Latest news with #Cappadocia
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
Oman launches its first tourist hot air balloon project in Turkiye
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman has launched its first tourist hot air balloon within the "Oman Balloons" project in Cappadocia, the Republic of Turkiye, as part of the promotional phase of the project. This initiative comes within the efforts of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism to develop and diversify the tourism product while strengthening Oman's position as a unique regional and international destination. The project aims to attract international expertise in hot air balloon tourism and localize it in Oman, contributing to the growth of tourism experiences and providing new options for both domestic and international tourists. It also aligns with the ministry's support for private sector-led tourism initiatives and enhances public-private partnerships to achieve tourism development goals. "Oman Balloon No. 1" will begin its first flights within the Sultanate of Oman from the Wilayat of Bidiyah in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate, offering a unique experience to explore breathtaking landscapes from the sky, showcasing Oman's diverse tourism attractions. The balloon has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority in Oman and features a design suitable for Omani weather conditions, with a capacity of up to 20 passengers in addition to the technical crew consisting of a pilot and an assistant. The "Oman Balloons" project is one of the qualitative initiatives supported by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism due to its active role in promoting experiential tourism and providing panoramic views of tourist sites. This contributes to highlighting Oman's natural and cultural richness from an innovative perspective while attracting a broader segment of visitors seeking unique travel experiences.
Travel Weekly
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Central Holidays unveils Turkiye itineraries
Central Holidays introduced a Turkiye travel program to its portfolio after seeing demand for experiences in the destination, which offers stunning architecture and rich history. The New Jersey-based tour operator will begin operating the itineraries this year. The announcement comes after the brand orchestrated a group travel program across the country for more than 3,000 travelers. "Turkiye is truly a destination that offers something for everyone," said Adam Greis, the general manager of Central Holidays. "Our new line of travel programs opens the door for travelers to explore everything from the bustling streets of Istanbul to the fairy-tale landscapes of Cappadocia all with the peace of mind afforded by traveling with a reliable travel company more than 50 years strong." The tour operator created a team of Turkiye destination specialists to plan and execute the trips, for both independent travelers and group travel. Maria Jose Merino, vice president of operations and product development, said the company works with travel advisors "hand-in-hand" to craft itineraries, touting the brand's partnership with advisors. "Central Holidays knows that planning travel to foreign destinations like Turkiye is a very intricate endeavor, and there are so many elements that need to come together perfectly," she said. The brand unveiled its Turkiye itineraries, including Classic Turkiye, which takes travelers on an 11-day journey through the country to see some of its most important landmarks, including the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque and the underground city of Saratli. Prices start at $2,535. Highlights include visiting Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, known for being the world's largest and oldest covered market; hiking in Cappadocia; and visiting the ancient city of Troy. The Discover Turkiye itinerary features Istanbul, Ankara and Cappadocia, a region known for its iconic "fairy chimneys." The nine-day trip starts at $2,285. This itinerary features similar excursions to the Classic Turkiye itinerary, including visits to Topkapi Palace and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. On the shorter side, Central Holidays has launched a four-day Stopover in Istanbul itinerary for $855, which includes the city's iconic sites. Highlights include touring the Hippodrom, the Basilica of Saint Sophi and the Grand Bazaar.
Al Bawaba
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Aşkı Hatırla Starring Hande Erçel and Barış Arduç Premiere date on Disney+—final trailer out now
ALABAWABA - Hande Erçel and Barış Arduç in a romantic drama. With a love story that spans from Cappadocia to Istanbul, the series Aşkı Hatırla, which was put together by Hande Erçel and Barış Arduç, is a captivating and fascinating storytelling experience. Famous actors Hande Erçel and Barış Arduç are getting ready to meet their fans with their upcoming project, Aşkı Hatırla, in which they will be appearing in front of the camera for the second time. An announcement has been made regarding the release date of the series Aşkı Hatırla, and it has been confirmed that the series will be introduced to its audience on the Disney Plus Turkey platform on June 18. Hande Erçel Instagram story The narrative of Aşkı Hatırla is a love story that commences in the extraordinary natural surroundings of Cappadocia and then transitions to the vibrant atmosphere of Istanbul. A captivating romance between a successful architect named Deniz (played by Barış Arduç) and a spectacular editor named Güneş (played by Hande Erçel) is brought to the screen in this series. Güneş and Deniz abruptly part ways when they are on their way to getting married. The two individuals, who happen to meet each other by chance, find themselves at a crossroads in their lives when they encounter a mystery message that arrives on their mobile devices on the same evening. Their relationship will be called into serious doubt as a result of their voyage, which will cause them to rediscover love. Originally, Ahmet Vatan was the one who penned the story for the series, which was produced by Saner Ayar and signed by O3 Medya. Özgür Önurme, the author of the project, is the one who is in charge of directing the series. In addition to Feyyaz Şerifoğlu, Başak Gümülcinelioğlu, Alper Saldıran, Naz Goktan, Begüm Akkaya, Melis Minkari, Sezin Akbaşoğulları, and Fatih Al, also included in the cast are notable individuals. The Aşkı Hatırla series, which will be broadcast on the Disney Plus Turkey platform, will consist of a total of eight episodes. The fans of the series were particularly eagerly anticipating the release date of the series as well as the trailer for the series itself.
