Cappadocia... A dream of a land, gracefully sparkling in its texture: extraordinary natural settings, mesmerizing vistas from dusk till dawn, wonderous ancient designs carved into the soft rocks, colored balloons greeting fairy chimneys the natural rock formations with every pass, and the allure of history taking guests through a journey in time. The sublime story of this land dates back millions of years, to the eruption of the two volcanic mountains of Central Anatolia, the Erciyes and Hasan. The tuff and basalt layering throughout the region was then formed by the wind hot and cold air, turning amorphous into the mythic fairy chimneys for miles and miles. As the natural formation completed, humans began to show their faces, adding migrations, invasions and conquering to this storied history. First, it was Christians who fled oppression and violence and made the fairy chimneys their home. After settling, they carved their churches into these very rocks. They engineered complete underground cities, with ventilated living areas and expansive imagination. Today, these ancient structures seek your permission to take you on a magical journey in both time and wonder. Are you ready for the extraordinary?
Panoramic view of a fairy tale
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
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This story is from the March 2023 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
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