Visit Cappadocia - Hot Air Balloons, Fairy Chimneys & Underground Cities

Cappadocia, famous with its unique rock formations “the fairy chimneys” and hot air balloon rides, is in the centre of Turkey. At the time of the Persians, it was known as “The Land of The Beautiful Horses”. It is also noteworthy that the region has a historic importance with its cave churches and monasteries. A region where despite all the development brought by tourism, agriculture and handicrafts remain to be the main source of income for its residents. With its unexampled landscape, rich history and untainted cultural aspects; Cappadocia is a region that addresses different tastes.

What Makes Cappadocia Special?

Surrounded by three inactive volcanoes, Cappadocia is filled with volcanic ash that transformed into a rock formation called “tufa”, a porous rock that is easily eroded by water and wind, which gave shape to the fairy chimneys of the region. The villages and towns of Cappadocia are surrounded by numerous valleys, making the region a favourite among those who like hiking. Anyone from hikers to people who just like to stroll and photograph the stunning scenery would love the trails inside these valleys.

As the region has a very rugged terrain, there exist many small towns and villages spreading the population out, in a country where farmers live in communities rather than small farmhouses away from settlements. The small towns scattered around the region are connected to each other with a network of both roads and dirtpaths with little to no traffic, which makes Cappadocia suitable for cycling.

Also, early in the mornings when the wind still hasn't picked up, you can see dozens of balloons which also add to the scenery. Most would agree that with its out of this world landscape, Cappadocia is a great place for ballooning, for taking the view in as the sun shines on the multi-colored rocks.

It's rich soil is perfect for the vineyards that provide for the many families who sell their grapes to the wineries or make their own. Although the majority of the population is Muslim, the people make and sell wine, so Cappadocia is also suitable for those who enjoy wine tasting.

Location & Climate of Cappadocia

As the name “Cappadocia” no longer exists on the modern map, one should look for cities such as “Nevşehir”, “Ürgüp” and “Göreme”. It is an hours flight away from major cities of Turkey such as İstanbul and İzmir with a number of flights during the day.

Being in the centre of Turkey, and with an altitude of 4000 ft. (1200 m.), the climate of Cappadocia is dry and the temperatures during the day average around 70-100 Fahrenheit (20-38 Celsius) in the summer and 40-25 Fahrenheit (6 - -3 Celsius) in the winter; making July-August the warmest and January-February the coldest months.