Göreme

Artist Hatice Abalı, who lives in the Göreme district of the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir, has been creating unique artifacts by painting fairy girls on the rocks unique to the region.

In place of an ordinary wedding ceremony, a couple chose to solemnize their marriage in a hot air balloon flying over the historical Cappadocia region.

"I am very very happy," said 23-year-old groom, İbrahim Korkmaz, after getting married to his 24-year-old bride, Gülten Kaya, above 1,000 meters in the sky.

Turkey's picturesque Cappadocia region that offers visitors fabulous vacation opportunities with its unique natural, historical and cultural richness is gearing up for Ukrainian tourists.

Tourism professionals in the region are excited to start direct flights from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv to central Anatolia's Nevsehir province beginning March 25.

Cappadocia, located in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir, and a popular tourist hotspot in Turkey, hosted 87,000 visitors in last month amid the ongoing pandemic.

Hot air balloons in Cappadocia, whose activities were suspended in line with COVID-19 measures, took off for a test flight with pilots who have received training.

Eleven hot air balloons prepared for the flight and rose one after the other to the sky at sunrise in Kılıçlar Valley in the Central Anatolian province of Göreme district.

The status of the Göreme Valley in the world-famous Cappadocia region has been changed to "prevent illegal constructions" in the area, a statement issued by the Culture and Tourism Ministry has said.

Authorities on Feb. 16 began demolishing illegal structures in the famous Cappadocia region in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir.

The move came after Nevşehir Governor İlhami Aktaş said the demolition of 15 structures that "were already built or were being built" adjacent to the world-famous "fair chimneys" would start on Feb. 16.

Millennial old frescoes in the historic rock-carved Tokalı Church in Cappadocia region, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1985, are being restored by Turkish and Italian experts.

Australian sculptor Andrew Rogers' sculptures created as part of his land art project "Rhythms of Life" seek interest, as their location is difficult to reach for tourists. 

The tourism crisis has naturally also hit one of Turkey's first touristic regions, Cappadocia. I was in Cappadocia to see a close friend's newly-bought house in one of its villages, and to participate in the Cappadox Festival.