Cappadoccia

Cappadoccia is much more than a bunch of fairy chimneys: it is home to centuries of civilisation, a mystical atmosphere, natural beauty, subterranean cities as well as valleys. Our journey takes us to Gomeda Valley, Pancarlik Valley and Kaymakli. After an 11-hour journey to urgup, the road to the Gomeda Valley is lined with a menagerie of rock figures, each of which took 1000 years to form.

Cappadocia is situated on volcanic rock surrounded by Mount Erciyes with its magnificent conical silhouette in the east, and Mount Hasan and Mount Melendiz in the west. The natural structure made of volcanic tuff and frozen lava continues along the Kizilirmak (Halys) Valley. Floods flowing down the valley from the slopes of the mountains have carved the tuff and left standing columns, leading to high structures popularly called "Fairy Chimneys". Christians in 7th and 8th centuries A.D. have built underground cities to protect themselves against invading Arabs and those against the new religion. Along with history, nature and traditional architecture, the region offers an important potential for tourism.

Kucuk Ihlara: Gomeda Our first stop is Sinassos, known today as Mustafapasa. Located 6m south of urgup, this town was once predominantly Greek. The 19th century churches of St.George, St. Basilius and St. Nicolas are open to the public. The Gomeda Valley-also known as seytan Deresi (Devil Stream) or Kucuk Ihlara-lies to the west. It is home to two nameless churches and ruined homes. The valley was once a dovecote, and you can still see pigeons here in the summer.

One enchanted valley: Pancarlik Our next stop is Pancarlık Valley, located to the south of Ortahisar on the right side of the Urgup-Mustafapasa road. The silence of the valley can be unnerving. It was first settled by Christians in the 9th century. You must visit the Sarica and Pancarlik churches. Sarıca is thought to date from the 10th and 13th centuries. The church is being restored by Magic Life and Vasco tourism. Pancarlık dates to the second half of the 11th century. The wall paintings and writings belong to a single artist who used a wide variety of styles. A series of friezes tell Bible stories. Each frieze is flanked by depictions of saints.

Night excursions

Natural formations and fairy chimneys hide pleasant surprises to its visitors at different hours of the day. One of those is surely the surprise at night.

Of fairies and men

During night walks, let your imagination loose and listen to hearsay. One legend has it that at one time in Cappadocia fairies and men used to live together in a most friendly fashion. Fairies used to help men in many ways, singing in their wedding feasts, entering in the spirit of grape juice to make them tipsy.

Copper to blue skies

Dispensed around the church of John the Baptist in Cavusin, there are 12 churches and chapels carved in rock at Gulludere where hermits used to live. Nocturnal song birds and stars will accompany you all through your walk.

10 in a basket

The weather is great, the sky blue. The balloon fills and we get into the basket one at a time. We rise a few metres in a few seconds. The fairy chimneys look like soldiers in formation. Cappadocia, the Grand Canyon and the Himalayas are ideal places to view from a hot air balloon. The valleys, cliffs, and precipices take shape below. Hundreds of years of rain, snow, floods, mud and erosion created this natural wonder. The Persians once had control of Anatolia and called this the Country of the Beautiful Horses, or Kappatukya. All the pretty horses are gone, but the bewitching people remain.

Not the champagne, the scene

Turkey's longest river, the Kizilirmak, cuts the Avanos region in two. We enter the Kizilcukur Valley. The valleys between the tufa cliffs are filled with onion fields and vineyards. We see our shadow on the rocks, floating only two metres above the ground. A field squirrel scampers into his home in the onion field. A large Eagle Owl flies out from a hollow across the valley into another cleft. We rise again towards Urgup and its castle. The crew is waiting for us. We descend, and they grab hold of the basket. For over an hour, we have been airborne and seen indescribable wonders. A table laid with a white tablecloth and covered with champagne bottles await us. We raise our glasses to the beauty of the Cappadocia view.

Notes for your diary

Plane, bus or rail may be taken to Nevsehir. Flights are to Kayseri from where you take a bus or hire a car. Buses from istanbul, Ankara, İzmir and other major cities will take you directly to Uchisar, Avanos and Goreme in the region.

Where to stay

Perissia Hotel Tel: 0384-341 29 30. Ataman Hotel Tel: 0384-271 23 11. Buyuk Avanos Hotel: Tel: 0384-511 35 77. Kapadokya Lodge Hotel Tel: 0384 213 99 45. Sinasos Hotel Tel: 0384-353 50 09. Dedeman Kapadokya Tel: 0384-213 99 00