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Cappadocia is known for its natural wonders as well as a unique historical and cultural heritage. Among the former are caves, clefts, "fairy chimneys" and folds created by erosion of the soft volcanic rock. Fairy chimneys (also called a hoodoo, tent rock, earth pyramid) are thin spires of soft rock that protrudes from the bottom topped by a harder, less easily-eroded stone protecting each column from elements. Fairy chimneys can exceed in size a 10-story building.

Human-made structures are the second type of attractions in Cappadocia. They include several underground cities (most known are Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu underground cities), largely used by early Christians as hiding places. These structures include multiple tunnels, living spaces, storage places, kitchens as well as churches with naves and apses.

The construction of the churches started in the 4th century. Earlier churches and churches carved during iconoclastic period (725-842) are very simple in decorations. Churches built after this period have lavish colorful frescoes on biblical themes. Fortunately, because the churches has little light inside, colors still retain their original saturation. Most remarkable churches were built between 10th and 12th centuries and represent amazing examples of Byzantine art. Visiting them one can enjoy unique examples of rock hewn architecture and fresco techniques. The churches in the Göreme National Park in the town of Göreme form a monastic complex. The most remarkable of the churches are: Nunnery, St. Barbara Church, Apple (Elmali) Church, Snake (Yilanli) Church, Carikli (Sandals) Church, Buckle (Tokali) Church. You can find more churches in Zelve, Ihiara and Soganli valleys several miles from Göreme.

Natural and human made wonders make Cappadocia a unique place. The Göreme National Park in Cappadocia (Göreme Milli Parklar) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. The Göreme Open-Air Museum in the Göreme Valley with its collection of painted cave-churches is the most known tourist attraction not only in Cappadocia but also in Turkey.

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International travelers arrive to Turkey by plane to Istanbul. It has two airports: (1) the major Atatürk International Airport (IST) near Yeşilköy 14 miles ( 23 km) west of the city center, reachable by Metro and (2) Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) on the east side of the Bosphorus. There are scheduled international flights from all over the world to both airports. Taxis and public transportation serve both of them.

Cappadocia is located southwest of the major city Kayseri, which has airline and railroad (railway) service to Ankara and Istanbul. Kayseri has one of the nearest airports to Göreme (another one is in Nevsehir). Turkish Airlines as well as Onur Air or Pegasus have several flights a day from Istanbul to Kayseri.

Göreme is located 62 miles (100 km) from Kayseri. Once you arrive at Kayseri airport, you can take a taxi to the main bus station (about $20). Bus ticket to Göreme from Kayseri costs about $4.50 per person.

You can also use a night bus from Istanbul to Göreme - the trip takes about 11 hours. There are several companies that serve this route with different prices (approximate price of the ticket is $50). While a overnight bus can be the cheapest option to get to Göreme, it is the most inconvenient and tiresome.

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Due to its inland location and high altitude, Cappadocia has a continental climate, with hot dry summers and cold snowy winters. Rainfall is sparse and the region is largely semi-arid. The best time to go is spring through fall.

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- Göreme Suites (Aydinli Mah. Guvercinlik Sok. No:3 , 50180 Göreme) - rates are €50/night. This small hotel (only 4 rooms) is one of the highly regarded hotels in Göreme. It offer tranquility and spectacular views of the Cappadocia landscape.
- Spelunca Hotel (Gaferli Mah Aydin Kiragi Mevkii No: 4 Nevsehir, 50180 Göreme) - rates are from €55/night. Hotel is located in the heart of Göreme with fine views over the Cappadocia landscape. Hotel has 15 rooms.
- Traveller’s Cave Hotel (Aydınlı mahallesi, gorceli sokak no:7, 50180 Göreme ) - rates are from €40/night. Hotel is located on the hilltop above the center of Göreme, a ten minutes walk through the old town of Göreme overlooking Göreme Village. Hotel has 20 cave rooms carved from the natural volcanic rock. Research and book hotels in or near Urgup, Turkey

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- Visiting the historic painted cave churches
- Hiking: following the paths along the valleys is an amazing and free journey.
- Day trips using your own/rented car
- Balloon rides are one of the most popular activities in Göreme. A balloon ride takes approximately an hour and costs around €120 (the total time for the activity is significantly longer since it involves raveling to one of many launch sites (which may be not known in advance) and inflation.

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- Church complex open daily from 8 am to 5:30 am; the entrance fee is about $9.50 (15 TRY,Turkish Lira)
- Plan to spend at least 2 -3 days in Göreme if you want to explore the region. There are hundreds of churches and other interesting sites in the area.
- Demand for balloon flights is very high; however, do not neglect flight safety when selecting a balloon company. Make sure that the pilot is experienced and has a valid license; launch sites are selected following changing weather conditions; you are on the only flight, and the size of the balloon basket is limited to not more than 10 passengers.
- The town of Göreme is small (population of around 2,500 people), and walking is your best option. Walking also provides excellent views of the amazing landscape which surrounds the place. Scooters, motorcycles, bikes are available for rent. There is a regular bus service to Nevşehir (every half an hour as of Oct. 2008), and from there to regional destinations including the underground cities in Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu.

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Tags: Anatolia; ancient architecture (18); ancient settlement (8); art and culture (26); balloon ride (3); balloon rides; Cappadocia; Derinkuyu; earth pyramid; fairy chimneys; Goreme; Goreme Open Air Museum; Heritage site (22); history (31); hoodoo; Istanbul; Kaymakli; Kayseri; Landscape (17); Mount Erciyes; Mount Hasan; Natural wonders (14); Nature park (10); Nevsehir Province; painted churches; Religion (18); Religious architecture (17); rock churches; Sacred place and sanctuary (20); tent rock; tunnels; Turkey (3); underground cities; underground city; UNESCO World Heritage List

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