Coffee lovers converged on the Turkish capital Friday for a good cup of brew.

The Ankara coffee festival, now in its third year, brings together the leading brands and tastes of the third-generation coffee trend, professional baristas from the region, design products, live music performances and seminars and workshops.

With its long history in Turkey, coffee has always had a place in local households.

"Coffee means for me a friendship on sleepless nights while I'm studying," said Pelin, a student who attended the first day of the festival.

With the spread of coffee shops across the country, the society’s taste for coffee expanded from a Turkish cup of coffee to freshly brewed coffees prepared by experienced baristas.

Hulya Aktag, a lifestyle blogger, said coffee for her means addiction, happiness and something that helps her calm down.

"If I don’t drink one or two Turkish coffees per day, I get a headache," she added.

"It’s especially nice to have a cup of coffee before you go to classes, and the chats which come along with it are also very nice," said Ege Polat, a law student.

With different beans from regions across the world, coffee is not only a drink but also an international taste experience.

"I feel like the soil of different countries across the world comes to me when I’m drinking coffee," said Gamze, another student.

Source: AA