Things to do in Cappadocia
The towns of Cappadocia each have their own unique flavour and appeal, so visitors exploring the region will have plenty of activities and sightseeing opportunities to enjoy. Goreme is often considered the heart of the region, with its fairy Chimneys, wonderful hotels, restaurants, carpet merchants and beautiful antique shops. The friendly residents openly welcome tourists to their little town, so this would be a good place to start an adventure through the countryside.
Like Goreme, the many other enchanting villages in the region are carved out of the hillsides and each will hold their own little treasures: Byzantine rock-cut churches with dazzling frescoes and labyrinthine underground cities, where early Christians once hid from invaders. With so much history and truly unique landscape and architecture, Cappadocia really is a magical wonderland that both nature-lovers and history-buffs can appreciate.
Goreme Open-Air Museum
The Goreme Open-Air Museum is the most visited of the monastic communities in Cappadocia and is one of the most famous sites in central Turkey. It's a complex comprising more than …
Goreme Open-Air Museum
The Goreme Open-Air Museum is the most visited of the monastic communities in Cappadocia and is one of the most famous sites in central Turkey. It's a complex comprising more than 30 rock-hewn churches and chapels, which contain some superb frescoes, dating from the 9th to the 11th centuries. Inconspicuous from the outside, the interiors are characteristically Byzantine with a central dome and a floor plan in the shape of a cross. The three-columned churches, the Elmali, Karanlik and Carikli churches are the best known, and are superbly painted. The largest and best preserved is the Tokali Church, its interior walls covered in some of the richest frescoes in the region, depicting scenes from the New Testament.
Underground Cities of Cappadocia
For much of history, Cappadocia was overlooked as a dusty, barren landscape, making it an ideal refuge for early Christians who established some of the region's first communities. …
Underground Cities of Cappadocia
For much of history, Cappadocia was overlooked as a dusty, barren landscape, making it an ideal refuge for early Christians who established some of the region's first communities. They carved chambers, vaults and labyrinthine tunnels into the soft volcanic rock to create churches, stables and homes. Among the 40 known underground settlements, Derinkuyu and Kaymakli are the largest and most fascinating, with Christian inhabitants seeking shelter from Arab invasions in the 7th century. These underground cities were designed as well-hidden, self-sufficient complexes, capable of housing up to 30,000 people. The most extensively excavated is Derinkuyu, which spans eight floors and includes stables, a school room, dining halls, churches, kitchens, living quarters, wine cellars, storerooms and even a dungeon. Remarkably, original airshafts are still functional, and the maze of tunnels and rooms remains well-lit.