Traditions of Istanbul
A city spanning two continents, with whirling dervishes, tulip season, meze tables and the simit seller on every corner.
Istanbul was the capital of Rome, Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, and its skyline is a layer of domes and minarets above the Bosphorus. Turkish traditions of hospitality, tea, coffee and sweets live in its markets. Ramadan evenings, with the call of the drummer and the pide bread, are a famous time to visit.
Rhythms of the year
During Ramadan, a drummer, the davulcu, walks the streets before dawn, and the mosque minarets are linked by lights with messages written in them, mahya. The tulip festival blooms in April. The Mevlevi order holds the sema, the whirling ceremony, in memory of the poet Rumi, and Ottoman marbling, ebru, is practised by a few masters.
At the table
A Turkish breakfast spreads cheese, olives, tomatoes, honey, clotted cream and eggs, with endless tea in small glasses. Meze, grilled fish on the Bosphorus, simit, baklava and lokum, Turkish delight, are loved. Turkish coffee, with its thick grounds, is read for fortunes in the cup.
Signature traditions of Istanbul
Also part of it, and being written: Sema (The Mevlevi whirling ceremony.), Turkish coffee (The brewing and cup reading.), Ebru (Turkish paper marbling.), Turkish delight (The sweet lokum.).
A trail idea for Istanbul
- Spice Bazaar Smell the spices and buy Turkish delight.
- Galata Bridge at dusk Watch fishermen and eat a fish sandwich.
- Hagia Sophia Visit early.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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A Sufi tradition from Konya known for its whirling ceremony and devotion to Rumi's teachings.Spiritual
🇮🇹 Naples, Italy and 5 moreCaffè sospeso
An anonymous gift of a paid cup of coffee for a stranger in needTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
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An annual day of mourning and remembrance for the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.Spiritual
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan and 5 moreKurashкөрәш
Central Asian traditional upright folk wrestling using cloth belts or towelsGame
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A sesame-encrusted ring bread sold by street vendors across Turkey and the former Ottoman lands.Table custom · Breakfast
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A tradition of small, brightly coloured paintings created for books and albums.Craft
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A three-day Turkish oil wrestling contest near Edirne, held each June since 1360Game
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Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Turkish breakfast: MustafaERTAN, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day: This photo was made by Hayordi . Այս լուսանկարի հեղինակը Հայորդին է :, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mevlevi Order: Georges Jansoone ( JoJan ), CC BY 3.0, source
- Kurash: IlshatS, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Simit: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Persian miniature: 13th century CE painter, Public domain, source
- Caffè sospeso: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kırkpınar: anonymous Greek artist, ca. 1809, Public domain, source
- Turkish folk dance: quinn.ayna, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Turkish tea culture: henribergius, CC BY-SA 2.0, source