Forbes
26-05-2025
- Forbes
These Are The 'Fastest-Rising' International Destinations, According To New Tripadvisor Report
NEVSEHIR, TURKIYE: Hot air balloons fly over volcanos at Cappadocia, one of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site which is famous for its fairy chimneys. Planning an unforgettable summer holiday requires striking a careful balance between ticking off all the boxes in terms of itinerary and climate while also avoiding the best-known spots that can sometimes fall victim to overtourism and major crowds. It turns out that many American travelers are opting for lesser-visited destinations in order to do just that. In fact, Tripadvisor recently released its Summer Travel Index, which has uncovered the biggest trends in summer destinations, spotlighting the up-and-coming destinations that have travelers intrigued. The following international destinations were named the 'fastest-rising' spots for American travelers looking to stray from the more well-known hotspots around the world. Punta Sam was named the number one 'fastest-rising' destination for American travelers. The residential neighborhood north of Cancun boasts stunning beaches and great properties but is still a little less crowded than its northern neighbor. Divers swim around the Pedernales shipwreck off the coast of Noord in Aruba. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images) The Noord region of Aruba is already pretty well-known as a tourist destination; it's plenty with high-rise hotels, casinos, and beautiful white sand beaches. A lot of American travelers are foregoing Barcelona due to overtourism and instead are considering Puerto Rico. It boasts stunning beaches, great nightlife, and less than three rainy days, on average, per month. Cap Estate in the north of St. Lucia is known for its high-end accommodations and golf course. Here you'll find luxury hotels and villas with unobstructed views of the Caribbean Sea. GOREME, TURKEY: A view of Anatolian Houses Hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey. The Turkish region of Cappadocia boasts one of Europe's most dramatic landscapes. Lava and White ash mixed with floodwaters to form a hard, sun baked layer known as Tufa. This coating gradually eroded to create spectacular geological formations like the area's famous "fairy chimneys". People have been carving cave homes, underground cities, monasteries and churches out of the landscape here for 10,000 years, that was used largely by hiding Christians fearful of persecution. (Photo by) Göreme is certainly a popular travel destination already but not when compared to Istanbul, which is one of the most visited cities in the world. It's here travelers can experience the infamous hot air balloons and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Located on the Riviera Maya, Akumal is a relatively small tourist resort community. It's well-loved for its warm waters, white sand beaches, and coral reef. Asakusa shopping street is one of the old city of Tokyo near Sensoji Temple, Nakamise shopping street. Asakusa shopping street the one of tourist destination to looking for culture food, sweets and souvenirs. Asakusa is in the northeastern area of Tokyo and is famous for its preservation of the Tokyo of yesteryear. It boasts traditional craft and street food sellers, original architecture, and the ancient Sensō-ji temple. Kraków has become a rising star for American travelers considering Europe. The former capital city of Poland is quite a bit less expensive than big cities to the west and boasts a well-preserved old town and a rich contemporary art scene. Tucked in between Negril and Montego Bay, Lucea boasts beautiful beaches (including public beaches) and great historical monuments and museums to explore.
