Cappadocia - Back to the Land of Fairytales

Hello my friends. Finally I reached Cappadocia, a unique fairytale land where nature and history come together, which everyone dreams of seeing at least once in their life. I had been here before. This time to avoid missing anything and to fully feel the spirit of Cappadocia, I chose cave rooms for my acommodation. The traditional texture is very well preserved in these rooms carved into the rock. Wooden furniture and antique details give the room an almost museum like atmosphere. In my opinion the absence of common issues in cave structures like ceiling flaking is one of the things that increases comfort here. Every detail you might need in a modern hotel, from the jacuzzi to the bathroom, has been thought through.

The most impressive part of my hotel was its amazing terrace overlooking the view of Goreme. I had to get up early in the morning to watch the hot air balloons that cover the sky with the first light of dawn in Cappadocia. However watching this view from my terrace was worth all the efort I put in. The balloons gliding right next to me and the sun rising over the valley were breathtaking. I could check the flight status of the balloons in the region instantly via a local website.

In the evening I think the side streets of Goreme take on a distinct atmosphere. The illuminated cafes and restaurants, carpet shops and the natural architecture of the region are in tremendous harmony. It is quite easy to find delicious meals at reasonable prices in the side restaurants. I had a lovely dinner at a good place named Ramis on my first day.

I had mentioned on my previous posts that the Cappadocia is home to many underground cities. Since tour buses mostly prefer Derinkuyu, I chose to visit Kaymakli Underground city this time, which is quieter and by no means inferior in terms of historical texture. The underground structures here are not places built for pleasure by people in the past. These areas which began construction during the Hittite period in the eighth to sixth centuries Before Christ were expanded during the Roman Empire period by early Christians fleeing opression and persecution, transforming into massive underground cities.

There are carved niches for sleeping and storing goods in the underground apartments in Kaymakli . The soot marks on the walls and ceilings caught my atention. The fires lit and the smoke generated hardened the tuff rock, preventing it from flaking. Massive circular stone doors located at the entrances of the passages would roll out from special grooves to seal the tunnels, making them impossible to open from the outside. Despite being built thousands of years ago, there is a perfectly functioning ventilation system inside. This city connected by narrow tunnels, contains stables, chapels, prayer halls, kitchens and even wine cellars. It turns out that while three thousand five hundred people could live in the city at the same time, fifteen thousand people could take refuge during times of siege. The fact that Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, the two largest underground cities in the region, are connected to each other by a ten kilometer underground tunnel is another enginering marvel of the era.

Although the official museum route is marked with arrows, there are safe and illuminated side tunnels that you can explore on your own. Since the ceilings are quite low, you may need to walk bent over continuously in some parts. For those who have claustrophobia it is beneficial to be careful. You should also choose comfortable shoes and clothes imo you will not be afraid to get dirty. Right at the exit of the underground city, near the parking lots, there are modest but wonderful cafes belonging to local residents. Alongside options like soup and pizza, I was able to enjoy a pleasant break at a very reasonable price with complimentary salads and ayran. Lentil soup is one of my favorite soups in Turkey. I also make it at home myself, but unfortunately it does not taste like restaurant soup. 😊

One of my favorite stops of my Cappadocia trip was Ihlara valley, which is approximately fifteen kilometers long and one hundred fifty meters deep. Melendiz Stream flows through the bottom of this canyon of volcanic origin. There are numerous ancient churches and residential areas carved into the steep rocks of the valley. Structures like Daniel Pantanassa Church and Snake Church, which are carved directly into the rocks, have preserved wall paintings depicting scenes from the Bible and the Old Testament dating back to the ninth and eleventh centuries to this day. I also found Saint Ermolaos Church, which was built with block stones, remarkable for its architecture.

The hiking trails and stairs in the valley are well organized. Because a microclimate prevails at the bottom of the canyon, it offers a comfortable walking opportunity away from the wind. I took tea and coffee breaks at small wooden cafes I came across and tasted freshly made gozleme. This is a pastry unique to Turkey. I love it very much. I think it can be eaten at breakfast, lunch and dinner, in short at every meal. It keeps you quite full and gives energy. Therefore it is one of my favorite foods during my travels. When visiting the venues here, choosing week days to avoid the weekend local crowd will provide a better trip.

I spent my last day in Cappadocia hiking in Love valley. Hosting the famous fairy chimney formations of the region, the valley is a wonderful natural route that can be visited for free. As a result of volcanic eruptions that ocurred millions of years ago, the region was covered with tuff and pumice stones. Water and wind eroded this soft tuff layer over time. The hard basalt rocks located at the very top protected the tuff layer beneath them, allowing today iconic mushroom shaped structures to emerge.

In this valley you can go hiking or join horse or ATV tours. I climbed up hidden stairs carved into the rock to reach the observation terrace at the end of valley. Sipping my coffee in front of the amazing valley view at the small rock cafe here was an unforgettable experience for me.

The spring and autumn months are ideal for hiking However even in the summer months, the temperature can drop down to fifteen to seventeen at night. Cappadocia deserves much more than coming for just a day and riding a balloon in my opinion. I recommend reserving at least three to four days here to tour the valleys, see the underground cities and enjoy the atmosphere.