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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
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tripadvisor Announces Cancun & Las Vegas as the Top Destinations For Travelers with Release of Annual Summer Travel Index
New Report Suggests an Increased Interest in International Travel Among US Travelers and Gen Z NEEDHAM, Mass., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform, predicts a busy travel season according to the brand's annual Summer Travel Index, released today, with 63% indicating excitement for the upcoming travel season. Tripadvisor's Summer Travel Index uncovers the top and trending summer destinations for 2025, with the most popular locations from 2024 still leading the way again for US travelers such as Las Vegas and Cancun. Now trending for summer 2025 are cities including Fort Walton Beach, Florida and Punta Sam, Mexico which topped the list. New data from the report also shows that Gen Z and Millennials are 38% more likely to travel both domestically and internationally compared to Gen X and Boomers. Summer Travel Index: 2025 Top Summer Travel DestinationsThis year's data indicates that US travelers are looking for a blend of bustling city activities and laid-back beach vacations for their summer travels both internationally and domestically. Top global summer travel destinations for US citizens include: Cancun, Mexico Paris, France London, United Kingdom Top domestic summer travel destinations for US citizens include: Las Vegas, Nevada New York City, New York Myrtle Beach, South Carolina For all destinations that top the Summer Travel Index for American travelers, see below. Popular International Destinations - US Travelers Popular Domestic Destinations - US Travelers Cancun, Mexico Las Vegas, Nevada Paris, France New York City, New York London, United Kingdom Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Rome, Italy Ocean City, Maryland Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Chicago, Illinois Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Honolulu, Hawai'i Barcelona, Spain Panama City Beach, Florida Oranjestad, Aruba Key West, Florida Venice, Italy Clearwater, Florida Cap Cana, Dominican Republic Nashville, Tennessee For international trends, four of the top ten trending destinations for US travelers are in the Caribbean, with 51% of travelers citing that their primary reason to travel is to relax and rejuvenate. While Florida dominates the list of trending domestic locations for US travelers with four inclusions on the top ten list, remote areas like Big Sur and Moran, Wyoming are trending as 38% of travelers seek to enjoy nature on their summer travels. For all trending destinations that top the Summer Travel Index for American travelers, see below. Fastest Growing International Destinations - US Travelers (Based on YoY growth) Fastest Growing Domestic Destinations - US Travelers (Based on YoY growth) Punta Sam, Mexico Fort Walton Beach, Florida Noord, Aruba Isle of Palms, South Carolina Puerto Rico, Spain Big Sur, California Cap Estate, St. Lucia North Wildwood, New Jersey Goreme, Türkiye Dewey Beach, Delaware Akumal, Mexico York Beach, Maine Asakusa, Japan Moran, Wyoming Krakow, Poland St. Augustine Beach, Florida Lucea, Jamaica Panama City Beach, Florida Bonaire, Caribbean Fort Myers Beach, Florida Opting for Experiences Activities and experiences are a top priority for travelers of all ages, with 83% reporting that it's an important part of their travel budget. Most travelers (89%) are planning up to five activities. Gen Z respondents are more likely to book six or more activities compared to older age group respondents (14% versus older age group average of 9%). Similarly, Gen Z and Millennials are leading the charge on those most likely to travel in general. While every generation prioritizes relaxation, older respondents do so more than younger ones: 56% of older generations (Boomers and Gen X) versus 47% for Millennials and Gen Z. Conversely, younger respondents are significantly more likely to want to have an adventure and explore different cultures than older generations. "Summer travel is all about making memories with friends, family and loved ones – and planning those special trips is a highlight of the year for so many travelers," said Hilary Fischer-Groban, Head of Research & Insights at Tripadvisor. "Whether it's exploring the unique cultural sights of a new country, playing and relaxing on a beach, or booking an outing like a guided tour or boat ride, taking advantage of local experiences while traveling helps make memories that will last a lifetime. Tripadvisor reviews can help guide travelers to find the best of the best experiences to round out their trip." It's All in the Plan Planning ahead with a travel guidance platform like Tripadvisor helps ensure travel plans run smoothly and that experiences go according to plan. In fact, 57% of travelers report that they will book activities ahead of their vacations, and Gen Z and millennials are 78% more likely to book on-trip activities in advance (71% vs 40% older age groups). While on their trip, Boomers are more likely to ask locals for recommendations (38%) while Gen Z are more likely to go to social media (51%) to round out their itinerary. The top trending experience categories for 2025 are cultural and themed tours, outdoor activities including things like hiking and horseriding, and cruises, sailing and water tours. Booking accommodations is also a factor in the planning process. Younger respondents (Gen Z and Millennials, 30% average) are more likely to stay in vacation rentals than older respondents (Gen X and Boomers, 21% average), who favor hotels. "With experiences and stays available through Tripadvisor, planning your summer travels in one easy-to-use platform simplifies the scheduling process and lets users focus on their getaway," said Fischer-Groban. "Tripadvisor's billion-plus reviews and contributions will help travelers decide how best to maximize their valuable vacation days." Popular International Travel Experiences - US Travelers Popular Domestic Travel Experiences - US Travelers Chichen Itza, Cenote, and Valladolid Tour - Cancun, Mexico Fountains of Bellagio - Las Vegas, Nevada Paris Walking Food Tour with Secrets Food Tours - Paris, France New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour - New York, New York Stonehenge, Windsor Castle & Bath from London - London, United Kingdom Myrtle Beach State Park - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Methodology The data cited in this release was gathered and analyzed from two key sources: A Tripadvisor Consumer Sentiment Survey, based on data drawn from an online survey of over 2,800 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted between March 26, 2025 and April 8, 2025 across six countries, including Australia, France, Japan, Singapore, U.K. & U.S. Site behavioral data sourced from first party traffic data on the Tripadvisor platform for searches made by travelers in the U.S., U.K. and Japan between February 1 - April 10, 2025 for travel between June 1 - August 31, 2025. About TripadvisorTripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use Tripadvisor's website and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than a billion reviews and contributions, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby. Tripadvisor LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP). The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps. * Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, May 2025 ** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Tripadvisor Sign in to access your portfolio
