Cappadocia prepares for annual festival of hot air balloons

NEVŞEHİR

Thirty special-shaped hot air balloons from 10 countries will take to the skies over Cappadocia, the UNESCO World Heritage site in central Türkiye known for its fairy chimneys and as one of the world’s most popular hot air balloon destinations, during the seventh Cappadocia Balloon Festival.

Organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the four-day festival will run from July 30 to Aug. 2.

Balloons from Türkiye, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Slovakia, Austria and Poland will fly alongside the region’s 156 commercial hot air balloons, which operate daily.

The balloons will rise over Cappadocia’s valleys at sunrise each morning before returning in the evening for illuminated balloon glow displays at the Paşabağ Open-Air Museum.

Festival coordinator Mehmet Halis Aydoğan told state-run Anadolu Agency that interest in the event has continued to grow, although participation has been capped because of the region’s already busy balloon traffic.

“Balloon festivals are held in many parts of the world. Cappadocia’s greatest advantage is its extraordinary landscape, where 156 balloons fly every day. When we decorate the skies with special-shaped balloons, it creates an incredible spectacle,” he said.

He added that demand from Europe had been particularly strong this year, but participation was limited to 30 special-shaped balloons because of the high volume of regular flights in the region.