Magical Cappadocia: Visit Turkiye’s land of fairy chimneys and ancient wonders

While Turkiye — the nation formerly known as Turkey — is full of remarkable sites, its Cappadocia region is a world-class destination in itself.

Through the millennia, its landscape of soft volcanic rock has been sculpted into honeycombed valleys and towering rock formations known as fairy chimneys. On a recent trip, my husband and I admired its dramatic landscape, immersed ourselves in its rich history, savored delicious Turkish cuisine, and, as a grand finale, drifted high above its surreal countryside in a hot air balloon.

Though Turkiye is now primarily a Muslim country, it takes pride in its Byzantine heritage, which dates back to the third century of the Christian era. One of the nation’s most significant landmarks is the Goreme Open-Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves rock-carved Byzantine churches and monasteries in a rugged valley in Cappadocia.

On our tour we learned that early Christians settled in this part of Cappadocia for both practical and spiritual reasons. The region’s porous stone allowed them to carve homes, places of worship, and monastic complexes directly into the rock, providing natural insulation and protection from harsh weather. Its rugged terrain also fostered a lifestyle focused on prayer and community while offering protection in times of danger.

The churches and monasteries — most of which date from the ninth to the 13th centuries — are intimate spaces, accommodating a dozen or so people at most. Reaching them today requires climbing ladders and navigating steep steps, and their interiors are shadowy and dim, even with artificial lighting. Despite their modest size, these sanctuaries were once adorned with colorful frescoes depicting saints, angels and biblical scenes. While many have been damaged in the ensuing centuries, even in faded form they convey the deep faith of the people who once worshiped here.

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The next day we toured another subterranean site, the Kaymakli Underground City, a sprawling labyrinth that is eight levels deep. For many centuries it served as a refuge for people escaping political conflict and religious persecution. Heavy stone doors were used to seal off passageways when invaders approached, making the complex nearly impenetrable from the outside.

“People used ingenious strategies to make the tunnels livable for months at a time,” said our guide, Bunyamin Ozmen, as he led us on a tour through its long passageways. “They created narrow vertical shafts that brought in fresh air from the outside, and got water from underground wells and cisterns that collected rainwater. They ate grains, nuts and dried fruits kept in storage rooms, while waste was channeled into deep pits and underground drainage systems.”

While we admired the ingenuity of the city’s residents, it was a relief to leave its claustrophobic confines behind as we traveled to the Pasabag Valley, one of Cappadocia’s most photogenic areas. This is the best place to see the region’s famed fairy chimneys, which are tall, cone-shaped pillars formed over millennia by wind and rain eroding their soft volcanic rock. Many are topped by a harder layer of basalt, which protects the softer layers underneath. A walking trail gave us close-up views of the fairy chimneys, some of which still have rooms, windows and staircases remaining from the years when people lived in them.

A short drive brought us to Uchisar Castle, which is yet another example of the region’s remarkable rock-carving traditions. This natural stone fortress commands Cappadocia’s highest point, offering panoramic views of the landscape below. Its interior is threaded with tunnels and rooms that once provided shelter and defense against invaders. Though today the castle is primarily a tourist attraction, the surrounding slopes are dotted with traditional cave dwellings, some of which remain inhabited.

In addition to its dramatic landscape and rich history, we also loved Cappadocia’s food. Like Turkish cuisine in general, its dishes reflect a fusion of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Balkan and Central Asian influences, but it has its own distinctive specialties. Meals often begin with mezes, which are small appetizers with familiar favorites, such as hummus and grape leaves, but also ezme (a spicy tomato dip) and muhammara (a creamy walnut and pepper spread). Our favorite main dishes included testi kebabi, a meat and vegetable stew cooked in a clay pot, and pide, a Turkish-style flatbread with a smoky, crisp texture and savory toppings.

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It was also a pleasure to discover Cappadocian wines, which are part of a 4,000-year-old viticulture tradition. While Cappadocia is best known for its rich, bold reds, its white wines are also noteworthy.

And finally, the highlight of our stay was a hot air balloon ride. Thanks to its dry climate, light winds and scenic landscape, Cappadocia is one of the best places in the world for hot air ballooning. With more than 250 flyable days per year, the sport has flourished in Cappadocia since the early 1990s, growing from an experimental venture to an industry that draws thousands of visitors each year.

We left our hotel before dawn to travel to the rendezvous site for our ascent, where we climbed a short ladder and then stepped down into a sturdy wicker basket, joining a dozen other excited passengers. In the center, a burner roared, sending waves of heat into the billowing fabric above us. As the balloon slowly filled, we began to rise into the sky, our ascent so smooth that even a slightly nervous flyer like myself felt at ease. As the colors of dawn spread across the horizon, Cappadocia’s surreal landscape revealed itself below us. More than a hundred balloons drifted alongside us, adding to the kaleidoscope of color.

The dreamlike experience was the perfect way to appreciate Cappadocia’s magical beauty.