Top 5 Things To Do in Cappadocia
Cappadocia as a Tourist Destination
Cappadocia is one of those places on planet Earth where you feel like entering a totally different landscape. The far-reaching rocky crop consists of more than 30 underground cities, many of which have not been excavated entirely. The entire region is formed of spaces made within the rocks, whether it’s a house, a hotel, or even a restaurant. The endless vista offers plenty of hiking opportunities, from the easy trails to the long ones that test your strength. The hot air balloons dot the sky, and even when you are not on a balloon, it just feels great to see them float overhead like a scene from a sci-fi movie. Key villages include Göreme and Uchisar, either of which opens up a gateway to the magical land.
The strange rocky chimneys offer wondrous views and many photogenic moments. Some of the most popular trails include the Rose & Red Valley Trail, the Ihlara Valley Trail, the Love & Pigeon Valley, and the Imagination Valley. Unless you have plenty of time to explore all the trails, plan ahead and decide on the particulars of the things to do in Cappadocia. The Ilhara Valley Trail deserves a very special mention for the river that flows within, and the lush greenery, which is a pleasant contrast to the greyish rocks you see around.
The rock-cut churches add a spiritual dimension to the Cappadocia experience. The most famous churches include the Jacinth Church, the Kokar Church, the Kirdamalti Church, and the Dark Castle Church. The Direkli Church is supported by soaring columns, with the walls decorated by frescoes that might as well be a thousand years old! The ambiance is sublime, and you can almost feel the Holy Spirit whispering magical realizations into your being. Exploring the underground cities forms the highlight of the tour, at places where you can go down to eight floors beneath the surface to explore the eerie atmosphere.
Things To Do in Cappadocia
1. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise
Of all the must-visit places in Turkey, the village of Göreme is a popular destination. From this spot in Cappadocia, almost 200 hot air balloons soar into the sky, with weather permitting. You are introduced to the breathtaking scenery of the valleys, stretching for miles in silence. As you defy gravity to be lifted in a balloon, maybe you can feel your spirit lifted to the very essence of silence that Cappadocia signifies.
The balloons are handled by experienced operators who make every arrangement to fly only when the weather is right. A typical ride lasts for one hour, and this is going to be an hour that you will never forget. Sailing high over the rocky landscape, you get a beautiful glimpse of how amazing Cappadocia is, with the soft glow of the sunrise illuminating the fairy chimneys. A luxury ride is usually concluded with a champagne toast, which is a great way to celebrate the experience. To witness the Turkish sun rise over the eternal landscape is a surreal experience, something that you should not miss out on.
2. Explore the Goreme Open-Air Museum
As you set foot in Cappadocia, a whole world of Turkish delights slowly unravels before your eyes. The unique rock formations, the ancient cave dwellings, the welcoming people, and the vibrant hot air balloons connect like a collage, creating a surreal kaleidoscopic experience. Yet, if you are still thinking of things to do in Cappadocia, even after exploring the region for a week, you should try to visit the open-air museum. This museum, or the expanse of rocky wilderness, encircles a sanctuary of spiritual precincts carved in the rock since ancient times.
The saint slaying the dragon is a recurrent theme of the frescoes depicted inside these Byzantine rocky labyrinths. In your imagination, you might come to believe that this large rocky landscape was once the habitat of Leviathan, the dragon mentioned in the Bible, captured by the hand of God (Job 41)! If you want to know the Göreme open-air museum timings, it’s open from 8 to 5. The admission fee is generally 300 Turkish Liras, but there might be additional fees over the Göreme museum ticket price.
3. Hike through the Fairy Chimneys in Pasabag Valley
Discovering the Pasabag is an experience of majestic serenity. An overwhelming silence can be perceived in the strangest of landscapes, where giant rocky mushrooms are revered as fairy chimneys, where monks of old prayed for salvation. This place is also known as the Monks ‘ Valley, where ordained priests of the Almighty lived in seclusion from the tangible world. These mushroom rocks look like the tops of Orthodox Russian churches, creating a mystical landscape where you may finally discover the meaning of peace.
The best time to visit Cappadocia varies according to your priorities. If you would love to fly on a balloon, you should come here between June and August. Spring is a good time to see the wildflowers in bloom. For witnessing snow fall over the rock, you will have to visit in winter. Many of the rock mushrooms have cave dwellings inside them, some of which have two to three succeeding levels. You can travel up to a higher level and witness a view like one the monks used to see.
4. Discover the Underground Cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli
To explore Cappadocia as a mere tourist attraction is a superficial way of denoting the natural spectacle. The seemingly endless rocky landscape is ancient, and glitters with the stories of monks living in fairy chimneys and entire villages disappearing below the ground to hide from death. Also, there is this story of the dragon and the saint, and how the beast was slain. The labyrinths of the underground cities look like the insides of a dragon in the eyes of imagination, and you can also imagine how strange life must have been to live eight tiers below the earth. Derinkyu is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Turkey, and it is almost synonymous with the neighboring Kaymakli.
The red arrows show you down, and the blue arrows show you up. Don’t mix them up! Following the arrows, you are directed to the strangest of subterranean spaces where thousands of people lived together for days on end. These cities have churches, stables, kitchens, living quarters, and huge halls, still marveling at the super strangeness of it all.
5. Watch the Sunset from the Red Valley
The Red Valley shines the strangest among all the valley trails in this region, with the red of the parting sun reflected on the rocks. If you have started your day at sunrise on a hot air balloon the other day, take the time to walk to the Panorama Lookout, where nature unveils a majestic spectacle at the end of every day. The sunset point is one of the best highlights of Cappadocia as a tourist destination, as you can see through miles of rocky formations and fairy chimneys slowly disappearing into the night.
The dissipating colors of the orange sun touch the rock faces in shadows and textures, creating spectacular views that remain forever in your memories. You may choose to hike the Red Valley and the adjoining Rose Valley on a single day, to be on time for the sunset on the Panorama Lookout. The vivid imagery of the striated rocks and the sun creates a heavenly view that may not be fully described in words.
