From its churches dug in volcanic rocks and its troglodyte dwellings carved by water to its underground cities, every single part of this region is simply magical. Not to mention the colorful hot air balloons which attract a lot of tourists every year.

It is not a secret that I love taking pictures and Cappadocia is one of the best places in the world to do so. When I think about all the pictures I have taken here, a lot of places come to my mind. Sultan Carpets is one of these places. I have always dreamed of doing a photo session using the Turkish carpets as a setting and Sultan Carpets turned out to be the perfect place to make my dream come true.

As the name suggests, Sultan Carpets is a shop where you can find a selection of handmade carpets and rugs of all sizes, shapes and colors. According to Turkish culture, kilim and hali are the two main carpet types in Turkey. Kilim is a flat-woven carpet and hali is a knotted rug. They can be used as prayer rugs or to decorate the walls and the floors.

Nowadays, handmade rugs and carpets are considered a form of art taking into account the creativity behind the variety of models. Sultan Carpets is more than a shop that sells beautiful and quality rugs and carpets. If we take into account the variety of carpets you can admire or buy here and the fact that Sultan Carpets is a gorgeous setting for pictures, this place became a tourist attraction for the tourists who visit Cappadocia. They decorated a room to exhibit the carpets and to create a perfect setting for those who love taking pictures. I spent almost an hour in the shop, admiring the carpets and taking gorgeous pictures. Sultan Carpets is situated in the central area of Göreme, in Müze Cd. Street, No 32.

After my experience there, I advise you to add this place to your trip list in case you ever get to Cappadocia. It is another type of Turkish experience you should live, especially if you love photography. You don’t have to take my words for granted, but you can take a look at the following pictures to convince yourself of what I’m talking about.

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Besides these interesting fairy chimneys, as they are called, the entire area is blessed with churches dug in volcanic rocks, troglodyte dwellings eroded by water and mysterious underground cities.

I have been planning to visit Cappadocia for a long time and fortunately last year I managed to spend four days there. After my experience in this magical land, I must confess that I was simply impressed by the beauty of Cappadocia. It goes without saying that during my trip there I tried to visit as many places as possible. You should know that there are three different routes you can explore in the region of Cappadocia. The red route, the blue route and the green route will help you discover the beauty of this region. I explored all of them and the following 12 places are the ones I liked the most:

1.The town of Göreme is the perfect place to stay while visiting Cappadocia. We chose to accommodate in this town and this is why we had enough time to enjoy our trip. Also known as “the cave town”, Göreme has a spectacular appearance thanks to its idyllic buildings carved in stone. A lot of these buildings are used as hotels, guest houses and restaurants. It’s an amazing feeling to look around and be surrounded by fairy chimneys of different shapes and sizes. You can admire them when you walk in the narrow streets of the town or when you go up to Göreme Panorama. This is the perfect place in case you want to spend a couple of moments of relaxation while admiring the panorama of the entire town.

If you love shopping, there are a lot of shops in Göreme that can satisfy your passion. In this regard, I advise you to visit at least a pottery shop in case you want to find out a lot of details about the mysteries of the pottery and admire or buy unique exhibits. Besides, in front of many of these pottery shops, you will discover the famous wishing trees. A wishing tree is a tree decorated with pots, small pieces of paper or evil eye amulets. As the name suggests, it is believed that a wishing tree can make a wish come true.

Visiting a carpet shop is another interesting experience you can live in Göreme. On this note, I recommend Sultan Carpets, a shop where you can find a variety of handmade carpets and rugs.

Last but not least, Göreme is the best place to try the hot air balloon experience. Somewhere on the outskirts of the town, you can fly in a hot air balloon above Cappadocia, surrounded by hundreds of other colored balloons. As far as I’m concerned, the hot air balloon experience was one of the best experiences I have ever lived.

