The date of religious holidays depend on the Islamic calendar which is based on the year of the moon. Because 1 moon year counts 354 days, the holidays move with 12 days each year.

The most important religious holidays take place at the end of the ramadam. These holidays are the sugar holidays (3 days), and the sacrifice holidays (4 days). During these days public life comes to a halt.

However in tourist areas, life simply continuous. During the sacrifice holidays, a sheep is slaughtered by everyone who can afford it. The meat and skin of the sheep Is shared with others, as a form of present. Beside Religious holidays, Turkey also has official holidays.

They are on the 1 of January, New years day, on the 23 April, independence day and the day of the child, on the 1 may, day of spring, 19 may, day of youth and sports, 27 may the day of the constitution, 30 august commemoration day of the victory on the invasion of 1922, and on the 29 of October the day of the Republic.

TRADITIONS

Hospitality is one of the cornerstones of the Turkish society. Even the poorest farmer feels himself obliged to offer the best to his guests (misafir). You can find coffee houses almost everywhere, even the smallest village has one (kahve), where the men gather to talk and play back gammon (tavla).