Visiting Turkey this summer? Make sure you get to visit the Istanbul Shopping Festival. 

There is something in common between this event and Black Friday, the world-famous shopping season. In both cases, the shops are open until late, and everything is on sale at a reduced price. One significant feature of the Istanbul Shopping Festival is its cultural program. Such entertainments as musical concerts and parades are definitely worth visiting. During the festival, shopping centers work until late and offer a range of discounts.

Background

The first shopping festival in Istanbul was held in 2011. It took place between March 18th and April 26th. The organizers were looking for a way to turn Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, into the world’s capital of shopping and entertainment. They also wanted to educate foreign visitors about Turkish culture, traditions, and brands.

The map of shopping districts

It is easy to get lost in Istanbul. This large city has 39 districts and is spread over an area of more than two million square miles. To make it easier for you to get to know the place, we have prepared a list of the most popular places where you can find everything you need. 

Nisantasi, if you are looking for design or brand things

Nisantasi, or the shopping center of Istanbul, is the street where the top boutiques are located. World-famous brands like Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQuinn coexist with Turkish brands. One of the most popular local designers is Hakaan Yildirim. His brand stands for accessible and remarkable clothes. Many world celebrities are wearing clothes produced by the company Hakaan Yildirim, and the brand often participates in international showcases. 

Nisantasi is formed by four avenues: Valikonagi, Rumeli, Abdi Ipekci, and Tesvikiye Avenues.

Bagdat Avenue, if you are ready to spend a lot of money

The fourth best shopping street in the world, Bagdat Jadasi, is a luxury area to live and shop in. Glamorous malls, expensive shops… Prices bite until you turn down a side street where shops offer more reasonable prices.When you’re done shopping, you can relax in one of the nearby cafes or restaurants.

Bagdat Avenue is located between the Goztepe and Bostcani neighborhoods. There is a slight path to the seaside if you want to enjoy the view.

The main market in Turkey (and the world)

If you love shopping, you should definitely visit one of the most famous bazaars in the world, the Grand Bazaar. This is a covered market where local Turkish products are represented, usually by those who own, create, or just promote them. 

The Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest and most famous markets in the world. Just imagine: its construction started in 1455 and was completed after 1730. Every year, the Grand Bazaar is visited by more than 92 million people (from 250,000 to 400,000 visitors per day). It is considered the most popular attraction in the world.

It can be overcrowded and is recommended to be visited as a historic landmark rather than a shopping center. This beautiful complex has all kinds of products on sale. 

Other events 

There are plenty of events organized within the Istanbul Shopping Festival. Make the most of your time in Istanbul by visiting the following events:

Showcases 

They are often organized in shopping malls during the shopping season. Designers use them to promote new collections of their products. 

Photo exhibitions

There is no common theme for the photo exhibitions. It might be local treasures, fashion, or something else.

Theatrical performances 

Art is a way to complement your shopping experience. It might be tiring to go from one store to another without any pauses.

This annual event usually lasts from 2 weeks to 40 days, depending on the year. It aims to unite the historical and cultural legacy of Turkey with modern entertainment. The dates of the festival change every year. This year’s schedule is yet to be announced. After that, make sure you come to Turkey in advance and visit as many sights as you want.

The World Economic Forum will hold its 2022 annual meeting in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos from May 22-26, the Geneva-based group said.

The WEF had in December postponed the event for the business and political elite a month before it was due to take place, citing the difficulties of holding such an in-person conference amid the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

“After all the virtual meetings taking place in the last two years, leaders from politics, business and civil society have to convene finally in person again,” WEF founder and Chairman Klaus Schwab said in a statement.

“We need to establish the atmosphere of trust that is truly needed to speed up collaborative action and to address the multiple challenges we face.”

Topics on the agenda will include the pandemic recovery, tackling climate change, building a better future for work, accelerating stakeholder capitalism, and harnessing the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, it said.

The WEF will coordinate closely with the Swiss government on the public health situation, it said, adding the meeting would take place as long as conditions were in place to guarantee the health and safety of participants and the host community.

This is Wimbledon.

Welcome to the most spectacular of all the four Grand Slam tournaments.

27 JUNE – 10 JULY 2022

It’s more than a tennis competition, as a certain elitism surrounding the game. 

The players here are to be called strictly – ladies and gentlemen. The show requires an explicitly described dress code, which many are often not ready to put up with. Yet, the participants are obliged to respect the rules and traditions rooted in 1868, the year of the club foundation. (back then, however, they played Crockett only). This tournament is also the hottest topic for the media, the most prestigious to participate in, and the most secular to spectate. 

Three words on history

As mentioned, at the beginning of it all, the English only played croquet. The event had been held near London, in the suburbs. Later, they decided to set up some courts specifically for tennis in 1875. It took a little time for all the rules and standards to settle. Later on, they made a new type of tournament out of the tennis format. 

And so Wimbledon was born. Its most-known personalities are the winner of the first competition Spencer Gore, and Frank Hedow, who became the prize-winner in the second year. 

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Then everything got real, for the foreign players began to join the tournament as well. 

A global-scale event that everyone was watching from now on. 

For many years, tennis was divided into professional and amateur. Professionals were not allowed to participate in the Grand Slam tournament until the All England Club and the International Tennis Federation decided to give the green light to everyone. 

