Tailor-Made Experience Cappadocia with Local Expert Guide

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Göreme Open Air Museum. The Göreme Open-Air Museum is a rock-cut settlement that was home to a vibrant monastic life from the 4th to the 13th centuries AD. Churches, chapels, refectories, and living spaces are carved into the rock blocks in an area forming a valley. The Göreme Valley is considered the birthplace of the monastic education system, a system later seen in Soğanlı, Ihlara, and Açıksaray. In the churches, geometric decorations used in the early periods of Christianity can be seen in the earliest layers of paint, while later frescoes depict scenes from the Bible and the life of Jesus. Visiting sites at the Göreme Open-Air Museum include the Monastery of the Girls and Boys, the Church of St. Basil, the Elmalı Church, the Church of St. Barbara, the Yılanlı Church, the Karanlık Church, the Çarıklı Church, and the Tokalı Church. The Göreme Open-Air Museum has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 6, 1985, as a natural and cultural asset.

   1 h

2. Cappadocia is the place with the highest concentration of unique, mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys with multiple heads and bodies. There is also a chapel dedicated to Saint Simeon, monks' cells, and carved monasteries.

   45 min

3. Zelve Archaeological Site, consisting of three valleys, is the area with the highest concentration of fairy chimneys in the Cappadocia region. This area, a natural wonder, was an important settlement and religious center for Christians between the 9th and 13th centuries; the first religious seminars for priests took place in this region. The most important churches in the valley, Balıklı, Üzümlü, and Geyikli churches, date back to before the Iconoclasm period (728-842). There is also a chapel dedicated to Saint Simeon and many rock-cut dwellings. In the valley, which was inhabited until 1952, monasteries, churches, settlements, as well as structures such as tunnels, mills, and glass can be seen.

   40 min

4. The island is particularly known for its rock formations resembling various figures such as camels, seals, and crocodiles.

   15 min

5. Kızılırmak River: The Kızılırmak River flows through the middle of the district, and historical stone bridges and suspension bridges connect the two banks. Economy and Culture: Pottery made with the red soil brought by the Kızılırmak River and historical carpet weaving are the most important sources of livelihood. Places to Visit: Swinging Bridge, historical stone bridge, pottery workshops,

   1 h

6. The valley's name originates from a local legend of two lovers from feuding families who defied their differences. Despite their union, the conflict continued and ended in tragedy. According to the legend, divine powers created the valley's formations as a symbol of eternal love and a warning against discord.

   20 min

7. Located in the town of Kaymaklı, 20 km south of Nevşehir, the Kaymaklı Underground City, with its 8 levels (4 of which are open to visitors), is one of the largest underground settlements in the region. Founded during the Hittite period (3000 BC), this massive structure was expanded during the Roman and Byzantine periods, becoming a complex containing churches, wine cellars, kitchens, and stables, capable of sheltering thousands of people.

   1 h

8. Pigeon Valley is a valley stretching from Uçhisar to Göreme, containing ancient caves formed from a soft layer of lava and ash. It takes its name from the dovecotes carved into the soft rock by the local people for the pigeons they keep.

   15 min

9. Ortahisar Castle offers panoramic valley views and sunset spots.

   20 min

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 133% above the median of the 555 day trips we list in Goreme.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• 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