Travelling to Turkey this year was an amazing experience. I enjoyed not only the local cuisine and desserts, but also discovered more about the cultural heritage of Cappadocia. In this post, I want to share with you three natural rock formations in Cappadocia that can easily be explored on a bicycle.
It’s safe to say that this place made the biggest impression on me and left me speechless. Walking around and over these cotton-white rock formations that resembled giant chimneys felt like a dream! They looked as if someone had intentionally decorated all of them in the same way, while they were just nature’s unique creation. Many of the rocks had holes in them that served as chapels and even homes for the Phrygians people and later on for the Christian population.
You might wonder why the Rose Valley is called that since there are no roses there, but rocks. The name comes from the peculiar pinkish color of the rock formations that is created by minerals found only in this part of Cappadocia. Throughout the day, you can see how the formations get more and more pink, with the pink hue becoming the strongest at sunset. This is also the perfect time to visit the Rose Valley.
Over the course of centuries, the sharp ridges turned into a corrugated landscape. Today, lots of people ride ATVs around the formations, which certainly adds to the experience! I highly recommend including this spot in your travel plans.
The Love Valley undoubtedly adds to the uniqueness and richness of impressive rock formations in Cappadocia and attracts a lot of tourist attention. The mushroom-like formations in the valley are all natural, but the human mind can relate them to different everyday objects.
Hiking the Love Valley is quite an experience; there are dozens if not hundreds of formations. Interestingly, there’s also a wishing tree up at the Love Valley viewpoint, decorated with Nazar Boncuk charms, also known as Turkish Eye Beads, that are believed to keep people from harm.
Which of these places did you like the most? Are there similar places in your country? Share with us in the comments below.
@TsekoV thanks for sharing such an amazing photos & details of place. I also love to explore new heritage & historical place. Photos are truly fantastic.
