Where in the world can you find underground cities, cave churches, towering volcanoes and undulating rock formations known as fairy chimneys? Welcome to Cappadocia, one of the most unique places on earth.
Many British tourists think of Turkey only as a beach destination, and while there’s no denying the appeal of its sunny coasts, travellers from North America and Continental Europe have long been wise to its more cultural and adventurous charms.
Fairy chimneys
Sitting slap bang in the centre of the country, Cappadocia is an area with a turbulent past – even its geology has been pretty exciting. Nearly 70 million years ago three of the towering mountains were active volcanoes, spewing lava and ash across the landscape.
Layers of this ‘tuff’ have been eroded unevenly over time, leaving strangely-shaped formations behind. Some of these ‘fairy chimneys’ have been turned into homes and some are hotels so you can even stay in one.
For the best views, send clients to Pasabag, where they can see chimneys with shelters built into them by monks. There’s even a small police station built into a chimney. And in the Devrent Valley, also known as Imagination Valley, clients can spot incredible shapes visible in the fairy chimneys there. (Tell them to look out for camels and sea lions.)
Underground cities
Its location meant that trade routes – including the all-important Silk Road – passed through Cappadocia, so it saw the influence of many cultures over the centuries, including Assyrians, Persians, Romans and Byzantines.
The area was so frequently invaded and looted that locals found refuge by living in caverns in the hills and by excavating huge underground cities beneath existing towns, to which they could retreat when danger was near.
Forty-four of these underground cities have been unearthed, ranging in size from small villages to the largest, Derinkuyu, which is 10 storeys deep. Recommend that clients head to Kaymakli, in the south of the region. It’s the second largest, at five storeys, and the easiest to make your way around as there is a circular route so they won’t end up colliding with tourists trying to go the other way.
Built in the seventh or eighth century, it could hold a mind-boggling 15,000-20,000 people – something almost impossible to believe as you crawl through its tunnels, bent double.
A land of caves
As well excavating underground cities, the Cappadocians retreated into their steep valleys and burrowed into the hillsides, forming hobbit-like cave dwellings, which you can see all over the region.
At Zelve, erosion has exposed row after row of cave homes on either side of a valley. On one side there are cave churches; on the other, a cave mosque, evidence that sometimes the Christian and Muslim populations lived in harmony.
The most famous caves are in the Goreme open-air museum. This complex of chapels and monasteries is a draw for religious tourists and curious secular visitors alike. Exquisitely coloured frescos dating from the 11th to13th century are painted all over the walls hidden deep inside the rock.
The most impressive is the Dark Church or Karanlik Kilise, where pigeon droppings coated the walls until the 1950s, protecting the paintings. It took 14 years to scrape the guano off, but the result is spectacular.
The most stupendous cave structures run right up inside large hills. Selime Kalesi was both a fortress and a monastery before becoming a caravanserai – a sort of truck stop for traders – and you can see where camels could be led up inside the mountain caves. Cave fortresses can still be found at Uchisar and Ortahisar, dominating the landscape.
Action and adventure
Whilst it’s possible to enjoy Cappadocia without being immensely fit – I spent a day on an excursion with an American couple in their 70s who managed the underground cities and the mountain caravanserai – it’s certainly a great place for tourists who enjoy being active.
Walking and trekking allows you to lose yourself among its lunar landscapes. We followed a briskly flowing stream along the Ihlara Valley, a deep gash between two sheer faces, before stopping for a well-earned lunch, and also wandered through the imposing Red Valley, just as the flowers and almond trees were bursting into bloom. Mountain biking and horse riding are popular and easy to organise through hotels or tour companies.
Ballooning in Cappadocia
Taking an early morning balloon ride over the stupendous landscape of Cappadocia has long been on the must-do list for visitors to the area. Tragically, a British tourist died after an accident occurred during a balloon ride in May.
Each client will feel differently about what level of risk is acceptable on their holiday, but it may help to give them the facts. Two balloons collided in mid-air, damaging the canopy of the lower balloon which then fell 50 metres to the ground very quickly, killing one passenger and injuring others. This is the first crash in the 20 years that balloons have been flying over Cappadocia.
A spokesperson for the Turkish Tourist Board said that balloons are now flying again as usual, and that safety standards require that all pilots have licences and that companies are monitored by a local association.
The tourist was travelling with Explore, and the operator has sent further groups out to Cappadocia since the accident, but has removed the balloon flight from its itinerary pending further investigations.
Booking activities
All my cultural tours, activities and airport transfers were organised by local ground operator Argeus, who offer 10% commission to agents. Our guide Farouk’s local knowledge was invaluable and there’s no way I would have got the best out of Cappadocia without his help.
More from this week’s Turkey special
- Louise Scott discovers the sophisticated side of Bodrum
- Joanna Booth’s blog posts and photos from Cappadocia
- Read Joanna’s review of boutique cave hotel Serinn House
Sample product
Intrepid Travel offers the five-day independent Cappadocia Explorer trip from £80 per person, including budget hotel accommodation on a twin-share basis and some meals, including dinner with a local family, but excluding flights. intrepidtravel.com, 020 3147 7777
Equine Adventures offers an eight-day Cappadocia Ride tour from £970 per person including flights from London, transfers and twin-share accommodation. Non-riders are also welcome and will have their own guide and driver, exploring on foot and meeting up with the riders in the evening. Intermediate riding ability necessary. equineadventures.co.uk, 0845 130 6981
Explore’s eight-day Cappadocia Freewheel trip explores the region by bike. The trip starts from £875 departing on September 19 or 26 including bed-and-breakfast accommodation in family-run pensions, flights from Heathrow, transfers, bike hire and guiding. explore.co.uk, 0844 499 0904
