Celebrate Turkish history at Izmir festival

To get a real taste of the history of Turkey and to celebrate it properly the International Izmir Festival is a must.

The event is held in the Turkish town known as "beautiful Izmir" which originates from 3000 BC and is covered in ancient sites.

Most activity takes place in the lively and cosmopolitan city, but some are held in the ruins of Ephesus, a 50-minute drive from central Izmir.

Festivities run for a whole month, due to take place this year from June 15 to July 15.

The festival is held to signify that Izmir is a cultural centre and welcomes visitors from around the world as well as participants also from Turkey.

Among the top acts are high quality music, drama and dance performances.