Cappadocia is located in Central Turkey and is famous for its geographical features which is the long-term heritage of the extinct volcanoes surrounding the area. The beautiful landscape attracts thousands every year but the more interesting thing about Cappadocia is not the gorgeous landscape but the way of its transformation and the reason lying underneath. Being in the very center of Asia Minor and the Silk Road, Cappadocia witnessed too many civilizations along with the history but the major touch that made the settlement unique dates back to the runaway of the Christians from the Roman threat.
That is why it is also accepted sacred as it sheltered and conveyed Christianity in its early days. Later on Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans survived on the land through the centuries and finally, Cappadoccia became one of the landmarks of Turkey and it now displays all the facts that gathered all this period with such opulence.
There are lots of different things to experience in Cappadocia but we can briefly summarize what you should see during your visit to Cappadocia.
Goreme Open Air Museum
We may call this museum an open-air complex of churches and monasteries. These monuments were built between the 11th and 13th centuries and taken into the Unesco World Heritage List in 1984. This is a must-do place to be in Cappadocia to see the astonishing way to carve out churches from rock and worship in such conditions. The frescoes can still be observed in good conditions. There is an admission to enter and you may also use your museum pass. You can visit virtual Goreme Open Air Museum.
The Valleys Of Cappadocia
To make the most of the valleys, we recommend you to make the balloon ride if the weather permits. Otherwise, you may walk, take a jeep safari, rent a quad-bike or ride your horses in the beautiful valleys to experience what nature has become and how interesting that could be without human touch. Fairy chimneys will provide a natural plateau for you to take the best shots. Ihlara, Pasabag, Devrent Valleys are the ones to start with.
Underground Cities
These are the most unrealistic structures that humankind has ever encountered. Even imagining is quite hard for the people living in honeycomb structures, centuries ago they built these cities just to be safe and carry on. This is the very example to understand the motive to change the world regarding the needs of human nature. Derinkuyu, Kaymakli and Ozkonak are the biggest underground cities in the region.
Cave Hotels
If you are planning to stay overnight, which you definitely must, to become a true Cappadocian you should stay in one of the cave hotels that are carved from the real rocks. There are lots of hotels that target different levels of budgets, from the cheaper ones to luxurious 5-star cave hotels. As it is important to have an authentic feeling, it would be much better to pick smallish ones operated by the local folks.
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