Cappadocia Tour with Underground City

Goreme Open Air Museum is a UNESCO heritage site and it is an essential museum to understand the Christian heritage in Cappadocia. The monastic complex consists of hundreds of caves carved into soft volcanic rocks in hundreds of years. Today, the best examples of late Byzantium frescoed churches in Cappadocia are seen inside the open air museum of Goreme. Even though guiding inside the cave churches is prohibited by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, our guide will assist you to each church and explain the structures before you enter so you can understand what you are looking at when you are inside by yourself. Your guide will wait you outside each church and complete the tour with you unlike most guides waiting you at the museum cafe.

Karanlik (dark) church houses the best examples of late Byzantium frescoes of Cappadocia. This intact church is painted from the bottom to the top. It is very well preserved in time thanks to the narrow and shallow entrance. Extra admission fee of the Dark (Karanlik) church is included in this product. This keeps the majority of the tourists outside the church and you will be able to see the best frescoes of Cappadocia.

Pasabag is stated as Monks Valley in most guide books. The open air museum of Pasabag houses the most beautiful fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. There is a nice cubbled stoned walking path curving through the magnificent fairy chimneys. A few of them were used by the Christian monks in the past yet named the area. Our guide will assist you inside the museum during the walk and will explain to you the formation of those fairy chimneys and the function of the caves of the small monasteries carved into them. Your guide will assist you to take phenomenal pictures of the Monks Valley (Pasabaglari) and you will enjoy a nice cup of Turkish coffee or tea across the beautiful views of Pasabaglari.

Devrent (Imagination) Valley houses the most interesting fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Basalt stones spread randomly inside the volcanic ignimbrites that appeared in time due to natural erosion. This created very interesting shapes in animal and human forms which are natural. Devrent (Imagination) Valley is a beautiful photo stop not to be missed once you are in Cappadocia.

Avanos town is a beautiful lush Cappadocia town. Modern and old Avanos are divided from each other by the Red River which is the longest river in Republic of Turkey. The red clay shaped on the ancient kick wheels in Avanos is brought by the Red River. Both sides of the river is a popular recreational area to local Cappadocians as well. You will stop by Avanos town to have lunch before visiting an Underground City.

All settlements in Cappadocia have an underground city. Caves were first used as wineries and storages. They became hideouts to ancient communities in the region. Christians used the underground cities to hide and shelter from their enemies. They converted simple cave systems into complex shelters. Ozkonak Underground City is among the five underground cities visited in Cappadocia. You will be able to explore the maze-like underground city and understand how Cappadocians defended themselves from the invaders in the past. Visiting an underground city is not recommended for people with back problems, asthma, heart diseases, and Claustrophobia.

Locally known as Esentepe, Panorama of Goreme is an area in between Goreme and Uchisar town with phenomenal views of Goreme Valley, Red & Rose Valley, and Erciyes (Argeus) volcanic mountain. There are various cafes and parking areas to stop for a picture on the way to Uchisar town. You will stop by one of them to enjoy the views, make pictures and cater for a tea or coffee after a visit to the underground city.

Located outside Uchisar town, Pigeon Valley offers phenomenal views of the old town of Uchisar and the hundreds of pigeon houses carved into the walls of the Pigeon Valley. The light is better in the afternoon to take memorable pictures from the view point. You will be able to see the popular evil eye tree of Cappadocia and making a wish for your next trip is highly recommended once you arrive to the pigeon valley in Uchisar.

The Castle of Uchisar is the biggest fairy chimney of Cappadocia. It was used as a watch tower by the Roman soldiers and locals called it a castle which remains today. it is a very well-maintained museum offering phenomenal views of Cappadocia. You will not stop by the castle to look from far away like other companies. You will be able to climb on the Castle of Uchisar to see Cappadocia from a different perspective.