Places to visit in Cappadocia with Cappadocia Tour

The name Cappadocia is thought to come from the ancient Persian word 'katpatu-ka', but there are also different opinions. In an inscription belonging to Wasusarma, the ruler of the Talba Kingdom that ruled before the Persians in the region, the strength and purity of the horses bred in the region is mentioned. That's why the word katpatuka means 'land of beautiful horses', as is accepted today. It is possible to find traces of the Hittite Empire, the Persian Empire, the Cappadocia Kingdom, the Seljuks and the Ottoman Empire in the history of the region dating back to the beginning of 2 thousand BC. These lands, which have hosted countless civilizations for centuries, offer a unique richness by blending rich historical and cultural features. When talking about fairy chimneys, rock-cut churches, underground cities, the dovecotes peculiar to the region are often overlooked. It was born out of the need for the farmers of the region, who are engaged in pigeonholes, winemaking and grape growing, to use pigeon manure, which is very rich in phosphoric acid and organic matter, in order to get more yield from the vineyards. Chambers have been carved into the rocks to provide shelter for wild pigeons. There are even house-type ones made of cut stone. To visit these exquisite historical places cappadocia daily tour or cappadocia tour when you search as  MyCapadociaTrip We recommend you to view the site by clicking on the site.

The rooms prepared by carving the slopes or the interior of the fairy chimneys have been home to people for hundreds of years. The rooms, which are formed by carving stone cliffs, which can be easily carved and shaped due to the volcanic structure of the region, offer their guests an exquisite accommodation experience.

There are 10 registered buildings and 429 sites belonging to 64 different civilizations in Cappadocia. Due to its cultural and historical richness, it has been included in the regions that should be protected by UNESCO. Traditional Cappadocia houses and dovecotes carved into the rocks are the original architectural structures of the region.

There are options for every budget in Cappadocia. It is possible to find the accommodation option you want anywhere in the region, from hostels to boutique hotels.

You can enjoy riding a horse in Cappadocia. You can discover hidden corners in green villages or pathways. Horse tours are organized daily or hourly.

The balloon tour, which was first started by Lars-Eric Möre and Kaili Kidner in 1991, has turned into the activity that contributed most to the recognition of Cappadocia worldwide. The balloon tour is the most important part of the Cappadocia trip. Cappadocia private tours Take part in the hot air balloon tours in the morning, take an ATV ride in the valleys, take horseback rides, participate in trekking on various routes, stay in rock hotels and caves.

Places to visit in Cappadocia

Cappadocia is like a different planet in the middle of Anatolia. It is a beautiful dreamland that can make you forget the world you live in while wandering through its valleys and canyons. Cappadocia is the name of a very wide geography. Göreme, Ürgüp, Avanos, Uçhisar are the leading regions where nature touches with its magic fingers. But to squeeze Cappadocia into the classic Göreme-Avanos-Ürgüp triangle means impoverishment and injustice to it.

Kaymaklı Underground City:  Cappadocia underground cities are among the places where tourists are most interested. Its history goes back to the Hittite period, but it was most commonly used and expanded during the Byzantine period. In the 2nd century, the first Christians who escaped from Roman persecution came to Cappadocia via Antakya and Kayseri and settled here.

They settled in underground shelters, which they carved into soft volcanic ash rocks. They were able to escape the persecution of Roman soldiers by hiding in underground cities, whose entrances were not easily noticed. Their mysteries are still not fully resolved. Only a small part of these cities, where 30 thousand people can take shelter, are open to visitors.

The most typical features of underground cities are the huge gate stones used to close the tunnels during the enemy attack. These round stones, also called trishaz, are moved from their nests and close the tunnel, and wedges are placed behind them to prevent them from opening from the front. In some underground cities in Cappadocia, there are even stone gates with a diameter of 2 meters and a weight of around 4 tons.

In Cappadocia, there are underground cities such as Özkonak, Özlüce, Tatlarin, which are carved into the rocks, except for Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu, which are the biggest ones. In fact, almost all of Cappadocia is full of six tunnels.

Kaymaklı Underground City is located in Kaymaklı Town, 20 km from Nevşehir. It is a city with 8 floors, a capacity of 5 thousand people, and 20 floors, 4 meters below the ground, are open to visitors. The city, known to have been built by the Hittites with a history dating back to 3000 BC, was expanded during the Roman and Byzantine periods by continuing the carving process.

