Every year during the month of April, Istanbul is decorated with millions of colorful tulips throughout the city’s parks, along sidewalks and most other public spaces where there’s at least a tiny amount of soil. It really is an amazing welcome to Spring. This year is no exception. The city is in full bloom and we’re even starting to have some decent weather to match.

Some may associate the tulip with the Netherlands but it is actually said to have originally grown on the Asian steppes and first commercially cultivated in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire. There is even a time period called Lale Devri or The Tulip Era. The name tulip (Tulipa) comes from the Turkish word tulbent, or turban, because of it’s distinct shape. The flower is so symbolic here you can see it everywhere from tiles, ceramics, fabrics, and even it’s shape landscaped on the hills along the city’s highways.

It’s in April though that the tulip truly shines here. My favorite place and without a doubt, the city’s most spectacular display, is in Emirgan Park. Located in Sariyer, near the Bosphorus, Emirgan is one of Istanbul’s largest public parks. It’s there that rows upon rows of uniquely shaped and colored tulips are a sight to behold in the various tulip gardens. I couldn’t help but feel like we had made it to Oz, but instead of poppies, tulips galore. Last year, we made the mistake of waiting until the last weekend of April to head to Emirgan. Most of the flowers had wilted and it was nowhere near as amazing as it was this past weekend. The splashes of color everywhere and how proud the stems stand to the sunlight as if showing off their beauty is a real treat for the senses. Not sure I’ve seen anything like it.

So, if you find yourself in Istanbul in April, do not miss the Tulip Festival, especially in Emirgan Park. Or if you’re thinking about a trip here, Spring, particularly April, is a pretty special time of year.

Note: If you can visit the park during the week, it’s more desirable as the crowds on the weekends, particularly Sundays, can be a bit much and parking is difficult. I find the morning to be the most peaceful and enjoyable. And the playground there is a fun one for the kids and also more manageable earlier in the day.