Cappadocia Tour 1

Devrent Valley: Here is also known as imagination valley as well where you see lots of fairy chimneys with interesting shapes like camel rock,mushroom like shapes and more… you can enjoy the valley while walking through the rock formations.In the valley you also notice the colors changing on the rocks.they are all same type but you see color changing because of different minerals inside.you see dark ones because of copper,red ones with ironoxide and yellow because of calcium.

Paşabağları: We call here monks valley too.At the end of 5 th century one of the saints called St.Simeon from Syria came here and lived in a cave in the valley and live as a hermit.Here youfind all the fairy chimneys with three caps on them. That s why it s called mushroom rocks. That really amazes the visitors and you start thinking how they formed like that with caps on them.Caps of these fairy chimneys are the hardest rocks called basalt so they still protect the bodies from erosions.And it will be great view when you have a look from up ahead a distance from the valley.

Avanos: We can call here as the heart of art and handicrafts of the area.Here is the small town where the locals make potteries and seramics.This tradition was first started by Hittites 4000 years ago.Red River,Kızılırmak in Turkish,passes from the village.So the clay of river was used for pottery making.Hittites started shaping the clay using kick-wheel technique.As the time passed,families from the village got used to make potteries and the seramics.Since there is no school to learn this art,the only chance to learn this tradition is to go to family workshops.Nowadays there are lots of families working on this.You will be guest in one of these family workshops to see process like pottery making,coloring and the famous tiles of Turkish seramics.By the way, you can also make your own pottery to see how talented you are… Göreme: The names given here in history Korama,Avcılar and still called Maccan by locals.This is the place where you see lots of rock cut churches with best paintings of the area. Here was used as missionary school beginning from 2 nd centuries till 12 th centuries.Then the churches were decorated with breathtaking frescoes and colorful designs.The unique techniques were used in them like egg white of pigeons as a glaze and all kind of vegetable dyes obtained from the plants and trees.The frescoes helped locals to learn the religion very fast.Then Christianity became the religion of the area in a short period.You will be travelling to those ages and imagining the living conditions of them while visiting the caves they lived.

ESENTEPE: That s the best view you can ever see in the area.You will have a break on a hill called Esentepe where you see all the marvellous looking valleys with different shapes and the volcanoes shaped them. Its called Esentepe in turkish which means windy point. When you have a visit there,dont forget to tie up something on wishing tree. Its also very common in small cities in Turkey. Its believed that when you make a wish first and then tie up a piece of cloth or something,your wishes will come true. See if it works…

Uçhisar: Here is the small village which is famous with a huge castle used by Christians.There were 3 castles like this located in the area. The others are in Ortahisar and Ürgüp. The formations of these 3 castles are very similar to each other.Allthough the idea is not for sure,it s told all were connected to each other with tunnels. All were used by Byzantines as castles to defend the cities in the war times.Among them,the highest one is Uçhisar with 100 meters high.And the whole settlement.But there are stairs to climb up.So you sont miss this gorgeous view…

Cappadocia Tour 2

Kızılçukur: Here is a valley called Rose valley as well because of the color of the rocks there.This is one of the best valleys for hiking in the area.That was also used by Christians at the end of 5 th centuries,so you will explore the cave dwelling used by them,visiting old churches too.When you have a look from a distance up on a hill, you will notice that the valley has a shape like a finger.So whereever you start hiking you come out from same point.The valleys colors also change up to daylight.thats why its the best place to see sunset in the area.

Çavuşin: This is a village used in the early period of Christians having the oldest church of region dating back to 3 rd century.It was exactly settled like a big town where you see lots of cave rooms used as living rooms,sleeping rooms,kitchens,wineries,etc. So all these are waiting for you to explore them. You have a chance to see oldest church of the area which was dedicated to John the Baptist. When you climbed up to the church,try to look at the view from the window.You will love it. There was a big erosion on that area in 1960 s.So unfortunately you cant see the whole settlement.But there are stairs to climb up.So you sont miss this gorgeous view…

Kaymaklı: These are probably the most interesting places to see in the area that you shouldnt miss.These are quite old as well.There are almost 36 cities like this.And they were first used by Hittites and later by Christians like a shelter in the war times.They carved lots of rooms all connected with tunnels.So they lived in here when the cities were invaded by enemies.The longest period people used here was 3 months in the war times.Kaymaklı underground cave is the 2 nd largest one in the area with its 4 levels and 40 meters depth.You have a chance to see the rooms used as sleeping rooms,storage rooms,church,kitchens…

5000 people lived here in one time.It s hard to believe that many lived here.The air condition chimneys and defence systems used in these caves will surprise you during the visit.

Pigeon Valley: This is the valley called Pigeon valley because of the Pigeon houses on them.Pigeons had different uses in the history.Hittites used them for communication,to send massages between the villages.They were also used by Christians to make frescoes in churches as a glaze.It s really interesting that locals still use pigeons to produce fertilizer.They collect their drops to make fertilizers and use them on farms.So you never surprise when you see that many holes made for them everywhere.

Çatalkaya: May be that s known as the most famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia.You here stop to see conical ones with caps on top.There are two big one done small here that s why they are called there beauties by locals.The rocks with caps on top have always an interesting scene cause caps look as if they will fall down but they cant.Cause they are one piece,they are not seperate from body.

Hospital Monastery: It s located almost 1 km far away from Ürgüp town. Here is the first place in the area used as hospital and health center by Christians. It s located in Hallaç Valley where you see lots of caves connected.These are very old places from 2 nd centuries.But they still have very nice simple geometrical patterns on them and sections where they stored medicines,and praying areas. They also made a church called St Paul. This was dedicated to him because of his journey to Cappacocia to spread the religion.

Cappadocia Tour 3

Derinkuyu: These are quite old as well.There are almost 36 cities like this.And they were first used by Hittites and later by Christians like a shelter in the war times.They carved lots of rooms all connected with tunnels.So they lived in here when the cities were invaded by enemies.The longest period people used here was 3 months in the war times.Derinkuyu underground cave is the largest one in the area with its 7 levels and 65 meters depth.You have a chance to see the rooms used as sleeping rooms,storage rooms,church,kitchen,missionary school…10.000 people lived here in one time.The air condition chimneys and defence systems used in these caves will surprise you during your visit.

Ihlara valley:This is another famous valley of the area.It s located around underground caves of Derinkuyu. The valley was also formed after the volcanoes eropsions then eroded by rain. There is a natural spring water passing through the canyon,so that also helped the valley to form that deep after erosions. The canyon was settled by Christians almost for 500 years between 5 th and 10 th centuries. We have almost 10 churches and so many monasteries in the canyon. So that will be awesome to walk by the river in canyon and to visit the caves there.

Selime:Here has the largest monastery in the region used by Christians. It s also end of Ihlara canyon. There is a big catedral on top of monastery which was carved into the rocks as well. They date back to 7 th and 8 th centuries. It was a village by almost 1000 people at that time. The word Selime was given to this area by Seljuks Selime Sultan and there was made a special tomb for Sultan as well and thats from 13 th century.

Yaprakhisar: It s a small village just located at the end of Ihlara Gorge. This is known as Star Wars movie set as well. It has a magnificient

 

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