This was published 1 year ago
Cappadocia, Turkey, travel guide and things to do: Nine highlights
Cappadocia is the world's hot air ballooning capital.Credit: iStock
THE ONE FLIGHT
Cappadocia's extraordinary landscapes – all bizarre rock stacks, phallic-looking fairy chimneys and mountainsides that look like dragons' teeth – are best seen from above. Fortunately, this is the world's hot air ballooning capital. Dozens of balloons float across the sky every morning, and being part of the armada is a key factor in the spectacle. Voyager Balloons is amongst several operators taking to the Cappadocian skies. See voyagerballoons.com
THE ONE WALK
Credit: Exodus Travels
The Red Valley near Goreme crams in so many of the region's highlights. Following the rust-red stream, it takes in fairy chimneys, cave hideaways carved seemingly impossibly high up rock faces and excavated pigeon lofts. Apricot and walnut trees hint at the valley's fertility, while the pinks and reds of the rocks change colour as the sun rises in the sky.
THE ONE MUSEUM
The Goreme Open Air Museum is a former monastery complex, with an astonishing collection of chapels, refectory rooms and bedrooms carved out of the rocks. The frescoes inside these cave chapels are in remarkably good condition, given that many are about 1000 years old. A visit becomes something of an art history lesson, as you can see the changing styles over the centuries.
THE ONE HOTEL
Yunak Evleri in Urgup has an unmistakeable wow factor. Here, 10 separate cave houses have been joined together in one eye-popping mountainside complex. Inside, the rooms have carefully-selected traditional furnishings. Outside, the pools have their own little caves to investigate and the restaurant terrace showcases imperious valley views. Rates start from $A160. See yunak.com
THE ONE MEAL
Cappadocia Home Cooking is part restaurant, part cooking school. It's inside a family home that has expanded as more people come to chop garden-grown herbs and pan-fry eggplants with three generations of locals. Once those eggplants are stuffed with simmered beef, it's time for a feast, including breads, sauces, nibbles and desserts that the family made earlier. See cappadociahomecooking.com
THE ONE ARTISAN
The town of Avanos is famous for its ceramics. At Chez Galip, Albert Einstein-lookalike Galip Korukcu continues his family trade. The master potter nonchalantly creates his works with a traditional footwheel, but the real art is in the decoration. A network of caves acts as his showroom, and the gloriously colourful array of vases, plates, cups and bowls has most visitors checking their luggage allowance. See chezgalip.com
THE ONE RITUAL
Inside the grandiose 13th century Saruhan Caravanserei, the nightly whirling dervishes ceremony is utterly compelling. Many visitors go in expecting a slightly cheesy dance performance, but it is so much more. This is a Sufi Muslim ritual, where participants enter a trance and spin methodically, representing the soul entering the heavens. It's trippy, it's hypnotic and it's hugely memorable. See saruhan1249.com
THE ONE UNDERGROUND ADVENTURE
The Derinkuyu Underground City's claustrophobic maze of tunnels is deliberately cramped and narrow. Built between the 5th and 10th centuries, this subterranean complex was designed for self-defence rather than comfort. Inhabitants feared Arabic invaders, and the further you go into the underground city, the more you realise it was an obstacle course of defensive traps.
THE ONE WINERY
It's pretty rare to see Turkish wine outside of Turkey, but the Turasan Winery in Urgup does it's very best to dispel nagging fears that it might all be undrinkable plonk. The tasting sessions introduce Turkish varietals such as the cherry-chocolatey Okuzgozu. But the local varietal, made only in Cappadocia, is the Emir grape. It makes for crisp, delicate wines with apple, pear and citrus notes. See turasan.com.tr
ONE MORE THING
The spread of the attractions and iffy public transport makes Cappadocia ideally suited to group touring. Go on your own, and it quickly becomes a logistical headache. Exodus Travels makes concerted efforts to elevate its nine-day premium tour above the generic by including a raft of distinctive experiences, such as expert guided walks and homemade breakfasts in a hilltop lavender field. Trips cost from $4099 excluding flights. See exodustravels.com
The writer travelled as a guest of Exodus Travels.
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