Meals: Breakfast
At sunrise you will head out for a magical hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia. As Cappadocia is famous for its natural beauties, fairy chimneys, rock-cut houses, open air museum and historical sites, the hot air balloon ride gives you an amazing opportunity to see a once in a lifetime view.
This is one of the major attractions and best things to do in Cappadocia and is considered as one of the most interesting and exciting attractions in the world!
After your incredible experience, you will return to your hotel for breakfast. After breakfast you will head out to explore more of Cappadocia.
Kaymakli Christian Underground City:
You will visit Kaymakli Underground City, used as a shelter for local inhabitants for several centuries throughout the Arab-Byzantine wars. During this time, it was significantly expanded to the point where it, eventually, became the widest underground city in Turkey. It’s estimated that, at its peak, the population of Kaymakli grew to around 3,500 people.
It is believed that the underground cities of Cappadocia were initially built during the eighth and seventh centuries BCE by the Phrygians, who carved their living spaces into the region’s soft volcanic rock. The idea behind the subterranean cities was to protect the inhabitants from foreign invasion, allowing thousands of people to live their lives in total secrecy. During the 14th century, the caves provided Christians with a safe haven from the threat of the Mongolians during the assaults on Timur. Even during the 20th century, they enabled people to save themselves from persecution during the Ottoman Empire.
It was not until 1923, after the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, that the underground cities were completely abandoned and, then, not rediscovered until 1963. After being opened to the public in 1964, it was awarded Unesco World Heritage status in 1985. It offers a fascinating window into the past, descending eight levels deep – although only the first four can be accessed by visitors, which lie at around 20m (66ft) below ground. While exploring Kaymakli, you’ll pass by stables, storage rooms (some of which are still used today), former homes, a church and communal kitchens, where meals were once cooked en masse for the city’s population.
Goreme Open Air Museum:
Visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum which is the miraculous and amazing small cave city that located at Cappadocia’ s famous Goreme Valley. The rich museum has been a member of UNESCO World Heritage Museum List since 1984. This Unesco World Heritage site is an essential stop on any Cappadocian itinerary. First thought to be a Byzantine monastic settlement that housed some 20 monks, then a pilgrimage site from the 17th century, this splendid cluster of monastic Byzantine artistry with its rock-cut churches, chapels and monasteries is 1km uphill from Göreme's centre.
Avanos & Red River:
Visit the pretty town of Avanos, which has long been a center for pottery artisans as it lies on the banks of the Red River where clay supplies are abundant. Enjoy a visit to a pottery workshop to meet the artisans and see their collections displayed in a underground cave complex.
Dinner at leisure.
Overnight: Yunak Evleri Cave Hotel