Tulips in Istanbul

A bit of flower trivia for you. I realize this is April Fool’s Day, but trust me. This isn’t a scam.

Tulips originated in what is now modern-day Türkiye, not in the Netherlands, but in Central Asia. You can read the detailed history here. The Ottoman Empire first cultivated them, and they were considered a status symbol of power, wealth, and beauty.

Each April, Istanbul hosts a tulip festival. In the thirty-five years I’ve visited and the two times I’ve lived in the country, I have never been to Istanbul during April. I won’t make it again this year, but I’ve scheduled all of 2026 around April to finally see the tulips.

While there is no specific “official” event, the anticipation for the colorful blooms is similar to the cherry blossoms in Japan. One article explicitly states the dates are April 11-22, but I’m not sure you can precisely predict when flowers will bloom.

Here’s a guide for the best locations to see tulips and other things you need to know when visiting. If you are a TikTok user, here’s the link to explore. If you’re interested in a movie about the tulip mania, here’s the link.

Happy Tulip Festival. That’s a much better holiday than April Fools.