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- Destinations
- Europe
- Turkey
- Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia occupies the centre of Turkey, the region between the
Black Sea in the north and the Taurus Mountains, between the
capital Ankara and the city of Malatya to the east. Famous for its
spectacular natural rock formations and valleys, Goreme National
Park, as it is known today, is strewn with underground cities,
stone chapels, monasteries and dwellings that were hewn out of the
weirdly eroded volcanic rock from as long ago as 400 BC.
Thousands of years of wind and rain erosion on a landscape of
soft volcanic stone topped with hardened larva caps has created a
fascinating landscape of rock cones and pinnacles that are known as
'fairy chimneys'. The Valley of Fairy Chimneys is the most popular
area, roughly within the triangle formed by the three main towns of
the region, Avanos, Urgup and the main transport hub of
Nevsehir.
Outside the triangle to the south are the remarkable underground
cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, where layers of tunnels and an
intricate system of caves hid generations of settlers and sheltered
early Christians fleeing persecution. The Ilhara Canyon is another
religious hideaway with more than 100 painted churches and about
4,000 dwellings carved into the rock walls or concealed within the
cliffs; its river bed and lush vegetation stand in stark contrast
to the dusty, seemingly barren land above.
Cave dwellings, ancient monasteries and painted chapels are well
camouflaged, with entranceways that are barely noticeable among a
landscape of perforated cliff walls and rock fissures. Houses of
volcanic stone blend unobtrusively into the natural surroundings,
pigmented in natural shades of ochre and yellow, to pinks, greys
and greens, and many people still inhabit the cones and chimney
formations. In tourist towns such as Goreme, delightful little
hotels and pensions are built partially into the rock or are housed
within a rock cone and offer cave-style rooms.
Information & Facts
Climate
Cappadocia has a continental climate characterised by hot dry
summers and cold snowy winters. Rainfall is sparse and the region
is largely semi-arid to arid. April to June and September to
October are the best months to visit Cappadocia. There is a sharp
difference in the temperature between day and night and it is not
uncommon to have freezing cold nights interspersed with scorching
hot days. The average temperature during the summer months is 23°C
(73°F) while winter's average is much lower at -2°C (28°F).
Cappadocia is much cooler and drier than its Mediterranean and
Aegean counterparts, which are more popular tourist
destinations.
Language
Turkish is the official language, but English is widely
understood in the main tourist areas.
Money
The official currency is the New Turkish Lira (TRY), which was
introduced on 1 January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped from
the TL and the sub-unit New Kurush was created. Currency can be
exchanged at banks, exchange booths, post offices, airports and
ferry ports; banks have the worst rates and highest commissions,
but will exchange lesser known foreign currencies. Banks open
mainly Monday to Friday, but some are open daily in tourist areas.
ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas, but
Turkish ATM keypads usually do not have letters of the alphabet on
their keys. Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus and
Plus. Major credit cards are widely accepted; the most popular are
Visa or MasterCard, but American Express is accepted in many of the
more expensive places. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at some
banks and currency exchange offices, but are not as welcome as cash
or credit cards. US dollars or Euros are preferred. Some pensions
and hotels in the most popular destinations accept US dollars as
payment.