Goreme Open Air Museum, the top attraction of Cappadocia in Turkey’s central Anatolian region is a massive collection of historical monasteries and cave churches displaying fine specimens of ancient Byzantine frescoes. Within the region, over 600 churches made from soft rock dot the Cappadocia landscape, and there may well be much more undiscovered, but Goreme museum brings … [Read more...]

Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia is a must-do activity when visiting Turkey. A unique lunar landscape found no-where else in the world is dotted with cave houses and hotels among large rock formations. To explore the region on foot including green valleys, local towns and outdoor attractions would take months so holidaymakers and anyone with time constraints should see it from … [Read more...]

All tourists, regardless of age or nationality, enjoy the many things to do in Cappadocia because the region is full of intrigue, mystery and historical richness. Sitting in central Anatolian Turkey, unique landmarks and a quirky, sometimes amusing history instantly captures people’s attention. Cappadocia played a pivotal part in early Christianity, and this is widely seen in … [Read more...]

Possibly one of man’s greatest architectural achievements is Derinkuyu underground city in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. Conspiracy theorists say aliens built it. They didn't but regardless, a mass network of rooms, tunnels, and different levels that are away from sight, at either ground level or a bird’s eye perspective are worth seeing with your own eyes. Sitting 18 miles … [Read more...]

Cappadocia is a fascinating journey through times gone by – but ultimately the major attraction to this Central Anatolia moonscape are the underground cities. Beneath the land of the living, are masses of sprawling tunnels and small cave rooms that are strangely quiet but their history is as the saving grace for civilizations that hid in fear of their lives. About 35 … [Read more...]

About 5 kilometres north from the major tourism hub of Goreme, sits the old and new towns of Cavusin. They don’t receive as much admiration or even mentions in guidebooks when it comes to talking about Cappadocia’s major touristic sites, yet behind the boundaries sits a quaint town with a bonded community and a marvellous historical tale to tell. The History of … [Read more...]

As a major tourism hub, Cappadocia boasts of an extensive range of hotels and neighbourhoods to choose from when deciding where to stay. The final decision however should depend on your personal preferences and traveling style, since each area has its own characteristics and advantages. Looking at each district, your budget will also largely play a part in choosing your … [Read more...]

Cappadocia resembles a make-believe world where fairies exist in rock houses nicknamed “fairy chimneys.” Faries have nothing to do with it, though. Instead, millions of years ago, many volcanic explosions littered the Cappadocian plateaus. Time, the wind, and water then worked together in making a landscape that is out-of-this-world. These days, many places to visit in … [Read more...]

On my first visit to Cappadocia, I never saw Uchisar castle. The walk up to the top of the hill seemed too strenuous and in the mid-day heat, sweat was pouring off me. Nothing much was mentioned about it in guidebooks anyway, so I assumed it to be a minor attraction that should not appear in any “top ten list of things to do.” Two years later, I returned to Cappadocia in the … [Read more...]

Ihlara Valley is possibly one of Turkey’s most stunning natural landscapes. Situated in the Cappadocia region and formed thousands of years ago, the 14-kilometre gorge, reaches 100 metres deep in most places.  Historians have also uncovered human dwellings and cave churches that led them to believe, the valley was home to a large community of people for many centuries. This … [Read more...]

In the central Anatolian region, Cappadocia is popular with couples and backpackers. Its unique lunar landscape defies belief, as do the underground cities, fairy chimneys, cave churches, homes and hotels. It is never going to be called an average or typical tourist destination despite appearing in many worldwide travel publications. If you have not been to Cappadocia, it … [Read more...]

I stayed four days in Beypazari and during that time, noticed something very interesting. While it is popular as a holiday destination, all the visitors seemed to be Turks, especially at the weekend when they flooded in from the nearby capital of Ankara. I spotted a few other foreigners but I was definitely the minority. I should not have been surprised at this observation … [Read more...]

Turkey has some of the best natural wonders of the world. Two of them are the fairy chimneys of the Cappadocian landscape and the white calcium pools of Pamukkale. Both are gorgeous sites that should be seen at least once in a lifetime. They defy belief and certainly make a holiday more interesting than your average beach package tour. Let’s take a look at what makes them so … [Read more...]

Throughout history, humanity has always been resourceful. They took the features and benefits of the landscape and used it to their advantage, whether it was building castles on hills for an optimum view of their approaching enemy or building settlements and villages near a source of water. The small town of Avanos in Turkey is no exception to this rule. It is well known … [Read more...]

The swirling winds of the Cappadocian plateaus have been around as long as the legends of early Christians seeking relief in the underground cities that dot the fairy chimney landscape.  An eye to the sky will see a tourist phenomena, the multi-coloured balloons that straddle the horizon as they oversee ancient Cappadocia like its puffed-up emperors of old. But one hoofed … [Read more...]