International Istanbul Festival
Performance at St. Irene
The highlight of
Istanbul's cultural life is the annual International Arts and Culture
Festival, in June and July. World-class artists - musicians,dancers,singers-perform
in the city's various venues. The quality and wealth of the Festival is
truly astonishing.
During the rest of the year the city offers a full program of opera,
theater, ballet, films, concerts and exhibitions. The Cemal Resit Rey Hall
and the Ataturk Cultural Center host a majority of these events.
Lighter entertainment thrives in this cosmopolitan city. Nightclubs with
programs ranging from a selection of Turkish songs to the famous belly
dancing will enthrall you. Modern discos, cabaret and jazz clubs in the
Taksim-Harbiye district attract both the young and the old. In Sultanahmet
a number of restaurants in restored
Byzantine and
Ottoman buildings serve
traditional meals in their unique and evocative atmosphere.
Kumkapi, with its many taverns, bars, sidewalk restaurants and strolling
minstrels, always offers a good meal and a superb show. In the same vein,
the Cicek Pasaji in the Beyoglu district attracts a regular crowd of
revellers.
