Turkey 2026: Riviera, Antalya, and Cappadocia (page 4 of 5)

If there’s one activity you shouldn’t miss in Cappadocia, it’s watching the sunrise from a hot-air balloon. Looking back, it’s still a mystery why we didn’t do it... I was up for it, but my wife wasn’t. The weather grounded the balloons for the first two mornings, and the only available slot was when we’d already decided to head back to the coast for our last two nights in Turkey. Plus, they had to "clear the backlog" of all the bookings that couldn’t take off due to the weather, so there was bound to be a "bit of a crowd"... So, waking up at 4 AM and then driving 500 kilometers back to Antalya wasn’t exactly ideal. But since we had to leave early anyway, we took the chance to admire the balloons from the ground—and I’m starting to think the view might actually be even more stunning from down below... We’ll only find out for sure the next time we go back... .

First light of day from the hotel

One of my regrets is not having done it in Bagan...

Why we didn’t do it still feels like a real mystery in hindsight... I was up for it, but my wife wasn’t keen.

I keep picturing this image—it makes me laugh and terrifies me at the same time. It’s Benjamin Lavernhe flying away, clinging to balloons, in that brilliant film *Le Sens de la Fête* by my favorite directors

celle des pigeons.

Did the Turks name this place that because it’s where they scam tourists? 😄

It could’ve been because of the price of entry to the monuments, but no—the valleys are free to access (and thankfully still are!). The valley gets its name from the many dovecotes carved into the rock, as you can see in the photo.

One of my regrets is not having done it in Bagan...

I think that’s partly what motivated our decision not to go: too many balloons kill the magic … Whereas in Bagan ….

That said, from what I remember, the prices weren’t the same ($250 in Bagan, 100 to 150 € in Turkey)

Why we didn’t do it still feels like a real mystery in hindsight... I was up for it, but my wife wasn’t keen.

There’s this image that keeps coming back to me—it makes me laugh and terrifies me at the same time. It’s Benjamin Lavernhe flying away, clinging to balloons in that brilliant film *Le sens de la fête* by my favorite directors

Guess I’ll have to rewatch that one—totally missed that scene…

It's Benjamin Lavernhe's scene, floating away attached to balloons, in the excellent film "Le sens de la fête"

I love that movie... but I hadn’t remembered that scene. You just reminded me! 😉 Guess I’ll have to watch it again (same with *The Big Blue*, which I still haven’t rewatched since I saw the wreck of Amorgos with my own eyes 🤪).

Hot-air balloons flying off on their own remind me of Jonas Jonasson’s totally wild—but full of truths—book *The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared* 😏.

That said, from what I remember, the prices weren’t the same ($250 in Bagan, 100 to 150 € in Turkey)

I don’t know; I think back then, I hadn’t really looked into it until we spotted them the last morning on our way to catch the bus to Inle Lake, and that’s when we thought (too late anyway), "Still, it must’ve been pretty cool!"

the one with the pigeons.

Did the Turks name this place that because it's where they rip off tourists?

It could’ve been because of the price of entry to the monuments, but no—the valleys are free to access (and thankfully still are!). The valley gets its name from the many dovecotes carved into the rock, as you can see in the photo.



Lucky pigeons! Gorgeous :)

For the hot-air balloon ride, I had the chance to try it in France and it didn’t really wow me. But at the prices they charge in Turkey, it’s probably worth it to compare the view from above with the truly stunning scenery on the ground.

This time, I also watched the hot-air balloons rise at first light while sitting on a temple in Bagan. But I never regretted it. I was completely focused on soaking in that magical moment, whereas if I’d been in the balloon, I’d have been admiring how the machine worked... and freaking out a little at the thought of accidentally ending up in the Irrawaddy 😄. Obviously, the best is to do one morning up high and one morning down low. But yeah, it cost an arm and a leg back then 😅

Gotta reschedule that one—I missed the scene...

Hey there, That shouldn’t stop you from telling us the rest of your Cappadocia trip! We’re not in a rush, but still... 😉 Unless you’ve wrapped it up with the hot-air balloons?

that shouldn’t stop you from telling us the rest of your trip in Cappadocia! We’re not in a hurry, but still...

Oops, I’ll admit I’d moved on to other vacations, but yeah, we’ll wrap it up soon!

For that moment, I also watched the hot-air balloons rise at the first light of day, perched on a temple in Bagan.

A photo that won me a VF contest 😏 And one that stayed trrrrrrès long as one of my favorite wallpapers…

LOL Bruno my Taj Mahal twin :Bagan is still my "cover photo" on Facebook. I’ve never been able to change it 😅. Maybe the place in the world I most hope to see again one day!

