'Land of the beautiful horses'
Cappadocia is an ancient region of East Asia and is also known for its horses. Legends and local guides say that the name Cappadocia in Persian means “land of the beautiful horses”, as, during the times of the Persian empire, many wild horses lived in this area.
Avanos
Avanos, famous for its traditional pottery, sits along the Kızılırmak (Red River) at the foot of İğdiş Dağı in Cappadocia. The red clay from the riverbanks has been used for centuries to make pottery, roof tiles, and building materials. Visitors can watch local artisans at work and even try pottery-making themselves. The town lies near Nevşehir, Göreme, Ürgüp, and Kayseri.
Kayseri
Kayseri functions as a bridge between Southeastern and Central Türkiye and is a growing city with the demand of tourists visiting this destination for numerous cultural and historical attractions. The closest airport is in Nevşehir, with Kayseri Airport a bit further afield, but it also has flights to and from Izmir — convenient if you’re coming from Ephesus.
Nevşehir
Nevşehir is the main hub of Cappadocia and a gateway to nearby attractions such as Kaymaklı Underground City and Ihlara Valley. The city itself offers Nevşehir Castle with panoramic views, a museum, and some shopping, but there is limited sightseeing. Most travellers prefer to stay in nearby towns like Göreme or Ürgüp, which are closer to Cappadocia’s main attractions.
The Kizilirmak or Red River
This is Turkey’s longest river (1,182 kilometres). It starts in the eastern part of Turkey, flowing through Central Anatolia before heading into the Black Sea.
It is called the Red River due to the red soil that colours the water. The Red River divides the town of Avanos into two parts: the southern and the northern sides, separated by a swinging suspension bridge.
Pottery of Cappadocia
Ceramics, pottery and carpet weaving have been the most important sources of revenue for this settlement for centuries. Like their predecessors, the present-day residents of Avanos continue to make pottery with the red clay removed from the bed of the Kızılırmak River, using simple foot-powered wheels and handicrafts to create clay forms. The shores of the Kızılırmak are full of pottery workshops, and almost all potters continue their fathers’ work.
Carpets at Punto of Cappadocia
Carpet shopping in Turkey is educational, entertaining, and sometimes quite overwhelming. As part of our package tour, one of our stops was Punto of Cappadocia, which specialises in carpet weaving. The perfect combination of fine materials gives Turkish rugs their unique aesthetics, bold colours and high durability. Turkish rugs are made with the finest materials of soft, lustrous wool, fine silk and superior quality cotton.
Where To Stay
Cappadocia is not only known for its unique landscapes but also for its traditional cave hotels. While in Turkey, we highly recommend staying in a cave hotel for an exceptional travel experience.
Cave hotels are rooms or suites built into a rock formation or fairy chimneys. They are not cold, dark, damp places (as some might imagine) but rather stunning and romantic, incorporating all the modern amenities you’d expect in a four or five-star hotel. Bathrooms come with all facilities and accessories, including towels, authentic Turkish-style furniture completed with colourful traditional carpets, and interior designs such as lamps, vases and paintings. Tea and coffee-making facilities are available, and some rooms also have WiFi. Most cave hotels are multi-tiered and have terraces to admire the views and hot air balloons over breakfast, also hotel restaurants and luxury pools to relax in.
We stayed in a cave hotel called ‘Yunak Evleri‘ – a hidden gem carved into a mountain cliff overlooking the Turkish Mesa.
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