Cappadocia – A land of myths

Originally a tourist destination attracting millions of visitors annually, and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, Cappadocia has two airports located in Northeast and Northwest Goreme (the capital of the Cappadocia region). The flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia takes over an hour. However, wanting to visit Ankara – the capital of Turkey – to see the mausoleum and museum of Atatuk, the outstanding leader and founder of modern Turkey, I flew from Istanbul to Akara and then took a bus from Ankara to Cappadocia.

Before heading to Cappadocia, I visited the Salt Lake, a unique natural wonder bestowed upon Turkey. Not only is it a popular tourist destination, but the Salt Lake also supplies 65 percent of Türkiye's salt production and is a key ingredient in the manufacture of many cosmetic products.

Located on the Anatolian plateau, Cappadocia's surface is primarily composed of soft rock formed from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. Over time and through geological changes, this soft rock has eroded, creating the spectacular landscape we see today. Cappadocia is a popular tourist destination not only for its unique geology but also for its long-standing historical and cultural heritage that remains intact to this day.

Cappadocia can be described as a forgotten, mythical land, somewhat isolated from the modern world. The pristine beauty of the arid highlands and the peaceful way of life are what captivate visitors. The local people maintain a simple and warm lifestyle. Their main occupations are agriculture, handicraft production, selling goods, and occasionally working to serve tourists. They rarely have the opportunity to leave their living area, so they are rather shy but sincere and incredibly hospitable.

To combat the harsh mountainous climate (strong, hot winds in summer, and snow-covered winters), the local people built their homes by carving deep into the cliffs. Many houses, cities, and even a system of churches and monasteries were constructed in this way since Roman times. Today, these cave dwellings still exist and are in use, but most are now used for tourism. Cave hotels are a unique experience and one of the most popular choices for tourists in Cappadocia.

In my personal experience, a trip to Cappadocia requires a minimum of 3 days, with the main destinations concentrated in 3 areas:

The central region of Cappadocia, with its capital Goreme and neighboring towns such as Uchisar and Çavuşin Ürgüp, is always bustling with tourists from all over the world. Each village boasts numerous cave hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, spas and Turkish baths, and mini-markets open until midnight selling everyday necessities. The village of Avanos, in particular, is renowned for its tranquil mountain countryside beauty and is home to some of the world's finest handcrafted pottery and carpets.

Secondly, there are unique and fascinating natural landscapes recognized by UNESCO as World Natural Heritage sites, such as: Pasabag Valley – which in Turkish means "Pacha's vineyard". This valley is also known as Monks Valley, because the rock formations resemble medieval monks wearing hooded robes; and Pigeon Valley, home to many pigeons, where local people have carved houses into the cliffs for the pigeons to shelter and breed.

Finally, there is the heritage area, showcasing a rich cultural and historical heritage, an invaluable asset that the government strictly preserves and protects.

Kaymakli cave city system, underground urban area

To date, archaeologists have discovered approximately 40 underground cities of varying sizes. The smallest areas house a few dozen families, while the largest is the Kaymakli underground city. Remarkably, despite being underground, each family and community had its own well-equipped living quarters. These homes contained not only bedrooms and living rooms, but also kitchens, food storage areas, winemaking facilities, exercise areas, public toilets, and even communication systems that allowed for quick and concise exchanges between households or different levels of the city. The Kaymakli underground city, with its six levels extending deep into the mountain, demonstrates a rudimentary yet ingenious ventilation system. It ensured the survival of a large community with daily cooking activities. Excavations are still ongoing, and it is estimated that over 100 underground cities exist in Cappadocia.

While Istanbul boasts hundreds of magnificent mosques, Cappadocia, on the other hand, is a holy land with countless Christian relics. Prominent among these is the system of monasteries, churches, and chapels built in the early Middle Ages – now the Goreme Open-Air Museum – the most visited attraction in Cappadocia. All the structures here are carved directly into the rock. From these relics, visitors can imagine the austere and simple lives of the monks. Within this complex of 30 rock-carved churches and chapels are countless beautiful ancient frescoes, several relics, and many remains of monks who dedicated their lives to God.

Travellive advises:

Vehicle:

But Plane:

Turkish Airlines has at least two daily flights from other major Turkish cities to Cappadocia, with a baggage allowance of 20kg.

