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| Day 1 - Early in the morning we will meet you at your hotel in Istanbul and transfer you to the Istanbul domestic airport, and put you on a 1 hour flight to Kayseri and transfer to Goreme, Cappadocia. After checking into your authentic cave hotel, you will have a free day to walk around the magical village of Goreme. There are many day hikes in this area that you can do, or see even more by renting a bike.
>Breakfast provided | | Day 2 - This day will be spent exploring the amazing sites of Cappadocia. Very, very early in the morning we will wake up to take a hot air balloon ride over the area. After this we will come back to the hotel for breakfast and a rest before setting out in late morning to see the rest of the sites.
Sites you’ll see today
*The World Heritage Site of Goreme Open-Air Museum--This is a cluster of rock cut Byzantine churches, chapels and monasteries which include some wonderful 11th and 12th century frescoes on the cave walls. This place was used by the Christians as a place of refuge from those opposed to Christianity and also was a major monastery. Rooms, churches, houses, and gathering halls have all been cut into the rock or formed from natural caves. Within the caves you can explore and see the preserved mosaics and frescoes.
*Zelve Open Air Museum -- Three natural valleys surrounded by steep rocks form a dramatic site as you can wander around looking at the thousands of rock houses, churches and tunnels carved into the cliffs here. Mosaics in the churches typify the type associated with the pre-Iconoclastic Period, meaning that you will see symbols such as the cross, deer, fish, grapes, etc.
*Fairy Chimneys -- these geological phenomenon have been shaped over millions of years. They were formed during volcanic eruptions in the region. Reaching at times 40 meters in height, they are conical in shape and have a "hat" top to them.
*Devrent Valley -- This valley is known as "the pink valley" because of the color of it‘s soil. This is a lovely place to wander around and look at the magical rock formations indicative to Cappadocia, including the Fairy Chimneys.
* Uchisar Castle -- Also called a fortress, this is actually a formation of two gigantic rocks surrounded by smaller rocks that together form a natural fortress with towers. These formations were inhabited during both the Byzantine and Ottoman times. You can climb and explore the different caves and rooms throughout the fortress, experiencing first-hand what it must have been like to hide in these fortified rocks, waiting for the ancient enemy to pass by or give up. We will also get the chance to visit local craftspeople and learn how they make dolls and create traditional pottery.
>Breakfast and lunch provided< overnight in GOREME
| | Day 3 - Today will be spent walking through an underground city where ancient people once fled for their lives escaping the Arab invaders, wandering through Ilhara Gorge and spending time in an Anatolian village.
Sites you’ll see today
*Underground City of Derinkuyu -- You will gradually stroll your way down into the depths of the earth in this ancient underground city that has 18-20 floors as deep as 40 meters below the ground. Don’t worry, you will only go down to the 8th floor. Cappadocia has around 36 underground cities. Archeologists date these back to the time of the Hittites which lived 4000 years ago. Others believe they were inhabited around the 7th century BC.....Regardless of how old or young they are, undoubtedly they will leave you with a sense of awe of how the dwellers of these cities lived. As you wind down you will begin to feel as if you are in a huge block of Swiss cheese. Everywhere you look there will be nooks and crannies carved into the rocks: holes, windows , paths, alleys, little rooms. . . it is really a maze of mass proportions. You will see ancient kitchens and stables; storage jars for oil, wine and water; rock carved tables, chairs, and beds; and deep wells for water supplies. You will be amazed at the elaborate ancient ventilation system in place. These cities were fortified and prepared for it’s inhabitants to hide out for months from attackers, especially during the Arab invasions. During Christian times the hiding worshippers even built little chapels that you can still see.
*Ilhara Gorge will seem like an oasis in the middle of the Anatolian plain. Delve into the gorge and see the beautiful greenery as you follow the river. Around you will see ancient monasteries complete with pigeon holes cut into the cliffs by the monks. They used these pigeons as messengers to communicate with their monk friends!
*Traditional Anatolian village -- The head-scarved women out at work in the fields from sun up until sun-down, and the mustached, vest-wearing men hard at work playing cards in the coffee shops. You will get time to stroll in such a village and see the average Turkish villager at work...or play. In the evening you will take a flight back to Istanbul. >Breakfast and lunch provided< overnight in ISTANBUL
| | Day 4 - Departure home. Your Istanbul hotel can assist you in arranging your transportation to airport |
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