With its natural beauties, golden beaches, historical riches, exciting touristic activities and advanced accommodation facilities, Manavgat, one of Türkiye’s most valuable holiday paradises, will be showcased internationally with its Cretan culture and flavors. The “International Manavgat Crete to Side Culture and Flavor Festival”, hosted by the Manavgat Municipality on April 24-26, will be the scene of a great gathering of Cretans, who form an important part of the district’s historical past. The festival, which will be held in the Side Ancient City, a fascinating open-air museum where time stands still among the magnificent columns of the Temple of Apollo, where the blue of the sea meets the golden ages of history, will offer a unique atmosphere with Cretan-specific foods, music and folk dances.
Coming together with representatives of the Turkish, Greek and European media at the festival introduction meeting held at the Melas Hotel in Istanbul, Manavgat Mayor Dr. Niyazi Nefi Kara emphasized that Side, with its 3-year history, is a unique settlement where art, music, gastronomy and ethnographic heritage are kept together by blending with Cretan culture. Mayor Kara said that they are very excited and happy to be the first to organize the International Manavgat Crete to Side Culture and Flavor Festival in this magical atmosphere.
“Manavgat will be the center of attraction for tourism for 12 months”
Emphasizing that Manavgat is among the most preferred holiday resorts in the Mediterranean with its natural, historical and cultural riches, Mayor Kara said, “We aim for Manavgat to be a center of attraction not only in the summer months but also in every season of the year. We are working with the vision of a sustainable and diversified tourism model where life never stops in Manavgat for 12 months. We aim to create a destination that is not limited to the summer months but remains alive in every season with its nature, cultural riches, health and sports tourism opportunities. In line with this vision, we adopt a holistic and inclusive approach in order to benefit everyone in the value chain extending from the smallest tradesman to large enterprises. We develop projects that are sensitive to the environment and offer a wide range of experiences from gastronomy to ecotourism. Our aim is to make Manavgat a center of life and tourism that is visited, discovered and remembered not only by summer vacationers but also in every season of the year. The International Manavgat Crete to Side Culture and Flavor Festival is also an important stage of this action plan. “We have started to implement our projects one by one in order to diversify our tourism, make it sustainable and position Manavgat as a city to be discovered 12 months of the year.” he said.
“Last year, Manavgat attracted 5,7 million tourists and generated a value of 6,65 billion dollars”
President Kara, who revealed Manavgat’s leading position in Turkish tourism with figures, drew attention to its accommodation capacity and service diversity and said: “There are 423 accommodation facilities in our district and these facilities have a bed capacity of 193 thousand. These figures show how strong Manavgat is in terms of tourism infrastructure. Especially the high number of five-star hotels and the quality of service directly affect the preferences of foreign tourists. This strong infrastructure allowed 2024 million tourists from many countries of the world, especially Russia, Germany, England and Poland, to visit our district in 5,7. Manavgat has produced great economic value with its contribution of 61 billion dollars to Türkiye’s total tourism income, which has reached 6,65 billion dollars. This data shows that Manavgat alone generates more than 10 percent of our country’s total tourism income. The breadth of its accommodation capacity also provides a significant advantage in terms of sustainable tourism, making Manavgat an attractive and competitive destination for both local and foreign visitors.”
“We will experience a unique cultural feast in Side, blended with Cretan culture."
Stating that the three-day festival will be an unforgettable journey into the deep history of Side and the traces of Cretan culture in these lands, Mayor Kara said, “The International Manavgat Crete to Side Culture and Flavor Festival will reflect the spirit of Side as a cultural feast where history and flavor meet, building bridges of friendship while carrying the traces of the past to the future.”
Noting that the Cretans living in Side mostly come from Chania and that they are working in cooperation with the Chania Municipality of Crete in the festival preparations, Mayor Kara announced that Manavgat Municipality and Chania Municipality will become “sister municipalities” in order to further strengthen cultural ties.
President Kara thanked the festival's main sponsors, Barut Turizm Board Chairman Cengiz Haydar Barut, Seher Hotels Board Chairman Ali Güneş and their team members who contributed to the organization for their contributions to the universalization of cultural and gastronomic heritage.
Festival bazaar in the ancient port, tasting events with famous chefs; Cretan and Turkish melodies and folk dances at Apollon
The important events of the festival program were also detailed at the introductory meeting. The festival will start with a procession on April 24th and world-famous chefs will bring Manavgat to the world gastronomy stage with Cretan flavors at the festival bazaar, which will be created in accordance with the principles of sustainable tourism in Side Antique Port. In the tasting events, flavor wizards Maria Ekmekçioğlu, Esat Özata, Dilek Yetkiner, Pasquale Lembo, Apostolos Altanis, Ioannis Koufos and Argyrios Kontakis will present Cretan cuisine turn into a work of art will roll up their sleeves for the culinary arts. Famous chefs will also interpret Cretan dishes with women from Side. A talk event called “Taste Journey from Crete to Side” will be held at the Temple of Apollo.
