Aegean town to host Love Festival

İZMİR - Anadolu Agency

DHA Photo

Nezir, a young, 1935-born Turkish man from the coastal town of Dalyan on the Aegean Sea, built a boat out of tin cans so he could reach the Greek island of Chios to see his beloved, Tinika, according to legend.

This was before he was treated as a spy by officials from the two counties bordering the Aegean. 

Decades later, the municipality of Çeşme, which now contains Dalyan, in the province of İzmir, has launched a “Love Festival” inspired by the story of the two lovers. 

Concerts, dancing, poetry sessions and cartoon performances will be held on Nov. 21 and 22 at the resort town, while romantic films will undoubtedly be included on the list.  

This is the first love festival ever in the country, Çeşme Mayor Muhittin Dalgıç told Anadolu Agency, confirming that the love story was true. 

The legend says Nezir was mistreated by the officials from both sides and banned from going to Chios island. However, the desperate lover, who died in 1980, then built a high tower of mud just to see Tinika.