Yıldız Park Revisited in the Spring

I had posted earlier about Yıldız Park, but I really didn't do it the justice it deserved - not after seeing it in full bloom anyway.  So I'm adding another post to cover what I'd left out before.

I am convinced that there is no better time to visit Istanbul that in April.  The weather is much milder than the Midwestern US, the rains pretty much stop, and there are flowers in bloom EVERYWHERE.  The city must go through an amazing amount of effort to coordinate it all, but there are beds of tulips, daffodils, blue bells, and other flowers blooming along every street and park in the city.

 

I think Yıldız is one of the more noteworthy ones though because the minute you walk inside the park, this is what you see:

 

 

I found it hard to even capture in a photograph.  They essentially form an entire river of flowers, and that's just the beginning.  The stairways and walkways are all lined with a variety of flowers. 

 

In my recent outings, I also had the opportunity to explore the park more thoroughly.  Behind the cafe, there is a nice little pond where the boys like to go feed the ducks.  You can also wander along the rode just behind it to get some lovely views of the water.  I've included some of my favorite pictures of the views below:

 

I should probably note that another fantastic park to see some of the spring flowers is Emirgan Park.  I believe it's a good deal bigger, and I know it has a several playgrounds, cafes, walking paths, and flower displays.  There are even more tulips along the pathways there than there are in Yıldız, and they are just as elaborate.  For us, it's just a lot further away.  Yıldız is about halfway between Ortakoy and Besiktas, and within walking distance of Ortakoy.