Turkish Airlines operates 8 flights per day from Istanbul to Cappadocia, with a flight time of approximately one hour.

But Buses from major cities to Cappadocia mostly run at night, are high-quality, have Wi-Fi, and are on good, safe roads.

But Motorbikes are available for rent if you want to explore the local tourist attractions on your own.

Hotel:

Four-star hotels, during the off-season, cost around 70-100 USD per room-night, while during peak season, the price can reach 150 USD per room-night.

Some hotels in the central towns of Capadocia:

Goreme Kaya Hotel: 48 rooms including 3 suites, 2 connecting rooms, 1 honeymoon suite, Turkish bath, indoor swimming pool. Website: www.goremekayaotel.com

Anatolian Houses: 9 standard rooms, 13 deluxe rooms, 5 king rooms and 6 presidential suites, Turkish baths, indoor swimming pool. Website: www.anatolianhouses.com.tr

Sacred House Hotel: A unique architectural blend of modern and classic styles, with luxurious interior design. The hotel was formerly a 250-year-old villa built during the Greek occupation. Website: www.sacredhouse.com.tr

Uchisa Kaya Hotel: Website: www.uchisarkayaotel.com

Tour:

But The main points of interest are all included in the Green tour, Red tour, Blue tour, and Orange tour.

But Book a land tour directly at your hotel/local agency or rent a motorbike with a guide for independent travel.

Exploration activities:

But Hot air balloon ride over the valley.

But Explore the Red River by Jet Boat and Gondola

But Explore the Fairy Chimney Valley by Jeep.

Restaurants, Cuisine:

But Plenty of fresh, seasonal vegetables and fruits. This is the region that grows the best fruits in Türkiye, especially apples, cherries, and olives.

But Cappadocia has a special clay pot kebab that you should try. This dish is perfect for eating in winter.

But Enjoy dinner and a show at Evranos restaurant in Avanos town.

"Turkey Night" is a traditional show featuring folk music and dance, belly dancing, and variety acts, hosted by the Evranos restaurant and served with dinner. The restaurant has a capacity of 400 guests and offers a cozy atmosphere with a touch of mystery.

Shopping:

In Cappadocia, the most popular items among tourists are handicrafts: jewelry with natural stones, marble sculptures, ceramics, and hand-woven carpets.

Watching the sunrise from a hot air balloon.

To fully appreciate the magnificent natural architecture of Cappadocia, there's no better option than a hot air balloon tour. A one-hour sightseeing flight costs between $200 and $250 USD. But that's not all; you'll also need a bit of luck, as hot air balloon rides are only possible on days with favorable weather.

The hotel alarm woke me up at 4:30 a.m. It was still dark and quite cold outside. We took a bus from the hotel to the KAPADOKYA BALLOONS company's meeting point in Goreme. It was a low-rise building constructed in a mountain style, with a beautiful grapevine trellis and a large courtyard in front. Inside, there were about 60 guests, all enjoying breakfast with tea, coffee, and pastries, waiting for their departure time.

Twenty minutes later, we continued our journey by bus to an open field. The sun hadn't risen yet, though the night had faded, and the faint light of dawn revealed dozens of giant hot air balloons lying sprawled on the ground. People were beginning to heat the air to erect the balloons, creating a bustling and urgent atmosphere. As the first rays of sunlight appeared, the enormous, brightly colored balloons, "full and inflated," were ready for the expedition. Depending on their size, each balloon could carry 10 to 20 people. Operating a hot air balloon is no simple task. A single hour-long flight in Cappadocia typically requires 20 people working together. Around 5:30 AM, our balloon set off. The pilot skillfully manipulated the fuel tank, the flame shooting high, lifting the balloon into the air, soaring through the treacherous cliffs. At times, it felt as if we could reach out and touch the rock face. More and more hot air balloons are appearing in the sky; on clear days, the number might even exceed two hundred.

