Cappadocia: a destination like no other

Look to Cappadocia when planning holidays in Turkey

People always look to Cappadocia when planning holidays in Turkey. The area is rich in historical and cultural heritage, and the region’s landscape, cave-dwellings, and underground cities make it a truly unique part of the world. Here’s three things that every traveller here should do.

Visit the Goreme Open Air Museum

Goreme’s Open-Air Museum is home to a collection of cave-dwellings that have been inhabited for centuries and owe their current fame to the carved out cave-churches made by Medieval Christian Monks.

These rock-hewn churches are covered in majestic frescoes painting in still-vibrant colours. The best preserved example is in the ‘Karanlik Kilise’ (Dark Church), as paintings here have been meticulously restored. Placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1984, Goreme’s Open-Air Museum remains a once in a lifetime memory for the thousands of tourists who come each year.

Clamber aboard a hot air balloon

Hot air balloons are abundant in Cappadocia, often dotting the sky overhead to create a fresco of their own above the landscape. It isn’t hard to see why – Cappadocia’s sweeping landscapes, dry climate and crystal clear days make a perfect environment for ballooning. Cloudless skies allow you to see for miles around, across valleys, orchards, and the world famous fairy chimneys. Views are breathtakingly surreal, making this truly a ride to remember.

Investigate the underground city of Derinkuyu

Cappacdocia possesses stunning scenery, but many of its greatest treasures lie beneath the ground. Dating back to the Byzantine Era, Derinkuyu is the largest underground complex in Cappadocia. Originally designed to hold up to 20,000 people, the city is 18 storeys deep, plunging around 85 metres beneath the earth.

This really was a city, and inside you’ll see wells, stables, kitchens, ventilation shafts and a vast meeting hall. Claustrophobics often worry about visiting, but passages and rooms are surprisingly spacious. The underground city of Derinkuyu is rich with history, so we recommend booking a tour guide.

Cappadocia is the perfect destination for lovers of history, scenery or adventure. Here at Direct Traveller, we can help to put together a package taking into account everything that you want to see in the area, so don’t hesitate to contact us today.