2.The Love Valley is one of the best places to go to in case you want to admire the sunrise and the sky full of colorful balloons. This valley is blessed with very interesting rock formations. If you let your imagination run wild, you may compare these rock formations with mushrooms, arrows, columns, umbrellas and so on.

On the platform above the rocks, there are swings and benches embellished with decorations. The Love Valley is the perfect place for taking interesting pictures. Taking into account this aspect and the fact that it is close to Göreme, I visited the Love Valley twice. I went there in the morning because I wanted to admire the sunrise and I also came back in the evening.

3.Paşabağı Valley or the Monks’ Valley is another beautiful place that deserves to be visited. Located on the road to Zelve, this valley is remarkable thanks to its interesting fairy chimneys which look like bunches of mushrooms. Besides its mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys, Paşabağı is also famous for a hermit’s shelter built in one of these chimneys.

The valley is also blessed with an old chapel built on three different levels. St. Simeon Chapel has a unique appearance. Attracted by the solitude and isolation that the region provided, St. Simeon took refuge in Cappadocia. I enjoyed exploring this beautiful valley and admiring all these interesting rock formations

4.The Göreme Open-Air Museum is a rocky settlement area that displays the remains of a few beautiful monasteries, churches and chapels carved in stone. These settlements are appreciated by tourists thanks to their well-preserved frescoes and paintings which depict portraits of saints and other Biblical figures and scenes. According to the legend, the locals built these religious places to pray in secret during religious persecution.

The Göreme Open-Air Museum is situated in a beautiful valley, a few kilometers away from Göreme. It was a real pleasure to spend a few hours of relaxation inside this complex.

5.The Uchisar Castle and the surrounding area are also worth visiting. The castle, one of the best viewpoints in Cappadocia, is only a short drive from the nearby town of Goreme. The Uchisar Castle is a Roman edifice built in stone whose rooms are connected through tunnels, passages, and stairs. Unfortunately, only a few of these rooms can be visited because of the erosion.

The castle is located on the road between Göreme and Nevsehir. If you get to this area, you should also explore the surroundings and Mount Erciyes. As far as I’m concerned, I liked the surroundings because the landscapes are simply amazing.

6.The Pigeon Valley which stretches between Uchisar and Göreme is another area that deserves your attention. The name of the valley comes from the pigeons which live in the area. The Pigeon Valley is famous for its pigeon houses which are used to collect pigeon dung. I found out that farmers use this dung as a natural fertilizer for orchards and vineyards. To attract the pigeons inside, a lot of these houses were painted white and this makes the scenery even more gorgeous.

7.The Symmetrical Church or Aynalı Kilise was a great surprise for me. I must confess that I didn’t expect to discover such an interesting and beautiful church in this area. Carved in stone and decorated with interesting geometric ornaments, the church has a unique appearance.

Exploring the church might be quite an adventure taking into account its dark, narrow and steep passages. After visiting the first rooms, a narrow and dark stone staircase leads you to the next floor, where you can admire an old dovecote. Behind the church, following a narrow tunnel, you can find another interesting room. After my experience there, I can honestly say that I don’t regret the decision to visit this amazing place.

8.Devrent Valley, also known as the Imaginary Valley or the Pink Valley, should be on your trip list. This valley is special thanks to its unusual rock formations which give you the feeling that you are in the middle of a lunar landscape. If you let your imagination run wild, these small fairy chimneys might look like animal-shaped rocks. From camels and snakes to seals and dolphins, the entire valley could be considered an atypical zoo. It is said that there is also a rock pillar that looks like the Virgin Mary holding Jesus.

Devrent Valley is only a ten-minute drive from Göreme. Even though I couldn’t discover too many animal-shaped rocks, I must admit that I had a great time here.

9.The Three Beauties or the Three Graces are three beautiful fairy chimneys situated near the town of Urgüp. Besides their interesting appearance, these natural formations are known for their sad story. According to the legend, a long time ago, there was a king who lost his wife and had to raise his daughter by himself. When his daughter grew up, the king wanted her to marry a rich and influential man, but the girl fell in love with a shepherd.

