Cappadocia, an amazing valley in Turkey

Nature is capricious and sometimes gives us the possibility of contemplating surprising places that we could not even imagine in dreams. Another wonderful place in Turkey, as well as the Pamukkale, the cotton castle, is one of those places that are not forgotten. Do not miss you, its spectacular travels the world by word of mouth and next to Istanbul and Cappadocia is one of the most visited places in Turkey

Especially, in the Cappadocia region, where the combination of a very particular geology, the meteorological phenomena and adaptability of the human being has given rise to landscapes that seem to mix between elements of science fiction and prehistoric.

Cappadocia is located in the central region of the Anatolian peninsula, in Turkey.

In an area of ​​about fifty kilometers in diameter the landscapes, with countless valleys, canyons, hills and some of the strangest rock formations on the planet, surprise by their capricious forms, and unique on the planet.

Next, we begin a tour of some of the natural wonders of Cappadocia, a land where man over thousands of years, knew how to adapt to the landscape, modeling on the rock some of the most incredible cities in the world.

A historical site of great cultural value recognized as a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Cappadocia’s landscapes

Cappadocia comprises a landscape modeled for thousands of years by rains and winds. But because of the composition of the land, a lava deposit between volcanic mountains whose activity has been extinct for about 2 million years, resulted in a unique geological formation in the world.

The landscapes of Cappadocia resemble «lunar postcards» thanks to the composition of the earth, called a calcareous tuff, a substance weak enough to be modeled with capricious forms by natural erosion and by man.

The Cities of Cappadocia

The landscapes of calcareous tuff were ideal for humans to easily build their houses on the rocks, in the form of caves and caverns.

Over thousands of years, entire cities were modeled amid huge rocky headlands.

The cities are incredible, the houses, temples and even monasteries of some of them, are dug in the rock, and even, some dwellings shared by several families, are found in different levels within a rock, as if it were a building .

The houses and temples carved in the rock

The houses of the cities and towns of Cappadocia, dug in the rocks, were home to the inhabitants of the region, and resemble scenographies of many fiction films. Instead of building buildings, the benefits of the terrain were simply used to dig and model rooms on the rocks.

From houses, to temples and monasteries, many of Cappadocia’s caverns are still inhabited today.

The chimneys of the fairies

As if it were stone towers eroded by rain, fairy chimneys are towers with “hat” with heights that can exceed 40 meters, a very common formation in the landscape of Cappadocia.

In some areas, the concentration of fairy chimneys is so high, that they become points of tourist interest, known simply as Valleys of the Chimneys.

Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia

If there is something that is on the list of any traveler is to ride a balloon in Cappadocia. This activity can only be done at dawn (you have to get up at 4 in the morning), but it will certainly be worth it. That you do not throw back the price, it will be to live something that you will never forget.

Pigeon Valley

The Pigeon Valley receives this name because it houses innumerable rock-carved pigeons. In Cappadocia, a lot of value is given to their droppings, which are a great fertilizer, and owning doves is a sign of wealth.

City of Avanos, the potter

Avanos is well known for pottery, a local business. It is divided by the Kizirlimak, the longest lake in Turkey. It is relatively large and has a lot of life.

Imagination Valley (Devrent)

They say that the Valley of Imagination is a stone zoo. His most famous figure is the camel, but some say he sees snails, snakes, and even the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus.

Tips for traveling to Cappadocia

Wear comfortable shoes to walk on the uneven floor.
Book for the balloon every day possible.
Rent a car to move freely.