It seems a woman in our tour group up ahead is experiencing claustrophobia and wants to get out — fast!
The passageway we’re in is so narrow that only one person can go through at a time. Even then you have to bend over as you walk, to avoid hitting your head.
In order for the woman to exit, we have to get out first. Suddenly I feel panicky, too. There are at least half a dozen people following close behind me, and more people — unaware of what’s happening — continue to enter the tunnel.
“Stop, stop, go back, don’t come in,” we call out as we slowly retrace our steps. It takes less than a minute but feels much longer until we see the woman emerge into an open area, where she breathes a sigh of relief.
There are parts of this subterranean city that are definitely confining, although the experience is not nearly as claustrophobic as entering the tunnels in the pyramids of Egypt. Still it’s hard to imagine 15,000 people once lived in this city for months at a time! It’s believed this shelter, and dozens of other like it, were built to offer early Christians protection, first from Roman soldiers, and after the 6th century, from Arab tribes.
Of the 12 underground cities that have been opened to the public, Kaymakli is one of the biggest with eight floors below ground — up to 20 metres deep. Four levels are open to visitors and contain a kitchen, chapel and even a room for wine making!
Surprisingly the air isn’t as stuffy as I’d expected. The builders were ingenious, creating ventilation shafts that provided an efficient system of air circulation and allowed smoke from kitchen hearths to escape. They also carved small holes into the floors to facilitate communication between upper and lower levels; and, in case of attack, were prepared with huge boulders that could be quickly moved into place to block access from the outside and seal off the various levels.
Times have changed. What was once a necessity, has since become somewhat of a luxury. Visitors now happily pay for the novelty of sleeping below ground, though in much plusher digs. In recent years, local entrepreneurs have refashioned the interiors of several caves and rock cut structures in the region and opened boutique hotels. Among them are properties such as Esbelli Evi in Urgup, which is listed in the book Best Places to Stay: 44 Extraordinary Hotels (Firefly Books), and the Cappadocia Cave Resort in Uchisar — one of the newest.
In Cappadocia, you can sleep in a cave, dine in a cave, and even see churches and museums in caves. Perhaps the most notable example is the Open Air Museum in Goreme. Once a Byzantine monastic settlement inhabited by a few dozen monks, the rock-cut churches and chapels later evolved into a pilgrimage site. Now tourists walk along a path, stopping in at each cave to view the colourful frescoes on the walls and ceilings.
There are more frescoes to enjoy in the equally impressive Ihlara Valley.
Though we only have time to visit one church here — the Agacalti Kilisesi or the Church Under the Tree, at the bottom of a very long stairway — you can actually do a six-hour hike from here all the way to Selime, and explore many more of the monastic settlements.
Gorgeous Vistas
For a region renowned for its underground attractions, Cappadocia has several amazing lookout points above ground, where you can get a good perspective of the towns and the towering rock pillars, fairy chimneys and cavity-riddled cliff walls.
A few vistas worth checking out include the top of Uchisar Castle — the region’s highest peak and a local landmark that you can climb in about 10 minutes; the terrace of the nearby Museum Hotel in Uchisar, where you can also enjoy a delicious lunch; and Temenni Hill in Urgup, for its unbeatable panoramic view.
Many will argue the ultimate view is an aerial one. Hot-air balloon rides are popular, and because excursions depart early in the morning, when the light is best, you’ll get some great photos. Minutes after watching the balloons being inflated, we’re in a wicker basket floating above the countryside and several mushroom-shaped rock formations. Later, the balloon drifts above a town where merchants are busy selling oranges. We wave to the people below, and, to our surprise they see us, and wave back.
writer@interlog.com
Culture in Cappadocia
Aside from the landscape, Cappadocia also has a vibrant arts and culture scene. Visitors can explore the pottery and onyx workshops in Avanos, watch rugs being made by hand in Goreme, or sample Turkish wine at Turasan winery in Urgup. Elsewhere, you can see the Whirling Dervishes at the historic Sarihan Keravansarayi in Avanos; attend the Yasar Baba cultural show, which includes belly dancing, folk music and knife throwing; or learn about the traditions of the region at the Culture Folk Museum in Ortahisar.
if you go to Turkey
A couple of good tour operators include Travel Atelier in Urgup (travelatelier.com) through which we booked the reputable Kapadokya Balloons (kapadokyaballoons.com) and Yama Tour (yamatours.com), whose owner Mehmet Kececi demonstrated Turkey’s famous hospitality after several members of our group got stranded due to flight delays caused by the volcano in Iceland.
For Turkish cuisine, try Ziggy’s (ziggycafe.com) in Urgup, whose gracious owner Nuray Suzan Yuksel also makes beautiful jewelry that she sells from her shop on the first floor. For general tourism information, check goturkey.com.
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