This October, a few friends and I crafted a trip to Turkey. Apart from enjoying the local dishes and sweets, we also took our time to explore Cappadocia. The beautiful thing about not going on an organized tour is that you get to choose the places you want to visit and the time you wish to spend there. If you wonder what to see and do in Cappadocia, here are four cultural highlights that left a deep impression on me!
1. Sunrise View in Göreme
In Cappadocia, I got the chance to fulfill one of my dreams: seeing the world-famous hot air balloons, one of the main attractions there. Dozens of hot air balloons fly over the area every day, except when the weather doesn’t allow it. It’s a majestic view that millions of people come to contemplate throughout the year.
I decided to go up to the sunrise viewing point, one of the highest places in Göreme, to take in the whole scene. Even though my hotel offered breakfast with a view of the hot air balloons, I still opted for a walk to this sightseeing point.
As soon as I got to the top, I felt as if I was in a fairytale! Flying in a hot air balloon might be a travel experience of a lifetime, but if you’re on a budget, the sunrise viewing point is a great alternative!
The Göreme Open Air Museum is a must-stop place on your journey around Cappadocia. It is probably one of the most impressive historical locations there.
I didn’t know much about this open air museum and was wondering why it was called that. I found that it was a vast area of several dozens of churches carved in the rocks. There were many well-preserved centuries-old altars and icons painted on the stone walls.
A sightseeing spot of great importance here is the Byzantine Dark Church which is renowned for its barrel vault ceilings and vibrant frescos.
Anyone who roams around Cappadocia will notice that no matter where you go, you can almost always see the towering Uchisar Castle. Being the highest point in the area, this castle can be seen from quite a big distance. The view that opens up from the top will leave you speechless. It’s a 360 panorama of Cappadocia, dotted with interesting rock formations.
There are many openings on the sides of the Uchisar Castle that form passages and tunnels leading to rooms inside the rock. Tourists are not allowed to go in because some of the tunnels and rooms have collapsed or are hard to reach, but you can still enjoy their curious shapes from outside and imagine where they might take you.
Underground cities are another must-see part of Cappadocia. There are more than 30 underground cities in the area that date back many centuries BCE. The Kaymakli Underground City is the widest city discovered so far, while Derinkuyu Underground City is the deepest.
There are a total of eight underground floors at Kaymakli, but only four are open to tourists. The reason is that not all floors are inspected, so there may be more things to be discovered there. Inside Kaymakli, you will see an authentic 80-meter long ventilation shaft that passes through all eight floors. There are also churches, millstone doors, kitchens, storage places, rooms, wineries, stables, and countless corridors. It is believed that Christian populations used to live here for centuries.
Which of these places did you like the most? What are some of the most fascinating places that you have visited recently? Share your experiences and photos in the comments below!
do you know how much is the cost and how long approximately the whole journey in the air will take?