Cappadocia “The city of balloons” – The most prominent tourist attractions in Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia “The city of balloons” is one of Turkey’s most important tourist cities in Turkey, as it is famous for its hot balloons, one of the most exciting activities in the city. Moreover, there are many other tourist attractions in Cappadocia as we will see in this article from Ebla Real Estate.

Cappadocia in Turkey “The city of balloons”:

The city of balloons was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the most important tourist center globally due to its unique attractions. Moreover, it is home to many stunning landmarks and it is an attraction for tourists from Turkey and all over the world.

Furthermore, the area is a famous and popular tourist destination because it has many areas with unique geological, historic and cultural features.

It is a land of natural wonder famous for its picturesque valleys, unique cave hotels, mystical underground cities and fairy chimneys (unique rock formations). Cappadocia is also most popular for its breathtaking hot air balloon rides at sunrise.

The region nowadays has a great importance in terms of Tourism, as it attracts tourists from all over the world to have an extraordinary holiday and to collect unforgettable memories.

The hot balloons:

Cappadocia is famous not only for its stone facades but also for the panoramic view of hundreds of hot air balloons gently ebbing and flowing above valleys and volcanic “fairy chimney” formations. A hot air balloon ride is a once-in-a-lifetime experience because of Cappadocia’s unique landscape and perfect weather conditions all year round.

One of the factors that have made this region popular and famous is its balloon festival. And that is why this region is known as the city of balloons. Since the 1990s, when the first balloon flew in this area, until today, the number of Cappadocia enthusiasts has increased every year.

Balloons in this tourist city take tourists up to 900 meters above the ground to enjoy a panoramic view and see the best rock scenery. The speed of the balloons is between 2 and 22 km depending on the wind speed. There are over 150 balloons flying simultaneously in Cappadocia. Moreover, there are roughly about 260 flying days in a year.

Hot air balloon flights usually last about 1 hour, but if tourists book a special flight, the time can go up to 75 or even 90 minutes.

In Cappadocia, there are several common landing spots, and pilots there know the area very well, so by analyzing the wind, they can approximately predict the landing spot. Thus, a ride in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia is perfectly safe! All pilots in Cappadocia must be experienced, and many companies employ pilots with many years of flying experience.

Best time for hot air balloon flights:

One of the reasons hot air balloon flights are so popular is the perfect year-round weather conditions.

Even though flights in Cappadocia are possible the whole year, the ideal time to do a hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia is from April until November. It’s less likely that the flights will get canceled during this time (but not impossible!).

The most prominent tourist attractions in Cappadocia, Turkey:

Zelve Open-Air Museum:

The Zelve Open-Air Museum once housed one of the largest communities in the region. It is an amazing cave town, combined with dwellings, religious and secular chambers. Furthermore, the Zelve Open-Air Museum includes many monumental buildings, churches and shrines decorated with frescoes from the ninth and eleventh centuries.

Ihlara Valley:

Ihlara Valley is one of the important tourist attractions that attracts visitors for its tall poplar trees and fertile farming plots. During the Byzantine period, this was a favored retreat for hermetic monk communities, who carved churches and monastery complexes into the cliff face.

Cappadocia’s underground cities (Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu):

There are 37 underground cities. However, only 7 of them are open to sightseeing. Kaymaklı Underground City is Cappadocia’s largest example, with a labyrinth of rooms connected by tunnels that extend for eight levels. Four of these levels can be explored by visitors.

Derinkuyu Underground City is the deepest underground shelter. The tunnels here are quite claustrophobic in places, as they travel deeper and deeper into the ground. There is a cavernous chapel area, and many living and storage areas to explore in this below-ground maze.

Fairy Chimneys:

Fairy Chimneys are the world famous formations of this amazing city. The Fairy Chimneys are located in the charming stone village of Goreme. It is famous for its natural beauty of rock formations, a range of dazzling hills and mountains formed due to natural erosion. Fairy Chimneys are open daily for tourists.

Edited by: Ebla Group Real Estate

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