Shortly after that, she escaped the palace and got married to the shepherd. The king didn’t agree with this marriage and after his daughter gave birth to a child, he ordered his soldiers to kill his daughter and her family. God answered the girl’s prayer and turned her entire family into stone pillars before the soldiers had a chance to kill them. Therefore, it is said that the three fairy chimneys are the princess, her husband and their child.

10.Ortahisar Castle is a 90-meter high natural fortress which dominates the town with the same name. This imposing castle which was built on a big rock urges you to explore it. If you follow the metal ladders to get to the viewing terrace, you will have the chance to admire a spectacular panorama of the fairy chimneys of Hallacdere and the peak of Mount Erciyes.

The interior shelters interesting caves connected through tunnels, passages, and stairs. Even though I was afraid to climb to the viewing terrace, I must confess that exploring Ortahisar Castle was a great experience.

11.The Derinkuyu Underground City is a troglodyte cave-city that shelters an extensive network of passages, tunnels, pits and inclined corridors that connect the rooms and the spaces inside. In the underground city, there are wells, chimneys for air circulation, niches for oil lamps, stores, water tanks, churches, wineries, stables and so on.

Even though there are 36 underground cities in Cappadocia, I chose to visit the Derinkuyu Underground City because it is the deepest one. Maybe it’s hard to believe, but the city is about 85 meters deep. Situated in the town with the same name, the Derinkuyu Underground City is located 40 kilometers away from Goreme.

12.Last but not least, you cannot leave Cappadocia without visiting the beautiful Ihlara Valley. Situated near Mount Hasan and Mount Melendiz, the Ihlara Valley is a 100 m deep canyon. Formed by the Melendiz River thousands of years ago, the valley covers an area of about 14 kilometers. According to the legend, the Ihlara Valley sheltered more than a thousand dwellings and a hundred cave churches decorated with frescoes. Besides the spectacular landscapes, the charming village of Belisirma can also be admired in the area.

The village is special thanks to the restaurants built on the Melendiz River. These restaurants are open wooden huts which create the perfect setting for lunch. It is an amazing feeling to eat and relax in one of these wooden huts.

To sum up, Cappadocia is an amazing destination which will impress you with its variety of tourist attractions. Even though there is much more to discover in the region of Cappadocia, these are in my opinion the places you should not miss during your stay there.

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The hotel I booked in Cappadocia was one of the aspects that made my experience there really great. Choosing suitable accommodation is, in my opinion, a really significant detail whenever I travel. It is true that there are a lot of accommodation options in Göreme, but something made me choose Feel Cappadocia Stone House. If I had to think about my choice, I would say that the gorgeous pictures I saw on the internet convinced me to book a room there.

At first sight, the exterior doesn’t betray the wonderful interior at all. The common façade and the simple and small reception made me doubt the choice I had made for a moment. Fortunately, my choice turned out to be an inspired one because leaving aside the appearances, Feel Cappadocia Stone House is a lovely hotel.

Accommodation

Feel Cappadocia Stone House offers gorgeous rooms and suites, beautifully decorated with modern and solid wood furniture. The whole building gives you the feeling that it is made of stone. No matter what type of room you choose (a Deluxe Room, a Superior Triple Room or a King Room), all of them are spacious and tastefully furnished. They are equipped with all the necessary amenities in order to create a home-like atmosphere. From a modern LED television to an electric teapot and a desk, the hotel offers everything you need in order to make your stay really comfortable. All the rooms are equipped with a spacious bathroom which seems to be made of stone, too.

Culinary experience

When it comes to food, I must confess that I only had breakfast there. A buffet breakfast is included in the price of the room and even though it’s not very diversified, it is a pleasant experience because it is served on the lovely rooftop terrace of the hotel. The spacious and welcoming terrace offers a great view of the unusual orange and light-brown rock formations of Cappadocia.

