Cappadocia incorporates parts of Aksaray, Nevşehir, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir

CAPPADOCIA

Cappadocia incorporates parts of the cities of Aksaray, Nevşehir, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir. For most people, the name Cappadocia suggests the towns of Uçhisar, Göreme, Avanos, Ürgüp, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı and Ihlara, where the land has been shaped into fantastic forms over the course of millions of years. Fairy chimneys that seem mysterious and cities and houses of worship that extend many meters deep into the earth are all enveloped in an atmosphere that is ethereal and unworldly.

Göreme Open Air Museum Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, Göreme casts its enigmatic charm for miles. The churches carved into these soft rocks sit still with mystery intact. Göreme thought to have been used as a necropolis by the inhabitants of Venessa (Avanos) during Roman times. The churches of Durmuş Kadir, Yusuf Koç, El Nazar, Saklı, Meryem Ana (Virgin Mary) and Kılıçlar cast a spellbinding effect on visitors.

The Göreme Open Air Museum is where the ideas of Christianity were unified by St Basil the Great and his brothers. The architectural details and frescoes of the Tokalı church, Convent of Monks and Nuns, Chapel of St Basil, and the St. Barbara, Elmalı, Yılanlı, Karanlık and Çarıklı churches seem as alive today as when they were new. Uçhisar Imagine a gigantic, porous rock stretching towards the sky and now imagine you are standing on top of that said rock. If you are not in a plane, a balloon or a hawk, the best spot you will soak in the geography would be here, Uçhisar Castle.

Saunter through Uçhisar also has one of the most beautiful walking paths of Cappadocia going right through Pigeon Valley. You should wander through the tunnels opened up by the streams mighty flow, while listening to the pigeons flapping their wings as they leave their nest and the giant formations in the valley in awe, for knowing that they were sculpted by no one but the nature itself.

Today, the castle is surrounded by shops and stalls, selling many souvenirs such as carpets, marble ornaments, mirrors and of course flavorsome dried nuts and fruits keeping you company. Avanos Its unusual livelihood is what makes Avanos (Vanessa) intriguing. As the Kızılırmak has made its way flowing patiently through Avanos, the soft and oily clay sourced from the former riverbeds have been the highlight here –making Avanos the home of pottery dating way back to the Hittites. Each individual flaw in clay brings out the authentic beauty in these handmade pieces, then colored in earthy tones and of course turquoise.

You can always join a pottery workshop and create your own “happy accident”, shop goodies in lively bazaars and lighten your mood by the riverside. Red Valley (Kızıl Vadi) Every other spot here serves the best dreamy sunset, but one sets itself apart from every other: Red Valley. Located just near Çavuşin Village and Ortahisar, Red Valley draws the most romantic and unforgettable moments as the sky takes on crimson red tones.

Visitors are encouraged to start their walk through the rare formations red tuff creates just before sunset and take their place at the viewing terrace just at the right moment, to soak in the glamour.