The gentlemen winner gets a gilded silver cup. Traditionally a silver dish – “The Venus Rosewater Dish” for the lady winner.

Though all winners actually get smaller copies of their awards, their names are engraved on the originals. The second part of the prize is a cash prize fund. 

Sure, the competitor dress code is strictly regulated. The colour white should be extreme, neither cream nor anything else. The stripe patterns are not to be wider than 10mm, yet are allowed on all types of clothing. Roger Federer got criticised in 2013 as he wore his orange-soled sneakers. Now, some might say that rules were made to be broken, and that’s why participants often try to stand out in any way possible. 

Before telling you about the loyal fans of the championship, we better tell you what they eat while watching the game. Those are strawberries that are specially grown for Wimbledon. Thirty tons to feed the guests every year. When the pandemic struck,  they decided to turn it into a jam. Later, they gave it away to charity and doctors. 

From up above, there is a guard who watches every minute of the game. It’s a desert buzzard named Rufus, who has been present in all competitions since 2004. That actually got him in trouble, as he was kidnapped for a few days. 

The bird’s leg implied medical treatment. Yet, Rufus continued to scare away pigeons and other curious birds from the court after the recovery. 

Finally, speaking on the elephant in the room. 

The British royal family had been Wimbledon spectators for decades now. For more than a century, it has been a royal tradition to attend tournaments. It started with Prince George of Wales accompanied by his wife, Princess Mary. This tradition is still alive to this day. 

Wimbledon opens its doors to rich celebrities as well. Wimbledon is a tribute to the traditions of elite sports and history, so don’t miss it!

Some say chivalry has ended with the medieval age, and neither its morality nor its social code are not in fashion nowadays. There is no expiration date for the chivalry principals. 

The citizens of Pisa stick to the second point of view. To commemorate the heroics of ancient times, local residents dress in 16th century Spanish costumes, sharpen their swords… and get into the massive historical re-enchantment. The last Saturday of June is the day when the battle begins and ends…

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History

The Gioco del Ponte, also known as the Game of the Bridge, is the latest edition of the recreated historical battle. The original game was called Mazzascudo, which means “protective shield” in Italian. In this game, two fractions were violently opposed to each other in Piazza dei Cavalieri. The battle was a presentation of the invincible citizens of Pisa who heroically defeated the Florentines, hated in the nation.

The game was suspended a few times due to cruel rules and violence on the battlefield. Once, it was canceled by the queen regent of Maria Luisa, who said: 

For a game it is too much, for a war it is little. 

The Second World War and the demolition of some regions of Ponte di Mezzo postponed Gioco del Ponte for some years in different periods of time. The game as it is played nowadays has existed since 1935. Students of the local college decided to resume the tradition, and, thus, Gioco del Ponte had become a successful and annual event. The number of team members has changed: instead of 11, 6 teams participate.

Teams 

All the participants are divided into teams before the competition. As it was mentioned earlier, there are two parties – one from the North and one from the South of Arno, each consisting of six Magistracies. 

Every Magistracy represents a separate district and is commanded by a Magistrate. The other members of the Magistracy’s administration are an Officer in charge and three Councilors of the Judiciary. 

The Judiciaries are the organizing team themselves: in each team, there is a Captain and 20 Fighters. One of the fighters is a common thread between the leader of the team and its members.

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Rules of Gioco del Ponte

There is a special technical jargon, used by the members of teams to communicate. For example, the word “empty” is used to indicate a moment when opponents, whose concentration is zero, should be attacked. Each Judicial branch develops its own jargon and signals, and only its members are aware of the true meaning of this cipher. 

The game itself is reminiscent of a well-known tug of war. A match won’t end until a cart is pushed by one team towards the other’s territory. It is very important to know when to weaken the force, and when to increase it. One of the key strategies for the team to attack and win is slowly increasing the pressure of attack. By stretching out low to the ground synchronically, team members can get a few extra centimeters between them and their opponents. 

Athletes have some benefits. To make the whole process less uncomfortable and to not put themselves at risk, participants can use special protective ammunition.

On your way to Gioco del Ponte: what else to see while visiting Pisa

Why would you limit yourself to only a day-long experience of living in the knight’s shoes? Battles were not the only important aspect of their lives. 

Everybody knows the knights preferred an exquisite way of spending their leisure time. One of their lives’ essentials was haute cuisine, a worthy reward for the victorious. To try some good  wine, travel from Pisa to the Tuscan Hills and take part in the Chianti Wine Tour. It will not only provide you with a wide variety of the world’s most exquisite beverages, but it will also reveal some interesting information about the wine and oil produced in this region, including receipts of production and a route back through the beautiful Tuscan countryside.

Another thing to see in Pisa is its iconic symbol, the Tower of Pisa. If you are looking for a less informational, yet more sightseeing experience, you can book your place in Cinque Terre and the Tower of Pisa Private Tour. Walk or sometimes ride a boat through Manarolla, Vernazza, and other regions of the city and concentrate on the landscape in front of you. It will definitely help you rethink the way you looked at knights and their everyday life before Gioco del Ponte.

Further information

The Gioco del Ponte will be held on the 25th of June on the Ponte di Mezzo, in Pisa, Italy. Keep the date in mind and don’t forget to check the information about the event: the exact details are to be updated.