The city of Manisa is also widely visited, especially during March and September festivals, the former festival being the continuation of a five-hundred-year-old Mesir Paste Distribution tradition, and also for the nearby Mount Spil national park. It is also a departure point for other visitor attractions of international acclaim which are located nearby within Manisa's depending region, such as Sardes and Alaşehir (ancient Philadelphia) inland. The city also has a Jewish community.