Highlights Of Cappadocia Tour

Highlights of Cappadocia Tour

Cappadocia boasts a multitude of captivating structures, each with intriguing stories reflecting various civilizations. Some of these narratives date back to ancient periods, including the Chalcolithic era and the Hittites. The region also bears the imprints of Turkish civilizations such as the Seljuk and Ottoman. Furthermore, the cultural heritage of Cappadocia is enriched by the presence of cave churches, monasteries, and underground cities, crafted by the early Christians who sought refuge in the valleys to escape Roman persecution. These represent some of the most significant cultural treasures in Cappadocia. To enhance your day, you can savor the unique dishes indigenous to the region.

ITINERARY

Your day begins with a hotel pickup at the designated time, usually between 9:45 and 10:00 am. The tour commences with a brief stroll through the Imaginary Valley (Devrent Valley), where you’ll be captivated by the sight of the pointed fairy chimneys and the mesmerizing natural landscape they’ve sculpted, transporting you into a realm of imagination.

Following this, you’ll explore the Goreme Open Air Museum, a true treasure of Cappadocia’s rich heritage, renowned worldwide for its medieval cave paintings. The site features approximately 10 cave churches, alongside refectories, cave residences, and a religious school, all meticulously carved into the rocky formation, forming an expansive monastic complex.

Subsequently, we will explore Paşabag (Monk Valley), which boasts a chapel and living quarters where Cappadocian monks sought solitude for worship and retreat. We’ll also visit Cavusin Village, known for its rock castle and troglodyte residences, which were inhabited by people until the 20th century.

After enjoying a local lunch, we’ll head to Avanos, renowned for its centuries-old pottery tradition. Here, you’ll witness a captivating pottery demonstration at one of the local workshops. Our journey will then take us to the Goreme Panorama, where you can take a break and enjoy a splendid view of Goreme and Uchisar Castle, the highest peak in the region, offering a panoramic vista of all of Cappadocia and Erciyes (Argeus) Mountain. Our final destinations include the Kaymaklı Underground City, an intricate labyrinth of tunnels and numerous chambers, extending eight levels beneath the Earth. Although only four levels are accessible to the public, its history traces back to the Hittite and Phrygian eras, and it expanded over the centuries. The dwellings you’ll explore were carved by early Christians during the 9th and 10th centuries, intended to shield them from invaders who ventured into Central Anatolia seeking captives and plunder.

The tour will finish around 5:00-5:30pm and we will drop you at your hotel.