Created in 1994, the Istanbul Jazz Festival has quickly gained a foothold on the global jazz map and is today one of the leading festivals in Europe, attracting 50,000 people to more than 30 concerts. The festival is a broad-spectrum event that includes innovative programs such as the “European Jazz Club” and “Encounters with Masters.” The Festival’s primary goals include the promotion of jazz production in Turkey and support for Turkish jazz musicians abroad. With the recent buzz in US jazz publications about the emerging Istanbul jazz scene, it would appear the Festival is succeeding in this endeavor as well.

Cultural Tour Consultants is delighted to team up with JazzTimes Magazine to offer US jazz enthusiasts the opportunity to discover the Istanbul Jazz Festival and the incredible city which hosts it. The tour package includes Preferential Seating at four Festival performances, conversation with Turkish jazz musicians, an evening of live music at the most famous jazz club in Istanbul, four-star centrally located hotel accommodations, cultural sightseeing, and fine food.

A major world capital for 16 centuries, Istanbul boasts a multitude of major historic sites from the Byzantine and Ottoman eras. It is a vibrant metropolis bursting with energy… and music! You’ll discover Turkish music – an age-old fusion of Central Asian, Greek, Persian, Balkan and Arab influences – and delight in exquisite local cuisine which also bears witness to influences of surrounding countries and Istanbul’s position for many years as a major stop on the ancient Silk Route. Today, as you stroll through certain districts of Istanbul, you may feel you could be in any modern European city. But when you hear the sublime call to prayer from a minaret or walk by a meyhane where the locals are seated on hand-woven cushions smoking a water pipe, you know you are experiencing a very different culture. This enticing blend of exoticism and familiarity is captivating for US visitors. Perhaps the country’s greatest asset is its people: open, welcoming, helpful, curious, and friendly. It is mentioned in nearly every guide book on Turkey, but visiting the country for the first time, you will still be taken aback by the random acts of kindness.

Click here to access the day-by-day tour itinerary and view the many exciting activities and major historic sites included in the tour.

Contact Nancy Mettlen regarding this tour.