Cappadocia

The gigantic sandstone monolith of Uluru in Australia or the petrified forest in the desert of Arizona, United States, are examples of geological weirdness that let your imagination run wild.

Cappadocia is one of these magical places.

The shape of some of the rocks in the area is often compared to fairies. Personally I can not understand this metaphor that is used to describe the capricious shapes of rocks in this area of the Anatolian plain. But in any case, it emphasizes the atypical beauty that rocks have acquired over the centuries.

This is one of the most visited areas of the country, therefore we can find all the comforts that we may be looking for, including live music and a wide range of restaurants.

Göreme

Göreme in one of the best located towns to visit the rock formations of Cappadocia. In fact, its name was modified by the current one when the nearby Göreme valley became the important tourist destination it is today. The valley of Göreme is a protected National Park and a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

At nightfall the muezzin will call to prayer, a moment that can be really exciting regardless of your religiosity.

One of the unforgettable experiences when we visit Cappadocia is to sleep in one of the cave-hotels.

Göreme Open-Air Museum

The churches of the Göreme open-air museum decorated with frescoes is undoubtedly one of the most visited places in the area. To be outdoors does not mean that it is freely accessible, you have to pay an entrance to access the "museum".

Bearing in mind that the religious sites excavated in the rock are innumerable in the Göreme valley, the main attraction of the Göreme open-air museum consists in the conservation of these enclosures, which is not without merit considering that most of the "Churches" date from the eleventh century.

In 2018, the entrance to the Göreme Open Air Museum is 30 Turkish lira plus an additional ₺10 entrance fee if you want to visit the Karanlık Kilise (the best conserved church).

Therefore, the visitor must decide if it is worth visiting the Museum or prefer to freely explore the area.

We did both, visited the museum and visited the area freely. Below I share some photos so that they can help you decide for yourselves if it is worth or not worth the visit to the Göreme Open Air Museum.

Option A: What did we see in the Göreme Open Air Museum:

Inside one of the churches at the Göreme Open Air Museum.

#travellingwithatripod ;)

Love is in the air.

Paintings inside a cave at the Göreme Open Air Museum.

Option B: What we saw exploring the area on our own:

If you choose this option, you must take into account that it is easy to get disoriented in the area. You should as well take a look at the schedules of scarce public transport, in case of not having your own vehicle.