Hot Air Balloon

It’s not known precisely when the ancient town of Göreme, in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, was first inhabited, though it’s estimated that settlements existed there as far back as 1800 and 1200 BC. For centuries rival empires battled over the area, provoking more serene locals to go underground—literally—to escape the turmoil.

By the fourth century, persecuted masses were creating expansive caves, churches, and even stables within the region’s soft rock formations. The networks evolved into complex underground cities, some as deep as ten stories and able to hold up to ten thousand people. Ventilation shafts were disguised as wells while huge rocks protected the entrances. These subterranean worlds became home for many, not merely hideaways from hostile enemy forces.

The soft tuff rock was created by ancient volcanic eruptions that blanketed the region in thick ash, which then solidified. The rock formations that remained have come to resemble dunce caps or pointed cones, lending them the nickname of “fairy chimneys.”

Today, the scene is well above ground. Many of the natural structures have been transformed into museums or boutique hotels, and the preferred mode of leisure transportation is no longer crawling beneath the earth but rather soaring above it all by hot-air balloon.

During peak tourist season, one can witness the “mass ascension,” when multiple hot-air balloons take off simultaneously, creating a magical canopy as colorful balloons populate Göreme’s sky.

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