Other facilities

As I have already said, one of the most wonderful facilities of this hotel is the lovely rooftop terrace. Parking will not be a problem either in case you travel by car, because the hotel offers free parking spaces. The hotel also offers a 24-hour front desk, free WiFi, room service and currency exchange.

The staff

The staff of the hotel is very friendly and ready to help you every time you need it. They gave us a lot of valuable information about the area and the tourist attractions. Our stay at Feel Cappadocia Stone House was even more comfortable thanks to its well-trained staff.

How to get there

Feel Cappadocia Stone House is situated in Avcılar Mah. Sağlık Sok. 13/1 50180 Göreme, close to Nevşehir Airport. In case you travel by plane and you don’t have an agency to take care of your transport, you can simply take a cab from the airport to the hotel. You should also know that the hotel offers a shuttle service, that you have to pay for. Feel Cappadocia Stone House is also close to the town center and this is great in case you want to take a walk at night. There are a lot of car rental agencies in the area and an info point in case you need additional information.

To sum up, I don’t regret my choice because Feel Cappadocia Stone House is a great hotel. Don’t overlook Feel Cappadocia Stone House, in case you plan to spend a couple of days in Cappadocia.

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This museum is situated in a beautiful valley, a little over one kilometer away from Göreme. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage site, this museum complex displays the remains of a few beautiful monasteries, churches and chapels carved in stone. These edifices are famous among tourists thanks to their well-preserved frescoes and paintings which depict portraits of saints and other Biblical figures and scenes. According to the legend, the locals built these religious edifices to pray in secret.

After you have bought the tickets you can start exploring the complex. If you follow the cobbled path, you will get to the Chapel of St. Basil, an old edifice which was built in the honor of St Basil the Great, who is one of the most well-known saints in Cappadocia. After admiring the paintings and frescoes in this chapel, you can go on exploring the Chapel of St. Barbara which is situated nearby. The red ochre motifs make the ceiling of this edifice really impressive.

The next edifice, the Apple Church, displays a collection of colorfully painted frescoes that depict biblical scenes. There are two interesting theories regarding of the name of this church. First of them says that the name of the church comes from an apple tree that grew in that place while the second one says that it comes from a misinterpretation of the globe held by the Archangel Gabriel.

A few steps away you can visit the Church of St Onuphrius which is also called the Snake Church. It is believed that its name comes from a mistake made by the locals when they misinterpreted a painting found inside the church. They mistook the picture of a dragon for the one of a snake. The small Pantocrator Chapel and the Nameless Chapel with their simple red-ochre geometric decorations and their Maltese crosses can be admired a little farther along the path. There are also a few caves that were used as kitchen areas and that deserve to be visited.

The path climbs gradually to the highest point where you can explore the Dark Church, which is considered the most famous monument in the entire complex. As the name suggests, the Dark Church got its name because of the gloomy atmosphere inside. Fortunately, the lack of light was perfectly compensated by the beauty of the colorful frescoes.

Near the Dark Church, you can admire the small Chapel of St. Catherine which depicts frescoes of famous saints and other religious scenes. The Sandals Church is another interesting edifice which was named after the footprints you can see on the floor. It is said that these footprints represent the last imprints left by Jesus before he ascended to heaven.

At the bottom of the hill, you can find the Rahibeler Monastery where you can admire a small chapel with remarkable frescoes, interesting tunnels, corridors and stairways. Last but not least, after you exit the museum complex you can visit the Buckle Church, one of Göreme’s biggest and finest churches. This church is famous thanks to its underground chapel and fabulously restored frescoes which depict the life of Christ.

All things considered, the Göreme Open-Air Museum deserves to be visited in case you ever get to Cappadocia. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take pictures inside any of these churches, but even so, I will let the pictures I managed to take there, convince you that this place is worth visiting.

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