Cappadocia
Volcanic rock carved by water and wind, and hollowed out from the inside by the people who lived in it.
The valleys of Göreme, Zelve and Devrent are volcanic tuff eroded into the columns the region calls fairy chimneys. Inside them are Byzantine churches with frescoes, and below ground are whole underground cities — Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı run down several levels.
It is about an hour and twenty minutes' flight from Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevşehir. Two days are enough for the valleys, one underground city and a sunrise; the balloons fly at dawn and depend on the wind, so they are never a guarantee.
Places
Göreme
A whole valley hollowed out from within: churches, refectories and houses inside the rock.
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Uçhisar and the valleys
The highest point in Cappadocia, and the place to watch the balloons from the ground.
Read moreThe underground cities
Several levels below ground, with ventilation shafts, stables, and stone doors that only open from the inside.
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