The 7th International Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Festival kicked off in central Türkiye on Friday, filling the skies above the region's iconic fairy chimneys with dozens of colorful shaped hot air balloons from around the world.
Organized by Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festival brings together 30 special-shaped hot air balloons from Türkiye as well as the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Slovakia, Austria and Poland.
At sunrise, crowds of local and international visitors gathered in the festival area in Göreme to watch the balloons inflate before taking off over Cappadocia's valleys. Designed in whimsical shapes including a heart, owl, chick, wolf, duck, parrot, octopus, rocket, globe and clown, the balloons performed exhibition flights against the region's distinctive volcanic landscape.
Hot air balloons float above Cappadocia during the International Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Festival, Nevşehir, central Türkiye, July 31, 2026. (AA Photo)
One of this year's highlights was the debut flight of a whale-shaped balloon designed by sixth-grade student Bengi Serra Kaya, whose concept won first place in the city's "Balloon Design of My Dreams" competition for primary and middle school students.
