Trifter

Tucked away in central Turkey, in the middle of fungal like rock formations and fairy caves is the magical village of Cappadocia. Travel the world ten times over and you’ll never find anywhere as mystical or as extraordinary as the underground cities or the dusky coloured chimneys that jut out of the volcanic valleys. A visit to Turkey is not complete without witnessing first hand the various cave towns, rock carved monasteries or underground cities that make up this diverse area.

Image via Wikipedia

The best time to travel to Cappadocia is generally April to mid June and September to October when the temperature is cooler and the summer tourists are few and far between. It is also the best time to source accommodation in a unique cave house, many of which are thousands of years old. Cappadocia itself is ancient, etched out from rocks, the cave dwellings form part of an almost make believe world that astounds visitors over and over again.

Image via Wikipedia

There is much to do, stay in a cave hotel, hike in Pigeon Valley to see thousands of pigeon houses carved into the soft porous rock, take a hot air balloon over the fairy caves, see a performance of the infamous whirling Dervishes or explore the underground cities, whatever your choice Cappadocia bursts with mystical adventures. 

Image by DavidDennisPhotos.com via Flickr

Perhaps one of the greatest discoveries for any tourist is a visit to one of the underground cities. Carved out in the 7th and 8th centuries, be submerged into vast dwellings where Christians were forced to hide from invading Arabs. The two largest communities are located at Kaymakli and Derinkuyu where it is possible to explore the elaborate subterranean tunnels that served as living quarters for thousands of people. Chapels, sleeping areas, kitchens bathrooms and schools have all been discovered amongst the sprawling chambers of this elaborate underground world.

A trip to one of the monasteries that are carved into the hillsides is also a fascinating discovery.  The most impressive of which is the Eskigumus Monastery. The large inner courtyard boasts high walls surrounded by monastic rooms and airy Byzantine frescoes. Feel free to wander around the rooms and chambers, see inner courtyard walls with monastic rooms and storage areas carved from rock.

At every turn something in Cappadocia will leave you breathless. Perhaps the grandest of them all is a hot air balloon ride over the villages and rock settlements. Pilots are able to swoop low dipping deep into the canyons, giving a birds eye view of the incredible topography that makes up one of the most unique places on earth. 

Image via Wikipedia