Free public concerts will be given for three days on a giant stage to be set up near the Temple of Apollo in the Ancient City of Side. Sofia Vossou, who represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest and won the “Platinum Record” award, and Chrysoula Stefanaki, an artist known for her emotional depth and powerful vocals, will take the stage. Necati and Saykolar, who blend Anatolian rock melodies with modern sounds, will also give a concert on the stage at the Temple of Apollo.
The cultural event to be held at the Ancient Port Side Culture House will feature one of the greatest names in Greek literature. Nikos KazantzakisA special screening of the cult film Zorba, which won 3 Oscars and was adapted from the world-famous novel by , will be held.
INTERNATIONAL MANAVGAT
CULTURE AND TASTE FESTIVAL PROGRAM FROM CRETE TO SIDE
Thursday, April 24, 2025
16.00-16.30 | Procession
Start: 9 Fountains / End: Side Apollo Temple
16.30 | Dance Show
Location: Side Apollo Temple
“Cretan Folk Dance Group” & “Manavgat Municipality Folklore Team”
16.45 | Music
Location: Side Apollo Temple
“Cretan Music Group” & Turkish Music Local Tunes” Mini Concert
17.00 | Opening
Location: Side Apollo Temple
17.30-18.00 | Conversation
“Culture from Side to Crete Sohbeti ”
Moderator: Veysel Diker (Actor)
Speakers: Ali Güneş (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Seher Hotels)
Cengiz Haydar Barut (Barut Tourism and Education Inc. Chairman of the Board)
Eleni Zervoudaki (Crete Chania Municipality BY), Ioannis Giannakakis (Crete Chania Municipality Culture BY)
Dr. Niyazi Nefi Kara (Manavgat Mayor)
21.00 | Concert
Sofia Vossou
Location: Side Apollo Temple
Friday, April 25, 2025
10.00-14.00 | Symposium
III. International Symposium on Cretan Studies (ISCreS)
“Cretans and Diasporic Heritage”
Location: Side Elegance Hotel
15.00-17.00 | Tasting
Location: Ancient Port
Chef: Maria Emekçioğlu and Cretan Cuisine presentation with World Famous Chefs
Guest Chefs: Esat Özata, Dilek Yetkiner, Pasquale Lembo, Apostolos Altanis, Ioannis Koufos, Argyrios Kontakis
16.00-16.30 | Dance and Music
Location: Ancient Port
Cretan Folk Dance Group, Cretan Music Group and Manavgat Municipality Folk Dance Group
17.00-17.450 | Conversation
Location: Side Apollo Temple
“A Taste Journey from Crete to Side”
Moderator: Çağrı Başkurt (Palace and Cultural Historian)
Speakers: Dilek Yetkiner (Chef -Aegean and Exchange Cuisine)
Seda Özel (President of the International Agricultural Association)
Maria Ekmekçioğlu (Chef-Author-Gastronomy Relations of Türkiye and Crete)
21.00 | Concert
Chrysoula Stefanaki
Location: Side Apollo Temple
Saturday, April 26, 2025
10.00-14.00 | Symposium
III. International Symposium on Cretan Studies (ISCreS)
“Cretans and Diasporic Heritage”
Location: Side Elegance Hotel
15.00-17.00 | Tasting
Location: Ancient Port
“Commentary on Cretan Food with Women from Side”
Moderator: Maria Ekmekçioğlu, Ioannis Koufos and Rasim Sakarya
16.00-16.30 | Dance and Music
Location: Ancient Port
Cretan Folk Dance Group, Cretan Music Group and Manavgat Municipality Folk Dance Group
16.00-18.00 | Conversation
Location: Antique Port Side Culture House
“Zorba” Film Screening and Discussion
Moderator: Sayım Çınar (Hürriyet Newspaper Writer)
Speakers: Kerem Akça (Cinema Writer)
Mustafa İri (Culture and Arts Writer)
17.00-17.45 | Conversation
Location: Temple of Apollo
“Manavgat and Crete”
Moderator: Cem Çon (Journalist - President of Antalya Cretans Association)
Speakers: Yunus Çengel (Cretans Federation President)
Öznur Tanal (Author-Folk Culture Researcher)
Mehmet Çoban (Retired-Cretan)
21.00 | Concert
Necati and the Saykos
Location: Side Apollo Temple
