Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia, central Turkey, approximately 1h 15m flight from Istanbul airport to Kayseri airport, is a region of exceptional natural wonders, in particular characterized by fairy chimneys and a unique historical and cultural heritage. Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

Cappadocia consists of a high plateau over 1000 m in altitude that is pierced by volcanic peaks, with Mount Erciyes being the tallest at 3916 m. Due to its inland location and high altitude, Cappadocia has a markedly continental climate, with hot dry summers and cold snowy winters. Rainfall is sparse and the region is largely semi-arid. Cappadocia today spans parts of several provinces, including Nevsehir, Kayseri, Aksaray and Nigde.

The area is a popular tourist destination, as it has many areas with unique geological, historic, and cultural features. Most popular travel photos will include an image of a hot air balloon over Pigeon valley, which is available for travellers in Goreme.

Uchisar in Cappadocia, Turkey

The Cappadocia region is made from sedimentary rocks formed in lakes and streams and ignimbrite deposits that erupted from ancient volcanoes approximately 9 to 3 million years ago. The rocks of Cappadocia near Goreme eroded into hundreds of spectacular pillars. People of the Cappadocia region carved cave dwellings, including houses, churches and monasteries, from the soft volcanic rock, and dug whole underground cities such as Derinkuyu; many can still be seen today. Goreme became a monastic centre in 300-1200 AD.

The first period of settlement in Goreme goes back to the Roman period. The Goreme Open Air Museum is the most visited site of the monastic communities in Cappadocia and is one of the most famous sites in central Turkey. The open air museum contains more than 30 carved-from-rock churches and chapels, dating from the 9th century to the 11th century.

Cappadocia hotels carved from stone rock, cave style

Odyssey Traveller’s Small Group Tour of Ancient Turkey visits some of the most spectacular, varied, and historically important sites in the ancient world. This 21-day small group tour begins and ends in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and seaport, and the place where east meets the west on the Bosphorus strait. Discover Turkey with Odyssey on this guided tour through the ancient world linking the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, Asia and Europe together on this history tour. Our tours are designed for mature travellers, whether joining as a couple or as solo travellers, in groups of up to 16. Our 21-day route from Istanbul to Gallipoli follows the whole journey day by day.

You will stay 3 nights in a cave hotel in Cappadocia (Days 7 to 9 of the tour). On the way in, the group visits one of the region’s underground cities, at Saratlı. On Day 8 there is a chance to book an optional hot air balloon flight (additional cost, weather permitting), where you will have a bird’s-eye view over Goreme National Park, with its famous fairy chimneys, Goreme Valley and Goreme caves.

The same day you visit Goreme Open Air Museum, a vast complex of ancient monasteries carved into the rocky landscape.

We also visit Love Valley, euphemistically named for its distinctive rock structures. On Day 9 we visit Zelve and Pasabag, then Uchisar, a natural citadel full of stairs, tunnels and passages, located at the highest point in Cappadocia. The trip to the top of Uchisar Castle provides a fantastic view of the surrounding region.

On Day 10 the group leaves Cappadocia, walking in the Ihlara Gorge and visiting the Sultanhani Caravanserai, one of the largest Seljuk caravanserais in Turkey, and the Mevlana Museum, the mausoleum of Rumi, in Konya.

Articles about Turkey published by Odyssey Traveller.

• Treasures of the Ottoman Empire
• Turkey: From Anatolia to the Ottoman Empire
• Ten Unimaginable Destinations
• Ten Books for Travellers to Turkey
• Ten Things to See in Turkey

For all the articles Odyssey Traveller has published for mature travellers, click through on this link.

External articles to assist you on your visit to Turkey.

• How to spend 3 days in Istanbul (Drifter Planet)
• 10 Days in Turkey: A Travel Itinerary (Map and Magnets)
• How to travel from Istanbul to Cappadocia (Turkey Travel Planner)