From eating my way around Istanbul, and seeing the incredible mosques, to beach times in Alanya, to hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, and exploring the cave cities in the region, find out the best places to travel to in my Turkey travel blogs.
From when to visit and how to book, to what to expect and wear on the day, these these tips will help you plan your Cappadocia hot air balloon experience.
If you’ve decided to go hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, then well done! It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve done on my travels, and I still have such incredible memories of my trip! I’m constantly recommending it, and I know a lot of you have found my blog from searching for info on the region.
The top things to do in Cappadocia include staying in a cave hotel, exploring the fairy chimneys and taking to the skies in a hot air balloon.
Cappadocia isn’t like anywhere else in the world. With its unique rock formations, you’ll feel like you’ve landed on another planet. The only other places that have come close were Saxon Switzerland in Germany and the Valley of the Moon in Chile.
Want to travel from Istanbul to Cappadocia – one of the most unique places in Turkey? Find out how to travel to the region by car, bus and plane.
If you’re planning a holiday to Turkey, I’d recommend starting in Istanbul, then travelling to Cappadocia for a few days, and finishing with a little bit of beach time in somewhere like Alanya or Antalya.
Time to explore the historical side of Alanya in Turkey.
I’m a little ashamed to admit that I’m not a history buff. People assume those who travel lots, have brains filled with historical dates and political facts. Dates often escape me, I mix kings and queens up, and don’t get me started on ancient politics! It’s often a tumbleweed moment! But, I do really enjoy dipping into the history when I visit a country, after all – it’s what came before that shaped the place into what it is today. I’m just not going to pretend it’s my forte.
When I visited Cappadocia earlier this year, I LOVED being able to touch the history! I spent days exploring ancient underground cities and caves. It wasn’t like trudging around a soulless museum filled with artefacts – it was real.
Goreme Open Air Museum, Cappadocia
The same goes for Dubrovnik. Climbing all over the city walls was exhilarating and gave me the chance to see the city from the perspective of those who created it.
Incredible View from Dubrovnik’s City Walls
Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina was fascinating in another way. Tragic scars marred the beauty. Bullet holes showed the real brutality of the events in the 1990s. Seeing it for myself encouraged me to learn about the city’s sad past.
Mostar’s Old Bridge
Evidence of Mostar’s tragic past
So when I found myself in Alanya in Turkey, I couldn’t wait to explore the culture and history first hand – ideally by walking all over it!