Festival for Cultural Routes begins in Nevşehir
Cultural Route Festival Transforms Nevşehir into an Open-Air Stage
The Cultural Route Festival, a major cultural and artistic event, has kicked off in Nevşehir, Turkey, running from August 2 to 10, 2025. Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this year's festival is the eighth stop of the nationwide Türkiye Cultural Route Festival, expanded to 20 provinces, with Nevşehir recognized as a unique and important venue [1][3].
Over the nine-day event, Nevşehir will transform into an open-air stage, hosting nearly 400 events across about 40 locations in the city [1][3]. The festival's program includes concerts, theater performances, film screenings, art exhibitions, street art shows, children's workshops, culinary experiences showcasing traditional gastronomy, talks and cultural discussions, and workshops [1][3].
A special highlight is the hot-air balloon festival with show flights by 38 special balloons from 27 countries filling the Cappadocia skies [1][3][5]. This signature attraction is due to the region’s ideal flying conditions.
The festival aims to celebrate Nevşehir’s rich cultural heritage, including the famous fairy chimneys and underground cities of the Cappadocia region, and to boost cultural tourism by offering diverse artistic experiences for locals and visitors alike [1][3]. The event contributes to positioning Turkey as a global cultural destination by combining heritage and contemporary artistic initiatives [4].
Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Gökhan Yazgı stated that the Cultural Route Festival will contribute to both cultural enrichment and tourism [2][3]. He described the festival as the most comprehensive cultural and artistic initiative in Türkiye [2][3]. Yazgı mentioned that the events will encompass various aspects of culture and the arts, including concerts, theater performances, exhibitions, street art, children's workshops, and traditional culinary experiences [2][3].
Nevşehir Governor Ali Fidan emphasized the festival's role in promoting the region to both domestic and international audiences [3]. The themed hot-air balloons from various countries will perform show flights over the region from Aug. 7 until the festival's final day [3][5].
The Cultural Route Festival, launched in the central Anatolian province of Nevşehir on Aug. 2, is the most comprehensive cultural and artistic initiative in Türkiye [2][3]. This year's program includes events across 20 cities in Türkiye, making it a nationwide celebration of culture and arts [1][3].
Following the opening ceremony held at the Ürgüp campus of Cappadocia University, officials toured the "From Sketch to Pixel" digital exhibition [3]. The festival is expected to attract a large number of tourists, further boosting Turkey's record-breaking performance in tourism. In 2024, Turkey became the fourth most-visited country globally, hosting 56.7 million international tourists according to U.N. World Tourism Organization data [2].
[1] https://www.culturaroute.gov.tr/en/news/cultural-route-festival-2025-program-announced [2] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/tourism/cultural-route-festival-to-contribute-to-both-cultural-enrichment-and-tourism/2404111 [3] https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/news/cultural-route-festival-transforms-neveshir-into-an-open-air-stage-177422 [4] https://www.anadoluagency.com/en/culture/turkey-positioning-itself-as-a-global-cultural-destination-with-cultural-route-festival-9359087 [5] https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/news/hot-air-balloons-from-27-countries-to-perform-show-flights-at-cultural-route-festival-177424
- Visitors can immerse themselves in a vibrant blend of food-and-drink, entertainment, music, and travel experiences during the Cultural Route Festival in Nevşehir, where they will find numerous events showcasing traditional gastronomy, concerts, theater performances, art exhibitions, and much more.
- As part of the Cultural Route Festival's commitment to celebrating Nevşehir's cultural heritage, locals and travelers alike can attend a series of workshops and cultural discussions that aim to enlighten attendees about the region's unique history, particularly the famous fairy chimneys and underground cities of Cappadocia.
