Travel Tuesday - Cappadocia, Turkey

“If one had but a single glance to give this world, one should gaze on Istanbul.”

— Alphonse de Lamartine

Cappadocia, Turkey lands on my Travel Tuesday list this week of places to go. I’ve had a few friends go here, but this otherworldly location has been on my bucket list for a long time and it simply looks stunning. From sunrise hot air balloon rides, to cave villages (still inhabited) to just the sheer beauty of a countryside in the middle of Turkey, Cappadocia has to be on your list of places to go.

Watch this short highlight video of the incredible landscape and lets dive into a few fun facts, as well.

Cappadocia attracts thousand of tourist s annually. Two million to be exact , with the most crowded month (320,000 visitors) all it to be August. From underground cities, to a desert landscape, Cappadocia attracts visitors from all around the world. You don’t need more than 1-2 days in Cappadocia and there are many tours that run directly from Istanbul, as well.

Cappadocia’s landscape was formed by a volcanic erosion, thick ash solidified into a soft rock called tuff, and over time the tuff rocks eroded with wind and water, creating the ‘chimney’s’ you see down below. Besides camping, skydiving, tourism, paragliding and more, you can find a plethora of activities here on Viator.com.

For more info on how long you need in Cappadocia, read this.

FUN FACTS

1. Early Christians settled in Capadoccia as shelters from the west. They built underground cities and caves in these fairy chimneys. 

2. The word "Cappadocia" is derived from the Persian word "Katpaktukya" which literally means as "the land of beautiful horses".

3. Cappadocia was a result of volcanic eruptions that took place 3-4 million years ago. 

4. Cappadocia was largely monastery which means that it encouraged people to gather in monasteries and to pray together. 

5. The mount Aktepe near Goreme and many rock sites in Cappadocia are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

6. There are a number of underground cities in Cappadocia all connected by a network of tunnels. Some of these are open to visitors but many are in the land of private property.

7. There are around 600 churches carved from the soft Cappadocian tuff and many of the churches have not been discovered yet. These Churches have beautifully painted fresco with amazing details

8. The Goreme Open Air Museum is a well known religious complex in the world which was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. 

9. This region is also famous for its winemaking history. There are many wine tasting shops where the visitor can sample good wines.

Camping in Cappadocia, Turkey

Other than that, there really is no bad time to visit Cappadocia, although the premier times to visit are April through October. The cooler weather does set in during the late fall and winter months, but typically you can expect all sorts of weather from 20 F to 80F, with the average and best months to go being:

• June 70° / 44°

• July 75° / 47°

• August 75° / 46°

• September 67° / 40°

And while Cappadocia is a beautiful place to visit, current restrictions of going to Turkey are not allowing people from the U.S. to travel there, for fear of infection. In the future, check Turkish Airlines for cheap affordable flights from majority of the U.S. and beyond.

Have you been to Cappadocia? Let me know, I’d love to hear more about it and hear your recommendations. Feel free to comment down below if Cappadocia is also on your bucket list.

Cheers,

~ Cam // info@ckcollective.co

This blog was written in help of Tranigo.com