They say there are few places in the world where you can get a good night’s sleep in a cave and Cappadocia in Turkey is one of them. The landscape is visually stunning and the most popular way to enjoy the scenery is by taking a hot air balloon ride. The region’s landscape was formed around 30 million years ago when volcanic activity covered it with ash. Hence, it is a land of plains as well as rugged mountains and volcanoes. It is highly unlikely for a tourist to travel for a few miles and not come across something colorful from the region’s past.
Things to do in Cappadocia
There are many things to see and do in Cappadocia and tourists typically require a couple of days to be able to experience all the main attractions of Cappadocia. Apart from a hot-hair balloon ride, other activities would include visits to the historic cave churches, hiking in the valley and attending chamber music concerts.
The Fairy Chimneys in Cappadocia are one of the most complex wonders made by man. The early inhabitants of region believed fairies lived under the ground. For this reason, the unique valleys and unusual rock formations are known as Fairy Chimneys. These structures can attain a height of up to 40 meters and have conical shapes.
UNESCO recognized the Rock Sites of Cappadocia along with the Gerome National Park as a World Heritage Site in 1985.
Where is Cappadocia ?
Cappadocia is located in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It extends from Kayseri west to Aksaray.
Cappadocia Map
Facts about Cappadocia
- It’s easy to assume that volcanic deposits would not have left the possibility to grow anything here but the opposite of that is true instead. The deposits ended up making the area extremely fertile and apricots, sugar beets, chickpeas amongst many other things are all grown here locally.
- There are many vineyards and wineries in Cappadocia since the region is one of the prime grape-growing areas.
- Cappadocia means “land of beautiful horses” in Persian but ironically there are not too many horses in the region today.
- Fairy chimneys were a hiding place for early Christians who fled persecution from the Romans and then later from raiding Muslims.
Must Read : 8 things to know about the underground city, Cappadocia
Best time to visit Cappadocia
April to June is the best time to visit Cappadocia since the weather is moderate and temperatures are cool. July and September can get really hot as well as busy and the major tourist spots are crowded and expensive. The region experiences fairly cold winter as well, which lasts between December and early March. Visits during the winter season should definitely include skiing since the ski slopes at Mt. Erciyes have ideal conditions for the activity.
Nearby Attractions : Aksaray, Avanos, Derinkuyu, Ihlara Valley