Hidden Cappadocia

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. The region of Cappadocia is located in the middle of a once-active volcanic area of central Anatolia. Millions of years ago three of its mountains - Erciyes, Hasandağ and Güllüdağ - were active volcanoes; indeed this activity persisted intermittently at least into the Neolithic period according to the prehistoric paintings. The volcanic eruptions were so strong that in some places the lava was up to 150m in thickness. Over many millions of years, volcanoes, wind, rain and ice sculpted the region which we now know as Cappadocia. As the landscape was eroded, basalt stones remained and formed conical structures with some reaching as high as 45m. The local people referred to these unique rock formations "fairy chimneys", a name that has endured throughout the ages. If nature was the first artist to arrange the decor, it was Anatolian man who carved the rock and built houses, churches and over 250 underground cities out of it over the centuries.

2. Kaymakli, one the largest and most important underground cities in Cappadocia, has all the accommodation needed for a community to live underground. The multipurpose rooms and halls are connected to one another by narrow corridors. Turkey's Cappadocia region is famous for its subterranean safe cities carved from soft tuff. These underground cities, which are among the most interesting cultural richness of Cappadocia, take tourists from all over the world on a mysterious journey every year. The underground cities in Cappadocia, interconnected by corridors, were used as hiding places by Christians in the 7th century. These subterranean cities were self-sufficient cities with granaries, stables, rooms, kitchens and ventilation systems. The most famous underground cities uncovered until now around Cappadocia are found in Derinkuyu, Kaymakli, Tatlarin, Ozkonak, Mazi and Ozluce. Derinkuyu Underground City and Kaymakli Underground City were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

3. The churches of St. Theodore and Pancarlık in Ürgüp have been decorated with a good amount of religious belief. The town of Sinasos (Mustafapasa) is six kilometres south of the town of Ürgüp, which is renowned for its splendid in stone. The chapel of St Basil has motifs that reflect the iconoclastic system of thought. Sinasos is a must see old Greek town in the region.

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Know before you go

How it compares in Goreme

• Its from-price is 263% above the median of the 555 day trips we list in Goreme.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Goreme

Göreme sits in the heart of Cappadocia, a surreal landscape of fairy chimneys, cave churches and dawn skies filled with hot-air balloons.

Göreme's houses and hotels are carved into soft volcanic rock, and the town is ringed by valleys of cone-shaped fairy chimneys shaped by erosion. The Göreme Open-Air Museum gathers rock-cut monasteries and churches whose frescoes, painted by Byzantine monks, still glow with colour, especially in the Dark Church.

Top-ranked sights in Goreme: Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik Vadisi), Devrent Valley (Devrent Vadisi), Monks Valley (Pasabag Vadisi).

See all 1935 experiences in Goreme