Nasreddin Hodja Festival

Nasreddin Hodja is the trickster-sage of Turkish folk humour - a village teacher and imam of the thirteenth century, real or invented, whose stories are short, sly and usually turn on a reversal: riding his donkey backwards, arguing with a neighbour over a borrowed pot, answering a question with a better question. Versions of him are told from the Balkans to Xinjiang under different names, and UNESCO has recognised the storytelling tradition. Akşehir claims him and holds his tomb, an open-sided türbe with a large padlocked door in a wall that has no wall around it - a joke consistent with the man. The festival in early July brings storytelling, humour and cartoon competitions, parades in which people ride donkeys backwards, folk music, and a considerable crowd. It is a small-town event rather than a polished one, largely in Turkish, and it is the sort of thing that rewards curiosity more than planning.

What you actually see

• The tomb - the padlocked door in a wall that goes nowhere.
• The backwards donkeys - the parade's fixed joke.
• The humour competitions - storytelling and cartoon contests.
• The town crowd - Akşehir full for the week.

When to go

Early July - confirm the dates with the municipality, as they shift. Accommodation in Akşehir is limited and fills for the festival.

Honest expectations

Almost everything is in Turkish, and the jokes depend on it - without the language much of the festival passes you by. It is a provincial town event, not a production. Facilities are basic.

Nearby

Konya is two hours south-east; Afyonkarahisar and its castle are north-west.