Celebrating New Year in Turkey is a double pleasure. Firstly, it is possible to celebrate this joyful date without the Olivier salad and other traditionally decorated, sore mouth, and secondly, to discover a country unfamiliar to most tourists. After all, they come here mainly in the summer. Winter Turkey offers tourists much more entertainment. And one of them is to scream when midnight hits, “Mutlu Yillar!”, Make a wish and drink a glass of brandy mixed with soda (it turns out a milky-colored drink that remotely resembles champagne).
New Year in Turkey began to be celebrated not so long ago - since 1935. Ataturk, the political leader and head of state , ruled that the Republic only develops successfully when it is secular. They began to meet the coming year back in 1926, but since the country was then living according to the Julian calendar, the holiday was celebrated on the first Saturday of January. At first, ordinary Turks did not particularly honor this day, but later became involved. Now in any small town or village at the end of December, houses, streets and shop windows are sure to be decorated. Most Muslim Turks decorate Christmas trees at home, although Christian tradition is credited with this custom.
More traditionally, the New Year in Turkey is celebrated according to the hijra - the Muslim lunar calendar. But this “floating date” holiday is mostly of a more religious significance, while the night from December 31 to January 1 is full of fun, fun and gifts. Children especially love this holiday: Noel Baba (New Year's Grandfather) comes to them at this time, as well as to babies from other countries, and brings presents. In general, in recent decades, thanks to television, the Turks are increasingly copying European traditions: postcards are sold everywhere, Christmas sales are held, and families, gathered at the table, eat
stuffed turkey.If you intend to celebrate the New Year in Turkey, do not expect it to be budgetary: a holiday - it’s also a holiday to fork out. Where to go to have fun on this enchanting night? With the greatest scope of festivities take place in Ankara, Istanbul, as well as in the towns and villages of the Mediterranean Riviera. There is another option - ski resorts in Turkey (yes, there are some!), Where, like on the coast, the all-inclusive system is practiced.
The places of greatest fun and emancipation in Istanbul are the areas of Pera, Kadikoy, Sultanahmed, Taksim. Many hotels organize a gala dinner for their guests. The city is flooded with tourists who came to celebrate the New Year in Turkey. Reviews enthusiastically mention that this night can be spent on board a boat sliding on the surface of the Bosphorus. There guests will enjoy a festive treat and a show program. By the way, it's best to admire the New Year's fireworks from the sea.
Those who chose the Mediterranean Riviera as their place for their Christmas holidays didn’t fail either. The weather in Turkey for the New Year is significantly different from ours, and for the better. True, it rains, but the air is still warm, and the sea is even warmer. If you are not comfortable swimming at + 20, there are heated pools, hammams and other spa treatments in the fashionable hotels. Another "trick" celebrating the holiday is the New Year lottery. Turks are a gambling people, and rallies are held here constantly. However, at the end of December, a special prize is announced - a very significant amount. Some hotels as a New Year's gift for their customers buy lottery tickets in bundles. It is possible that when you wake up on January 1, you will find in your room such a “happy coupon”.