Cultural Road Festivals to reach finale in Antalya

ANTALYA

The Turkish Cultural Road Festival, hosted by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, has arrived at its last destination in Antalya, showcasing lively artistic displays and cultural events that highlight Türkiye's diverse traditions.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Antalya Archaeology Museum, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that the festival has become the world's largest by participant numbers and that they aim to turn cities into brand destinations through these cultural and tourism initiatives.

Ersoy characterized the Antalya Cultural Road Festival as one of the key highlights of the Turkish Cultural Road Festivals. Emphasizing that Antalya is not only a major tourism capital of Türkiye but also of the world, Ersoy said: “We continue to contribute to Antalya in various fields. While preserving Antalya’s cultural heritage, we have carried out some of the most significant works in history. To spread tourism throughout all 365 days of the year, we diversified it as much as possible. Our duty is to make Antalya’s natural beauty, history, values and opportunities even more visible, recognizable and accessible in order to claim a larger share of the global tourism market.”

Explaining that the ministry introduced a new vision with this perspective, Ersoy said: “The festival was brought to life with the concept of ‘Tourism Integrated with Culture and Art.’ With its number of participants, the Turkish Cultural Road Festival has become the world’s largest festival today. We started in one city four years ago, and this year, we extended the festival to 16 cities across seven regions, achieving membership in the European Festivals Association, which includes some of Europe’s most prestigious cultural and arts festivals. Our main aim here is to introduce the richness that emerges from bringing together international artists with Türkiye’s cultural and artistic assets to our public.”

Ersoy remarked that the influence of art is palpable in the streets of various cities across Türkiye’s seven regions, pointing out that concerts feature some of the world's leading artists and that exceptional examples of contemporary and traditional arts are made accessible to the public.

Ersoy noted that this year, Antalya, part of the festival route for the second time, will host concerts, exhibitions, talks and activities suitable for all ages over the course of nine days. He mentioned that artists will meet with both local and international visitors at various venues across the city.

“Alongside the festival venues, we aim to highlight Antalya’s economic, historical, cultural and tourism values and opportunities even further. Through events and promotions, we will specifically underscore Antalya’s significance in history, our economy, tourism and our cultural and artistic life,” he said.

Ersoy said that 285 events will take place at 77 different locations in the city and emphasized that a large portion of the city’s cultural and arts venues, museums and historical sites will host the festival.

This year, a main stage will be set up at Konyaaltı Beach Park, and a “Children’s Village” in the same area will offer a variety of activities. The program will feature a broad range of events, including folk music, Sufi music, classical music, opera, popular music, world music and theater.

The State Theaters and State Opera and Ballet will also participate in the festival with plays and performances that have been sold out throughout the season, and exhibitions, art workshops and a Mobile Cinema Truck will meet art lovers at different locations in the city.

Recalling that Antalya is also distinguished for its gastronomy and geographically marked products, Ersoy said: “We have designated 13 locations in Antalya as ‘Festival Taste Stops.’ At these specially selected locations, visitors will have the opportunity to experience flavors that date back centuries, along with their stories and ingredients.”