Antalya is a province of festivals, film, football and fun - throughout the year.

With the awe-inspiring Aspendos Roman Amphitheatre hosting open-air opera, ballet and jazz festivals in June, the Golden Orange short and international film festival in October, the latest blockbuster films showing in top-notch cinemas (in English) and many more events there is lots to choose from.

ASPENDOS OPERA & BALLET FESTIVAL...

Organised by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet this festival is now in its 16th year. It attracts large numbers of locals and holiday makers from all over the world.
Audiences dress informally and behave informally.

Golden Orange Film Festival

The oldest festival which has taken place in Antalya over the past 45 years is the Golden Orange Film Festival along with the Golden Orange International short film festival. Celebrity artists and film producers from all over Turkey and abroad attend this event.

Other events hosted by the top hotels, the Antalya Cultural Centre and others include beer festivals, jazz nights organised by the British Council, basketball, tennis and football tournaments, classical concerts, Christmas celebrations at the birth place of St. Nicholas in Myra and one off events such as the magnificent dance show of international acclaim to be staged on Broadway: Sultans of the Dance. (full details)

Please check the calendar for ideas to plan your visit around.

OTHER EVENTS OF ANTALYA...

Runtalya – Öger Marathon – Antalya - March
International Kemer Underwater Days – Kemer – May
Mediterranean "Golden Orange" Wrestling Festival – Kumluca – May
Carpet and Rose Festival – İsparta – July
Green Plateau Wrestling Matches - Elmalı-Akçay- 4 th week of August
Honey Festival – Gündoğmuş – August
Golden Cherry Traditional Wrestling Matches – Korkuteli- 3 rd. week of September
International Side Art and Culture Festival – Side - September
Grape Festival – İbradı - September
Apple & Pear Celebrations – Korkuteli - October
International Antalya Piano Festival – Antalya -November
Efes Pilsen Blues Festival – Antalya - November
International St. Nicholas Symposium – Demre - December
Whirling Derwishes – Konya – December

AKCAY... where the the world's first "Beauty Contest" was held and Aphrodite was chosen the queen...
AMASYA... home of famous geographer Strabo...
CATALHÖYÜK...the first settlement area on earth
EPHESUS... with the remains of one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, the "Temple of Artemis"
PATARA... birthplace of St. Nicholas...
PERGAMUN... here parchment paper was invented...
PERGE... one of the cities that St. Paul visited with Barnabas on their first missionary journey...
PHASELIS... where Alexander the Great spent a winter with his troops...
PRIENE... the place where for the first time the system of gometric city planning was applied by Hippodamos...
SANLIURFA... the city of prophets...
SARDIS... where King Croesus used the coinage system for the first time in the world
SELÇUK... the place where the house of the Virgin Mary is...
SINOP... where Diogenes lived...
ZILE... it was here where Julius Caesar said: "Veni ! Vidi ! Vici I"...
ANTALYA... Paradise on Earth...