Travel Weekly
25-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
Magic beneath the surface in Turkiye's Cappadocia
Marketing for central Turkiye's Cappadocia relies heavily on photos of colorful hot-air balloons floating above the region's otherworldly landscape of volcanic rock formations. The bird's-eye view is ideal for grasping the extent -- and beauty -- of this natural wonder. But a ride in the balloon's basket lasts only an hour. What captivates the most about this region is what's outside the basket -- on or under the ground. Merely surveying the towns of, say, Goreme and Uchisar, is eye-popping because of skylines that seamlessly marry man-made construction with nature's pinnacles. In the past, the soft rock provided cave homes, too. Now, visitors live in caves. We stayed at the upscale Kayakapi Premium Caves in Urgup. The tourism ministry said most of Cappadocia's 450 to 500 hotels are inside caves or represent some variation on the cave hotel theme. There's more: Cappadocia is known for carpets, pottery and wine, all with ancient roots. Further, visitors can watch whirling dervishes here. The fairy chimneys were formed by volcanic action and erosion. Photo Credit: Nadine Godwin Cappadocia's otherwordly landscape Early Christians carved more than 200 churches from Cappadocia's soft rock. Some sites morphed into monasteries. Frescoes came later, in the 11th to 13th centuries. The Goreme Open Air Museum is a fine example. The site includes rock-hewn housing for monks and nuns, a kitchen and refectory plus at least seven churches. We entered churches, first seeing rather lightly colored and simple frescoes, before viewing the piece de resistance, the Dark Church, which gets almost no natural light. It was accidently preserved when a fallen rock blocked its entry and left it unnoticed for centuries. Its walls are drenched in full-color illustrations of Christ's life. The Turkish tourism ministry, which hosted the press trip I was on, said there are 15 to 20 underground cities, first cut from the rock well before the time of Christ. It lists five available to visit. We visited Kaymakli. Four of its eight stories are open to tourists. Dating from the Hittite era (peak years 1350 B.C. to 1250 B.C.) and occupied most recently in 1963, Kaymakli was a safe haven in times of danger, particularly during Muslim Arab raids, later Mongolian incursions and even World War I. The tour required stooped walks through tunnels and a tolerance for confined spaces but was facilitated by smoothed-over pathways, some modern stairs -- and electricity. Underground spaces include a stable for horses, wineries, a chapel and private family quarters. Artifacts include humongous bolt stones to block entries in case of incursion. Pasabag, or Monks Valley, is home to a dense collection of soft-rock cones topped with harder rocks that resemble hats. These formations, called fairy chimneys and up to 50 feet tall, illustrate how the Cappadocia landscape was created. Volcanoes dumped soft tuff and lava but later spewed harder basalt. Steady erosion tore away soft rock, leaving the just-plain-weird vision of pinnacles topped with larger rocks that seem about to tumble off. Early Christian hermits created cells for themselves there, and we could walk into some of those spaces. Also, clients can roam this site on horseback. Salih Akcan, director of Aldag Ceramic, displays a Hittite-inspired wine decanter created by his company. Photo Credit: Nadine Godwin Ceramics, carpets and wine Avanos, known for its red clay, is one of Turkiye's two centers for pottery making (along with Iznik). At Aldag Ceramic, we were introduced to a wine decanter with Hittite origins, then watched a potter demonstrate how he makes this vessel, which has a big hole in the middle. Aldag products are hand-painted using mineral dyes and include original and historical designs. Decanters, plates and other items are displayed, museum-like, as we could see during a de rigueur shopping session. Larger pieces ship for free. To book a visit with demonstration, contact Koray on WhatsApp at +90 538 097-4291. The whirling dervish ceremony near Avanos, Turkiye. Photo Credit: Nadine Godwin The Avanos facility of award-winning Cinar Carpets houses 8,500 pieces for sale, backed by another 55,000 in warehouses. Yes, this was a shopping experience, but we also spent time watching carpet makers perform magic. Cinar's carpets are handmade, using wool, cotton or silk, by women ("men don't have the patience," our male host said) using the firm's 5,000 looms in Cappadocia and beyond. We viewed an astonishing array of fetching designs and color schemes, including designs that originated in antiquity and others unique to Cappadocia or to Cinar. Carpets are shipped for free on request. Contact kapadokya@ to learn more. We sampled wines at Efendi Wine House in Urgup, which offers walk-in tastings. It is one of numerous options across Cappadocia for sampling wines, which are often distinguished by a high mineral content because of the unique soil. A whirling dervish ceremony is a somber, prayerful event associated with Sufi Muslims and originating in Konya. The performance we attended was staged at the 13th century Saruhan Caravanserai, now an event site, near Avanos. Photos were permitted during the final three minutes. For bookings, visit
