Turkey’s Ancient Oil Wrestling Festival | My Experience at Gökbel Oil Wrestling Festival

Oil wrestling is one of Turkey’s oldest and most fascinating traditions, and after living in Turkey for many years as an expat, it continues to amaze me every time I experience it. In this video, I visit the Geleneksel Gökbel Yağlı Pehlivan Güreşleri (Gökbel Oil Wrestling Festival), one of the country’s best-known traditional oil wrestling festivals, held every summer in the mountains above Alanya. Having attended the festival several times over the years, I take you around the festival grounds, where you’ll find wrestling arenas, a lively bazaar, food stalls, entertainment, and thousands of spectators celebrating one of Turkey’s most treasured national sports. I also watch several oil wrestling matches and explain the basic rules of this unique sport, where wrestlers cover themselves in olive oil before competing in intense bouts that combine strength, technique, endurance, and centuries-old traditions. As someone who has made Turkey my home for many years, I share my own fascination with oil wrestling and why this incredible tradition has become one of my favorite cultural experiences in the country. Whether you’ve never heard of oil wrestling before or you’re planning to visit Turkey yourself, this festival offers an unforgettable glimpse into a tradition that has been passed down through generations. 📍 Location: Gökbel, Alanya, Turkey/Türkiye 🤼 Traditional Turkish oil wrestling (Yağlı Güreş) 🫒 One of Turkey’s oldest national sports 🎪 Festival atmosphere with bazaars and local culture 🇹🇷 Experiencing Turkey through the eyes of a long-term expat If you enjoy authentic cultural experiences, hidden festivals, and discovering the traditions that make Turkey/Türkiye unique, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more adventures from Turkey and around the world. --------------------- Who is behind this channel? My name is Tea, I’m from Denmark but I spend most of my time as a expat in Türkiye. I been traveling as a #Tourleader, #SoloFemaletraveler and together with friends and family for the last 12 years. Now I’m also started this #travelvlog to share my experiences with traveling with you! ► SUBSCRIBE for more videos: https://bit.ly/34RxYis ► Facebook:   / teatougaardvideo   ► Instagram:   / tea.tougaard   Music from Epidemicsounds.com – Sign up here: epidemicsound.com/referral/v1xbyx (and then you support my channel at the same time)