That shouldn’t stop you from telling us the rest of your trip in Cappadocia! We’re not in a hurry, but still...

Oops, I’ll admit I’d moved on to other vacations, but yes, we’ll wrap it up soon...

I’ll admit, it’s not cool to leave a story unfinished and strand the reader in awe of so much magic halfway through ... So, we’ll cross the river and finish this travel journal.

You remember, we were leaving Göreme and Cappadocia, admiring the hot-air balloons?

Back to Antalya for our last two nights—we wanted to feel the warmth of the seaside again. Göreme’s plateau is over 1,000 meters high, so the evenings stay chilly. A 500 km drive on a perfect road through plains and mountains to settle an hour from Antalya, far from the resorts, in the small town of Side.

Side is an ancient port city where the grand ruins of Roman temples, a huge ancient theater, and ramparts blend spectacularly with the lively streets—*very* lively—of a super touristy village. Luckily, the old town is pedestrian-only, where we’re staying.

Even luckier, we’re here off-season. The Nomad Boutique Hotel, booked the same morning, is a bit away from the bustle of a season that’s just beginning...

Our two days here will be all about relaxation, wandering among the ruins and tourists. Here, people approach you in German, and you pay in euros—well, we’re not staying a week either... And we definitely wouldn’t come in August!











Sunday, May 10th, it’s time to head back to the airport, drop off the car, and fly home after a 3-hour, 50-minute flight—no issues, no delays—to our place in Haute-Savoie...

And in the end?

Just to remind you, this travel journal was supposed to be called "Wonders of Jordan," but circumstances had other plans—and that’s just postponed for now... Several alternatives came up, but it was hard to find a country that ticked all our boxes (direct flight under 4 hours, a bit of warmth, sea, history...). Turkey won out, thanks to our first great experience in Istanbul back in 2017.

I loved the warm welcome from people, their kindness, and the sense of connection you feel. Sometimes it’s tricky because English really isn’t universal here, and Google Translate hits its limits fast.

I loved the diversity of the sites we visited and the landscapes—from the sea to the mountains. The history of the places was a great surprise too; you really feel like you’re at a crossroads of civilizations.

I loved the infrastructure—I was expecting to spend hours on bumpy dirt roads, passing donkey-drawn carts, but instead, we drove on almost-new four-lane highways (even if donkey carts *were* still using them). You get the sense that here, they don’t spend a decade debating where a road should go...

Most of all, I loved visiting all these sites at this time of year, even if some hotels clearly weren’t fully ready. I wouldn’t want to do this trip in peak season because you can *feel* how quickly it could spiral into tourist chaos... And the prices! I checked our accommodations for busier dates and got scared. No wonder Booking was offering big discounts—those normal prices were wild!

So, in the end, not the trip of a lifetime, but a really enjoyable break in a part of the world with so many different sides.

And what about Gemini in all this? Do we write it off or talk about it? We’re talking about it, of course—the experience was actually pretty impressive on that front. Gemini knows Turkey well and guided me through these 15 days, even though it’s never actually been there. The pixels? Well, it messed up a couple of times, but no hard feelings.

The big issue with it is that it always agrees with you. It makes suggestions, but if you disagree, it adapts. The site you visit is always magical, the hotel is always breathtaking, and the restaurant is always a must-try! Sometimes you’d just want a little more pushback...

In the end, it’s way more agreeable than my wife (Sandrine, don’t read this!). But way more boring too! 😄

I’ll leave you with those thoughts—thanks for following along!

The big issue with it is that it always agrees with you. It suggests things, but if you disagree, it adapts. The site visited is always magical, the hotel is breathtaking, and the restaurant is a must-visit!! Sometimes, you’d just want a bit more perspective...

Yeah, that "yes-man" attitude is pretty annoying! AI processes data and spits out what it finds.

Basically, if no one’s ever written about a place, a hotel, or a restaurant, it won’t be the one to give you the address...

And if the person asking the questions doesn’t push the AI to its limits or write the right prompt, they end up with unoriginal, generic answers.

Thanks for the travel journal! 🙂

Aaaah! It finally happened 😏

Thanks for this lovely off-season travelogue—so peaceful (well, the end was *reaaally* quiet 😛) Looking forward to the next travel journal 😉

Yes, thanks for this lovely discovery, Bruno. I have to admit, I found Gemini really helpful for tracking down those little spots I love during our last trip to India. And also for translating everything I came across, with a special fondness for local grievances 😅. It feels like I’m gaining a deeper understanding of the places I visit. Cheers... straight from your beloved Cabo Verde 😊 Christelle