Cappadocia is a unique area of Turkey and you are unlikely to find anything else like it. The fairy chimneys, rock landscapes, cave hotels and hot air balloon trips make it a fantastic destination to visit. Browse through the articles below and comment if you have any questions or information to add. Don't forget you can also join in the discussions on Facebook.
In my opinion, the Panoramic Viewpoint of Esentepe, Goreme is a tacky, touristic spider web. Tourism agencies regularly visit it while taking customers on excursions around Cappadocia. It is marketed as a toilet stop; place for refreshments and of course a wonderful landscape view. Located between the small towns of Uchisar and Goreme, what the guides forget to mention is the dozen or so tacky … [Read more...]
This week’s Sunday Snap is the view from Selime Monastery. This is a place in Cappadocia and you will probably go and see it if you buy one of the many tours sold by excursion shops in Goreme Town. About Selime Monastery The monastery dates back to the 13th century and in true Goreme style, it is basically a sophisticated cave. Meaning the monks carved their home out of the caves and if you … [Read more...]
I received an email from a reader who was asking where to stay in Cappadocia... D wrote... "I was wondering, which town should I make my base? Goreme, Urgup, Uchisar, or...? Which would be the most quaint (for lack of a better word) town to stay, although, I would love to see all 3 towns mentioned and/or more if possible. Having said that, I am also interested to see and experience the … [Read more...]
My long-suffering husband says I am every hotelier’s worst nightmare. I am not a habitual complainer but am critical of everything from the décor to the cleaning to the staff attitude. As soon as I enter a hotel, I start thinking, “What would I do if this were my business?” I am not sure why I do it. Maybe it is because I have worked in a Turkish hotel before and seen what goes on behind … [Read more...]
Lately I have been breaking off from my Cappadocia posts to write about other thoughts and my recent Bodrum trip. However last night, I started looking through photos so I can put together my last posts on the amazing region of Cappadocia. Cappadocia had such an profound impact on me and visiting the area kicked off an interest in photography. I started snapping everything in sight from street … [Read more...]
On my last trip to Goreme in Cappadocia, I took a lot of time deciding which hotel to book. This was the first holiday that my husband and I would take in four years. Everything had to be prefect and stress free. I had heard about the cave hotels in Cappadocia, however was unsure if I wanted to stay in one. After all, my knowledge of cave hotels was zilch and I stopped watching the Flintstones … [Read more...]
The picture for this weeks Sunday Snap is called The Open Window. This picture was taken on my recent trip to Goreme, where living in a cave is quite the norm. I came across a cave cafe while out walking one day and loved the quaint décor style, thus leading me to snap away with my point and shoot camera and produce this photo. However to make this weeks Sunday Snap a little bit different, I am … [Read more...]
One town that I wanted to see while in Cappadocia was Nevsehir. It is the major hub for all the surrounding villages and seems to be the centre of everything. We jumped in the car, set off and within the hour arrived in a bustling city. One thing we did not do before setting off though, was to find out exactly what there was to do. We did not think this would be a problem as surely there would … [Read more...]
When you are Cappadocia, one thing you will see a lot of is pottery. In specific, red clay pottery which comes from the town of Avanos. I took this picture walking up to the Goreme Open hill museum. As it was such a steep climb, I was tempted to get in a car and drive up there but I am now glad I didn’t. The Pottery Tree of Cappadocia On the walk up to the museum is so many sights to see … [Read more...]
Avanos is a small town in the Cappadocia region. It reminds me of the Wild West films that show deserted streets while playing an eerie whistling tune? You look up the street and then down the street. You complete a full 360 degree turn and the only thing to be spotted is a stray dog searching through the bins for scrap food. That is the perfect way to describe Avanos. It is a ghost town … [Read more...]
Near to Goreme in Cappadocia, there is an area called Panoramic View. If you are in this area, then definitely make the effort to go. It gives you views over the whole of Goreme and if travel photography is your thing, you can guarantee that you will end up with some award winning pictures. There are many seats like the one in the picture, where you can sit and let the world pass you by. … [Read more...]
When I was searching for accommodation in Cappadocia, the choice was between Urgup and Goreme. I finally settled on the latter but still had to go to Urgup for the day to see why my good friend Brenda Farrell loved it so much and recommended it for accommodation. Urgup and Goreme : Both small towns in Cappadocia Both of them have their own unique vibes but within half an hour I had spotted … [Read more...]
The ancient underground city of Derinkuyu is proof of what man can achieve when his life is threatened. It is a complex network of tunnels and rooms that formed a city 100 meters under the ground. Hundreds of years ago, when the area was attacked, citizens used to flood to the underground city and stay until it was safe to re-enter the land of the living. Warning about Derinkuyu Underground … [Read more...]
Ihlara valley in Cappadocia is a place that you will either love or hate. It is a 14Km hike through a gorge that was formed thousands of years ago when there was an earthquake and volcano eruptions one after the other. If you don’t want to complete a full 14km trek, there are four entrances and exits situated at various points. Just completing 4km of the Ihlara Valley trek will amaze you and … [Read more...]
I am a realistic person. I don't expect everything to be perfect or suitable to my tastes. It was the second day of my holiday in Goreme, Cappadocia and everything felt right. The food was delicious, hotel was clean and the people were friendly. That is when I started getting, warning bells. You see, there is always something about your holiday that you hate. It might be the loud person in the … [Read more...]
You could be under the assumption that in this post, I am going to tell of the day I took advantage of the numerous Cappadocia Hot air balloons trips over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Before I left for Cappadocia, I read many blog posts of the experience and saw photos from other blogs of the fantastic views available. I was all geared up to take the trip of a lifetime. However when the … [Read more...]
Uchisar is a small village high in the hills of Cappadocia. I heard that the view from the castle at the top is one of the best in Turkey. With this in mind, I set off with my camera, my best walking shoes and a rucksack filled with bottles of water. In an effort to save money, I walked by the shop advertising car and bike rentals and instead jumped on the local bus. I was going to walk to the … [Read more...]
“Seek and find” were the first words that I came across when visiting the town of Haci Bektas last week. They were listed on a sign that also said “The feature of man lies in the beauty of his word” I thought it is a perfect way to sum up any traveler or blogger, but I wondered why the words were written in English because looking around Haci Bektas, it become obvious that there were no … [Read more...]
Goreme was our next stop when we left Kayseri. We arrived at the bus station and asked at the accommodation office for directions to the hotel. The member of staff got on the phone and within three minutes, car service had arrived from the hotel to pick us up. A good first impression! After checking in, the bags were dumped in our room and we headed straight out to explore. Goreme is not a … [Read more...]