After the initial moments of apprehension, anxiety, and exhilaration of their first hot air balloon ride, the group finally settled down and fully focused on admiring the magnificent scenery of Cappadocia as it unfolded in the brilliant morning light. A vast and majestic plateau of rocks stretched as far as the eye could see. From an altitude of 600 meters, it was easy to observe and realize that this land was formed from volcanic rock. With the naked eye, you could see cracks, fractures, and layers of rock that were once the eruptions of lava millions of years ago. Interspersed everywhere were rock pillars eroded by rain, wind, and seawater, growing haphazardly like a forest of mushrooms. The locals call them "monk rocks" because, when viewed up close, the rock pillars resembled monks wearing hooded robes. After half an hour of flight, the hot air balloon descended, allowing visitors to explore the wonders of Cappadocia from a closer distance. The most fascinating part is getting a panoramic view of the cave cities where the ancient inhabitants of Cappadocia once lived. A colossal architectural marvel showcasing the strong sense of community among the ancient people.

After an hour of exciting exploration, the hot air balloon landed safely. A champagne party was ready for the passengers and crew to raise a glass and take souvenir photos. Before saying goodbye, KAPADOKYA BALLOONS Company gave us a pleasant surprise by presenting each participant with a HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT certificate. It was hilarious when the company representative tried to call out the names of the group members in Vietnamese. Of course, to recognize our names, we had to "make an effort to listen and understand." Smiles and tight hugs as we said goodbye brought to a close a wonderful journey and experience.

Text box: “Observed from a hot air balloon, the cave cities have a structure and shape like giant beehives.”

Kapadokya Balloons

• 50180 Goreme, Nevsehir, Turkey
• Tel: +90 3842712442
• Fax: +90 3842712586
• Website: kapadokyaballons.com

You should know:

But Hot air balloon rides are only available on days when weather conditions permit, with tickets costing approximately $200-$250 per person (including breakfast with pastries, tea, coffee, and fresh milk).

But There are two flights per day, each lasting 45 minutes. The first flight departs around 5:30-6:00 AM, followed immediately by the second flight around 7:00-7:30 AM.

But You should dress warmly even in summer because the temperature is quite low in the mountains early in the morning.

But Follow all organizer's regulations to stay safe.

But Be careful with personal devices such as cameras and phones; it's best to have a strap because they can fall off while in a hot air balloon.

A night in a cave hotel.

As a travel journalist, I've been fortunate enough to experience many hotels and resorts belonging to famous international brands and corporations. But the cave-hotel in Cappadocia left a unique and fascinating impression on me.

I'm not sure if my personal feeling is accurate for you, but cave hotels are indeed a very unique type of hotel service. As mentioned, Cappadocia is a region of soft rock formed from volcanic lava, and the local people have carved deep into the mountains to build houses since ancient times, and this unique type of hotel is formed from these cave dwellings.

I arrived in Uçhisar, a popular tourist town in Cappadocia, in the late afternoon. My hotel for the night was the Uçhisar Kaya Hotel – the first cave-style hotel, carved from stone by local artisans in the 1960s – perched on a mountain overlooking the Guvercinlik valley. The hotel lobby was small and charming, decorated in a cozy local style, complete with traditional Turkish patterned carpets. A large basket of fresh, fragrant apples sat at the reception desk, available for guests to enjoy free of charge. The only access to the guest rooms was a staircase leading down long, narrow stone corridors.

Contrary to initial expectations, the hotel is quite large and has many rooms, each with a beautiful view: either overlooking the pool or the valley. The terrace and outdoor pool area are excellent spots if you want to relax, enjoy the view, read a book, have tea, or simply breathe in the fresh mountain air. The best place to watch the sunrise over the valley is the restaurant's balcony. The hotel's architecture and interior design reflect a rustic, cozy local style. The walls, floors, ceilings, stairs, and walkways are all crafted from stone, giving a pleasant feeling both visually and to the touch.

It's incredibly relaxing to end a long day of traveling with a traditional Turkish bath at the hotel's spa and then curl up on a warm bed in a "cave room."

Uçhisar Kaya Hotel

• No. 15 Uçhisar – Nevsehir
• Tel: +90 3842192007
• Fax: +90 3842192363
• Website: uchisakayaotel.com

But The hotel has 77 rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a spa, an outdoor pool, and an indoor pool.

• Located in the ancient village of Uchisar, the hotel is perfect for strolling, sightseeing, and learning about the local way of life.

• From the hotel, it only takes a few minutes to travel to other attractions such as Pigeon Valley (0.3 mi / 0.5 km), Uchisar Castle (0.4 mi / 0.7 km), Roman Castle (2.8 mi / 4.4 km), and Love Valley (3 mi / 4.9 km).

The Thanh