6 Fabulous Places and Things to do in Cappadocia

Planning to go to Turkey? Well, your visit might be incomplete without a visit to Cappadocia, the city with a rich history and amazing scenery. Trust us, this city will keep you amazed and dazzled and craving for more.

Cappadocia is a historical city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. With vague boundaries, it has an area of 98.83 square kilometers. It has a continental climate with hot, dry summers, and cold, snowy winters. It sees sparse rainfall and the area is mostly semi-arid. The city is 1,000 meters above sea level, with volcanic peaks reaching up to 391 meters. The peak season to visit is between July and August when the average temperature ranges up to 34℃. We have made a list of 6 things to do and places to visit in Cappadocia, especially for you.

Goreme

Goreme has been rated among one of the most beautiful villages in the world by several travel magazines due to several reasons. It is amazingly photogenic and cute, being half-buried on a hill. There are several cave rooms under the stone houses. The famous Evil-Eye Church (El Nazar Kilise) and Hidden Church (Sakli Kilise) are both just a short walk away from the center of the town. The tourists prefer to take a walk up the hill, having many treks; leading up to the hidden caves, churches, and amazing panoramic viewpoints.

Goreme Open-Air Museum

This one-of-a-kind open-air museum is situated right outside the Goreme village on a UNESCO-protected site. It is a monastery having rock-cut churches and cells that house amazing frescoes. This amazing complex was made between the 10th to 12th centuries, during the Byzantine empire. At that time, Cappadocia was an important religious center for the Byzantine empire. The important churches and chapels here include; Azize Barbara Sapeli (Chapel of St. Barbara) with red-ochre interior decoration, Elmali Kilise (Apple Church) with an Ascension fresco located above the door, Yilanli Kilise (Snake Church) with the wall paintings of St. George, and the Tokali Kilise (Buckle Church) with its amazing wall-paintings. This open-air museum is one of the top highlights of Turkey and the most visited and famous tourist attraction of Cappadocia.

Hot Air Ballooning

Cappadocia is famous for its hundreds of hot-air balloons flying over the city every day. The first commercial passenger balloon in Turkey was operated in 1991, and more than 200 hot air balloons by more than 25 companies are registered now. These balloons fly almost 250 days of the year and fly nearly 2000 people a day. The flight operators on these balloons are registered and trained by the aviation authority. They undergo regular examinations for safety and medical checks. They can reach up to 3,000 feet above ground level. From there, you can witness the amazing panoramic views of Cappadocia such as valleys full of fairy chimneys. You can also see the rock formations and Goreme town. The balloons can get to the speed of 2-22 KM per hour, depending upon the wind speed.

Kaymakli Underground City

The underground cities of Cappadocia were first explored in the Bronze Age Hittite era, but are most famous for their link to the early Byzantine empire in the 6th and 7th centuries. During those times, Christians in the area used to hide out in these tunnels for long periods to escape from the Arab and Persian invaders. The Kaymakli Underground City of Cappadocia has a channel of rooms connected by several tunnels that are spread over eight levels. Four of these levels are open for tourist exploration. Heading down these tunnels is a one-in-a-lifetime amazing experience. However, these can be narrow at points, making it difficult for claustrophobic people to survive.

Derinkuyu Underground City

The Underground city of Derinkuyu in Cappadocia is the deepest underground shelter. It was also used by the Christian community of early times to hide from invaders, like Kaymakli. In some places, the tunnels are quite claustrophobic, getting deeper and deeper into the ground. In this underground maze, there is a cavernous chapel area and many storage areas to be explored. Here, you can also witness the ingenious ventilation shaft system developed by the inhabitants. This is comparatively less popular with few tourists heading this way, so you can explore it fully without being disturbed by the crowds.

Red & Rose Valleys

Between the villages of Goreme and Cavusin, the most beautiful valleys of Cappadocia lie. Here you can witness the rolling and rippling rock faces coming out in different colors of pink, yellow, and orange cliffs. These formations are made by volcanic eruptions, explosions, and water erosions. Between these cliffs, lush orchards and vegetable plots are taken care of by local farmers. You can also find hidden hideouts and churches, which were made during the Byzantine empire. There are many hiking trails here as well, where you can go up to the top and witness the amazing panoramic scenery.

Posted by Ahmad Saud

Content writer, Traveler, and Partnerships Executive.