In this huge underground city carved into tuff rocks, there are rooms and halls connected by corridors, wine stores, water cellars, kitchen and supply stores, ventilation chimneys, water wells, church and large bolt stones that close the door to prevent any danger from outside.

Derinkuyu Underground City: An 8-storey Byzantine underground city located in Derinkuyu district of Nevşehir. Unlike Kaymaklı Underground City, there is a missionary school, a confession place, a baptismal pool and an interesting well. It is on the Niğde highway and 30 km from Nevşehir.

Mazı Underground City: It is located 18 km from Ürgüp and 10 km east of Kaymaklı Underground City. It is famous for its many rock tombs belonging to the Roman and Byzantine periods. The city, which was called Mataza in ancient times, has four different entrances. One of the most magnificent parts of the city, which is thought to have been built to be used for a very long time, with its abundance of animal stables and şırahane, is its church, which can be reached through short corridors opened from the stables.

Dark ChurchIs a domed and four-column monastery built in the 11th century. The church with frescoes in the best condition of Cappadocia. Since it has a small window, very little daylight was able to enter inside, and the richness of color of the ornaments has survived to this day. There are scenes from the New Testament on its domes. Hz. The frescoes of Jesus and his apostles are now protected.

Güllüdere Valley, It is located between Çavuşin and Göreme. There are many churches, monasteries and remains of living areas in the valley. Güllüdere, which is popular as a trekking track where fairy chimney formations can be watched best, is an area that is approximately 4 kilometers long and can only be reached on foot. Three Crossed Church and Ayvalı Church should definitely be seen.

Zemi Valley: It is located on the Ürgüp-Nevşehir Road. The valley extending in the north-south direction to the east of Uçhisar is located between Göreme Open Air Museum. The 5600-meter valley between the beginning of the valley and Göreme is one of the important trails suitable for nature walks. Sarnıç Church, Saklı Church, Görkündere Church and El Nazar Church are places to visit in the valley.

Love Valley or it is also known as Bagiddere Valley. It is a place of 4900 meters, starting from Örencik on the Göreme-Uçhisar road and ending on the Göreme-Avanos road. The valley, where balloon tours are definitely visited according to the weather conditions, is also very suitable for walking between places to visit in Cappadocia.

Uçhisar Castle: It has a location that allows panoramic views of all the places to see in the Cappadocia region. From the summit of Uçhisar Castle, you can see a great geography from Kızılçukur, Ortahisar, Ürgüp, İbrahimpaşa, Mustafapaşa and Gomeda valleys to Göreme, Avanos, Çavuşin, Nevşehir, Çat and Erciyes.

Pigeon Valley: In Cappadocia, where pigeon lofts are densely located, it is a 4100-meter long name stretching from Uçhisar to Göreme. It takes its name from the pigeons that feed in the so-called pigeon houses carved in the valleys. It is a nice trekking route to watch the pigeons and enjoy the view.

Çavuşin Village: Avanos, located on the coast of Kızılırmak, is known for its pottery workshops since the Hittites. Most of the stone houses with courtyards in the village with its abundant hillsides have been turned into ceramic workshops. Ceramic making is the main livelihood of the district.

Paşabağları Ruins: It is a valley where interesting examples of capped fairy chimney formations can be seen. The most photogenic of the impressive Cappadocia Fairy Chimneys are here. It is very close to Zelve on the Goreme-Avanos road. It is also called the Valley of the Priests or the Valley of the Monks. As the name suggests, the valley and its surroundings, a region used by monks as hermitages, are surrounded by souvenir shops.

Saint Simeon Church: It was named after Saint Simeon Stilit, a wandering saint who first came here. It was the favorite retreat of a group of monks, known as 'stilites', who lived on earthly blessings. The monks lived in these fairy chimneys with black basalt cones, sometimes two or even three. In one of the three conical fairy chimneys, there is a small church dedicated to St. Simeon Stilit. There is a hermit cell at the top.

Devrent Valley: It is also called Dream Valley or Perili Valley. It is located in Avanos geography. One end of the U-shaped valley is Dervent, while the other reaches Kızılçukur. The middle part is called Zelve and Paşabağları. The fairy chimneys in the valley, which is only 10 minutes away from Göreme, create silhouettes that can be compared to many animal and human shapes. See the fairy chimney of the Virgin Mary, which looks like an open priestess from afar, in this must-see area of ​​Cappadocia, which is also famous for its fairy chimney where the famous camel figure appears.

