For our first full day in Cappadocia we decided to take a tour. We are not usually fans of bus tours, but with so much to see in a few days this seemed like a good option. Our group was very small (only about 12 of us), the guide was lovely, and were able to see and learn a lot. Every tour operator offers the same routes (Green, Blue and Red tours) – I’m not sure who decided that, but it made choosing much easier. We opted for the green tour, which gave a good overview of the region, and included locations that would have been more difficult to do on our own.

Derinkuyu Underground City

An excavated underground city that probably dates back to the Hittites in around 1200BCE. At a depth of more than 250 feet with a capacity of up to 20,000 people, this multi-leveled city contained everything an entire population would need to survive a history riddled with invasions. These troglodyte cave-cities  expanded over the centuries as various marauding armies traversed Central Anatolia in search of captives and plunder. There are some 36 underground cities in Cappadocia, Derinkuyu is the deepest.  Fascinating to explore. If you are curious, there’s an interesting article about it here.

There were shafts providing fresh air and natural light.

An underground church

The tunnels were quite narrow and many were much lower than this so you had to walk bent over. But the air was fresh and it didn’t feel as claustrophobic as you’d expect.

Ingenious security system. These stone doors could be rolled away from the inside but there was no space to roll them outside.

Wells provided water and a source of light & air.

Not a good photo, but it shows how we had to walk doubled over through some of the tunnels.

Getting good photos was a challenge. This gives a bit of a sense of what it was like.

Selime Monastery

An astonishing rock-cut construction and the largest religious structure in the Cappadocia region with a cathedral sized church cut directly into the volcanic tuff.  The Selime Monastery caves are said to date back to the 8th or 9th century BC, and were in use until the 16th century. Original frescoes can be found although damaged by weather & time. Signs of early civilizations are also present at the ancient site: Hittites, Persians, Romans, Early Christians, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks and Ottomans are some of the many inhabitants to have settled here.

A whole community carved into caves high on the hills

There was a bit of climbing involved. And no fences

Arches carved into the rock

There are lots more caves we did not visit that formerly housed the monks.

Inside the kitchen

Traces of frescoes on the walls of the cathedtral

The cathedral at Selime

Sandra and I in the cathedral carved into a cave

Ihlara Valley

Ihlara Valley is a deep canyon in the Cappadocia region that was formed thousands of years ago. It is a 14-kilometre gorge which reaches 100 metres deep in most places. It is believed that the valley housed more than four thousand dwellings and a hundred cave churches decorated with frescoes. Around eighty thousand people once lived in Ihlara Valley. We walked for about an hour and a half along the banks of the Melendiz River. It was very lovely, but I imagine it would be even more pretty in a few weeks when the poplar trees regain their green. It was a grey and occasionally rainy day, but not enough to curb our enthusiasm. 

There were lots of stairs but thankfully we only walked one way so didn’t have to come back up.

We came upon some local ladies making Gozleme over an open fire. Delicious!

We came upon some local ladies making Gozleme over an open fire. Delicious!

There have been many rockfalls over the years.

9th -10th century frescoes – unusual for its geometric patterns and bright red & yellow paint

9th -10th century frescoes – unusual for its geometric patterns and bright red & yellow paint

Spring

Pigeon Valley

Pigeon Valley is named for the many pigeon houses or dovecotes carved into the rocks and cliffs. Years ago the pigeons were used as message carriers, and their droppings were used as fertilizer and maybe even for use in making explosives. We stopped at a lookout to admire the view, which was pretty stunning. 

Hanging things on trees is a thing, apparently.

Hanging things on trees is a thing, apparently.

Cave dwellings in the valley

View across the valley

View of the town Uçhisar from the lookout. The highest point in Cappadocia.