting the aromatic rose jam made from the rose petals and the rose liqueur that is a trade mark of the Rose Valley. You can try them during your visit of the Ethnographic Complex Kulata in Kazanlak, part of the History Museum (information here).

Rose jam | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

How and when to visit the Rose Valley in Bulgaria?

The Rose Festival takes place during the whole month of June, so you can plan your trip in this month. The most impressive events are held on the weekends. Kazanlak is located 230 km (143 mi) from Sofia, and can be reached by train, by bus or by a rental car.

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