Cappadocia is a very popular place to visit for holidays. People will always say that they are going to visit Cappadocia instead of saying the name of the city which is located in that region. Cappadocia is the most famous natural wonder in Turkey. It is located in the central part of Anatolia, and its boundaries are not sharply defined, because it is not an administrative concept, but rather it comes from tradition and landscape diversity of the region. It covers an area of about 600 square kilometers!
Origins of the name:
According to Herodotus the name “Cappadocia” probably comes from the Persian language and means a land of beautiful horses. But not because of those animals Cappadocia is famous for in the modern world. This interesting region has very specific shape and form characterized by unusual rock formations. The landscape of Cappadocia is often called the moon on earth.
Origins of the landscape:
Cappadocia has formed about 60 million years ago. Three volcanoes: Erciyes, Hasan, and Göllü were ejecting ash which covered the area of the current place. Combination of ash and sand created tuff – the type of rock which is soft and easily subjected to erosion. The activity of wind and water over millions of years had an influence on tuff and now we can admire and enjoy this extraordinary landscape.
Attractions:
On the list of the most important tourist attractions of Cappadocia are underground cities where the local population protected themselves against attacks and persecution. The best known are Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu, but there are many many more. Probably not all of them have been discovered yet!
However, probably when you will visit this place you will remember the most unique rock formations which look like chimneys, mushrooms or animals 🙂
It is a popular destination during the summer season which attracts crowds of tourists. It is also an important point on the route of many round trips. To have an unforgettable experience traveler can stay in the hotels and guest houses carved into the soft rock!
Cappadocia is also well known of balloon flights! Can you imagine seeing this beautiful landscape from above? We think it is really worth to try 🙂