Çavuşin Village: It is one of the oldest settlements in the Cappadocia region. It is located on the Göreme-Avanos road, 6 kilometers from Göreme. It is built on a giant rock that was broken and then collapsed and its skirts. One of the many rock carving settlements in the region. What makes this place different from the others is that the newly established village is now intertwined with the old Çavuşin after the evacuation works of the rock houses that started in the 1950s. In other words, this place was left as a living museum different from Zelve.

Guray Museum: The world's first and only underground ceramic museum. It introduces the rich cultural heritage of the region for thousands of years to visitors from all over the world. The tourists visiting the museum, which exhibits the historical development of traditional pottery and ceramic art, experience pottery making themselves when they see all stages of ceramics and pottery production.

Zelve Open Air Museum: It is one of the most striking places of rock-carved living spaces. It is located 5 kilometers from Avanos and 1 kilometer from Paşabağı. Consisting of three valleys, pointed and wide-bodied fairy chimneys are the most concentrated. It became one of the important settlements and religious centers of Christians in the 9th and 13th centuries. To the left of the first valley is a mosque converted from a church. Numerous chapels with crosses and frescoes are rarely seen in the upper and lower parts of the valley. Rare paintings in Zelve are available in churches on the left slope of the third valley. There are Üzümlü Church, Geyikli Church and Balıklı Church, which have red and green vines on their walls, typical examples of the iconoclastic period.

Temenni Hill: Ürgüp is one of the settlements where fairy chimney formations can be seen best in the Cappadocia Region. In the district, where there are small bars and wine houses carved from rocks, the workmanship of rock carvings and stone houses fascinates those who see it. This hill is the place where the mausoleum built for Kılıçaslan by Vecihi Pasha in 1288 is located. There are two important tombs from the Ottoman period here. The cupola in the middle of the hill was previously used as Ürgüp Tahsinağa Public Library. You can see the whole of Ürgüp and Erciyes from the hill. My accommodation recommendation is Fresco Cave Suites.

Three Graces: It consists of two big and one small fairy chimney, which is the symbol of Cappadocia. It is indispensable for Cappadocia tours. These are the most famous fairy chimneys not only in Cappadocia but also in the world. The most photographed fairy chimneys in Cappadocia are again Three Beauties.

Ancient City of Sobesos: Sobesos Ancient City, located in the south of Şahinefendi Village of Ürgüp, is located in the region called Örencik. There are structures that are estimated to belong to the middle of the 4th century and the 5th century of the ancient city of the Roman period. It shows that it was a very developed campus in the past with its administrative buildings, meeting rooms and bathrooms adorned with wonderful mosaics.

Ortahisar: It is an exquisite town that continues the unspoiled local village life of Cappadocia. It is connected to Ürgüp. It consists of tuff rocks in the village center and stone houses carved around it. You will never see a crowd like tourists in Göreme here. More Turkey is known as the cold storage. Citrus fruits grown in the Mediterranean are stored in caves dug into tuff rock in Ortahisar.

Mustafapasa Church:  Mustafapaşa Town has become a region where Christians live heavily. Mustafapaşa, whose old name means Sinasos in Greek, meaning 'City of the Sun', is worth seeing with its local cut stone workmanship, nearly 30 churches, chapels and mansions. Greek masonry can be seen on the facades, door and window frames of the still-standing stone mansions.

Cappadocia is a geography that has been kneaded with tolerance for hundreds of years. People from different religions have managed to live peacefully here and create a common culture. Until the population change in 1924, people from different religions lived together in the town. Asmalı Konak, St. George, St. Vasilios, St. Stefanos Churches, Constantine and Helena Church and St. Basil's Chapel are the most important places to see in Mustafapaşa. It is located 5 km from Ürgüp.

It is impossible not to notice the dovecotes on steep cliffs. When you cross the bridge on the right, within 500 meters, there are small churches Karabaş, Yılanlı, Domed and Saklı Churches carved into the mountains. All of them are signposted and can be visited without the feeling of being in a museum, but the beautiful frescoes are in disrepair. Onion babies unique to the region, which contribute to the livelihood of the local people, are also very nice.

Gomeda Valley: It is located near Üzengi Valley on the Ürgüp-Mustafapaşa road. It is located in the west of Mustafapaşa Town. It is a valley that is less known than other valleys of Cappadocia and where the formation of fairy chimneys is relatively less, but is richer in terms of vegetation. Geomorphologically has a flora similar to the Ihlara Valley. You can visit the St. Basil Church carved into the rocks, the St. Nicholas Monastery and other churches in the valley in the area consisting of churches, monasteries and dovecotes on its slopes.

