Kapadokya (Cappadocia)

Kapadokya is the ancient and modern name of a remarkable region in Central Anatolia. It is a geological wonderland which is sometimes considered to have covered a triangular area between Kayseri, Nigde, and Kirsehir, or more specifically, a smaller triangular area from Urgup to Avanos and to Nevsehir. Renowned for its awe-inspiring natural rock formations - which were utilized for everything from housing to churches and even complete underground villages - Cappadocia is as magical today as it was when early farmers discovered the fertile powers of the volcanic ash that covered the area thousands of years ago. Cappadocia became a haven for the first Christians, who ultimately carved more than 3,000 churches in the porous rock, painting many of them inside with splendidly preserved scenes from the Old Testament.

Places to visit: Göreme, Uçhisar, Kaymakli, Avcilar and Pasabag, Carpet Factory in Avanos.

Göreme: The open air museum of Göreme consist of steep cliffs and many hidden churches dating from the second half of the 9C and afterwards.

Uçhisar: Uçhisar is the name of a town and the fortress in the town. This 60 meter-high fortress was not built but carved out of a natural hill dominating the area with a breathtaking view of all the surrounding Cappadocia formations.

Kaymakli: Remarkable underground city of Kaymaklı. Beginning in the second century AD, as successive armies swept across Asia Minor, the resident of Cappadocia created uniquely defensible communities by digging approximately eight stories down into the volcanic tufa stone.

Avcilar and Pasabag: These are the perfect places to take photos of a remarkable landscape of tufa cones.

Carpet Factory: Here, you will have a chance to learn about all aspects of this traditional Turkish art and craft, from silkworm cultivation, to spinning, dyeing and the traditional patterns and weaving techniques. Avanos is a small town famous for its pottery and carpets. It is built along the banks of Kizilirmak (Halys) River, the longest river originating and ending within the borders of Turkey.