Damat İbrahim Pasha Complex:  Muşkara, the birthplace of Grand Vizier Damat İbrahim Pasha, is the Ottoman pasha who laid the foundations of today's Nevşehir with his own development plan. The most important building in the village, where bridges, inns, baths, madrasas and mosques were built, is the Damat İbrahim Pasha Complex. Damat İbrahim Pasha Complex, built by İbrahim Pasha between 1726 and 1727 in Nevşehir, is a building group consisting of a mosque, a madrasa, a library, a primary school, a soup kitchen and a bath.

Ihlara Valley: It was formed as a result of the collapses that occurred as the lava containing andesite and basalt from Hasandağı cooled down. Ihlara Valley is located in the Güzelyurt District of Aksaray, Ihlara Town and northeast of Hasan Mountain. Starting from Ihlara and ending in Selime, the valley is 14 km long. Melendiz Stream passes through the middle of the canyon at a depth of 100-200 meters in places. On the 3rd kilometer, at the end of 386 steps, there is a toll entrance.

The first settlement in the valley, formerly known as Peristremma, started in the 4th century. Its sheltered geography made the valley a suitable retreat and worship place for monks and priests, and a good hiding and protection place during times of war. Its frescoed churches carved into the rocks have been preserved and reached today as a historical treasure unlike any other in the world.

The best guide to finding churches in the valley is Melendiz Stream. As soon as you enter the entrance, there is the Ağaçaltı Church on the right. As you take the Melendiz Stream to your right and walk in the direction of the water, after 50 meters comes Kokar Church, and then Sümbüllü Church. When you cross the Wooden Bridge, you will see the Yılanlı Church. At the 7th kilometer, there is Belisırma Village, which is the only place where vehicles can get off.

Those who want to walk the canyon can leave their vehicles at the 3rd kilometer and walk up to the 7th kilometer in 1 hour and 15 minutes. After the walk, it is also enjoyable to have a snack in the open air by the Melendiz Stream. 3 km after Belisırma Town, at the point where the canyon ends, there is a magnificent view of the canyon. Yaprakhisar Village is at the end of the canyon, at the foot of the left foot.

At the foot of the right foot is the Selime Cathedral, the largest monastery of this region, carved into the rock. This is like a playground that should never be missed, with narrow passages, tunnels and gently curved rock formations among tuff rocks. Although it is said that the movie Star Wars was shot here, it is known that the director only came here and did research.

This natural wonder, 40 kilometers from Aksaray and 7 kilometers from Güzelyurt, is a special gift to Cappadocia's visitors. Ihlara Valley visiting hours are 1-31 in the summer period (08.00 April - 19.00 October), 31-1 in the winter period (08.00 October - 19.00 April). Open to visitors 7 days a week. Ihlara Valley entrance fee is 45TL. Museum Card is valid.

Guzelyurt: It is an exciting little-explored town, yet out of the tourist hustle and bustle. An ideal daily route for those staying in Cappadocia for more than two or three days. You can go to Güzelyurt via Nevşehir-Derinkuyu. You will see a crater lake at the turn left at the 72nd kilometer on the road. Although it is so close to the Ihlara Valley, there are few visits to Morphou. However, this stone town bearing the traces of the exchange, formerly known as Gelveri, Manastir Valley, is as interesting as the regions flooded by tourists in Cappadocia. Their houses are, in places, more magnificent than those in Sinasos.

In this region, you come across Hasan Mountain frequently. Where it looks most majestic, it competes with the High Church made of cut stone. During the exchange, before the Greeks here reached the other side of the Aegean with great difficulty, the town, called Karvali in Greek, was an important religious center for the Orthodox.

Gaziemir Underground City and Caravanserai is located in Gaziemir Village, which is 14 km from Güzelyurt and 55 km from Nevşehir. Unlike Cappadocia's other underground city and caravanserai, it hosts both at the same time. The passage at the entrance, made with the Hittite style stone overlay technique, is considered the second of its kind after Boğazkale.

The underground caravanserai, which has been used throughout history in the Byzantine and Seljuk periods, consists of a square in the middle and rooms opened around it. You should see the food storages, stoves, animal shelters and living spaces in the underground city where there are two churches, winemaking workshops and many wine cubes.