Tailor-Made Cappadocia Gastronomy, Wine Tasting and Culture Tour

The Göreme Open Air Museum has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a natural and cultural asset since 1985. The Göreme Open Air Museum is a rock settlement that hosted intense monastic life from the 4th century to the 13th century AD. In the area that forms a valley, churches, chapels, dining halls and seating areas are carved into the rock blocks. While geometric decorations used in the early periods of Christianity can be seen in the churches, the frescoes made in later periods depict scenes from the Bible and the life of Jesus. In the Göreme Open Air Museum, we will visit the Girls' and Boys' Monastery, St. Basileus Church, Elmalı Church, St. Barbara Church, Yılanlı Church, Karanlık Church, Çarıklı Church and Tokalı Church.

The village, one of the oldest settlements in the Cappadocia region, is on the Göreme-Avanos road, 5 km from the Avanos town center and 17 km from the Nevşehir city center. It consists of two parts: the Old Village, carved into the rocks and inhabited until the 1960s, and the New Village, which was later formed with new buildings. Here we will see dovecotes, traditional village houses, Aktepe, which was formed as a result of caldera eruptions, and the Church of John the Baptist, one of the oldest and largest rock-carved churches in Cappadocia.

One of the most suitable points where we can see the district, whose old names were Osiana, Hagios Prokopios, Başhisar, Burgut Castle, Urkup and since the Republic Period Ürgüp, from a panoramic point is Ürgüp Temenni Hill. The word Temenni means sacred area, place of prayer and sacrificial area in the ancient Sumerian language. It has been stated that it was named Temenni Hill because wishes were made and rags were tied in the tombs at the summit of the hill, which are thought to have been built for the Seljuk State sultans Sultan IV. Rüknettin Kılıçarslan (1246–1266) and Sultan III. Alaeddin Keykubat (1297–1304). We will see the tombs mentioned on this hill and then see Ürgüp from a panoramic point and talk about the history of the existing settlements.

The rock carving culture dates back to ancient times in Cappadocia. The most important works of rock carving are the underground settlements, primarily Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı Underground Cities. However, these popular underground settlements are only a few of the thousands of rock-carved settlements in Cappadocia. There are many theories about the underground cities that began to be discovered in the 1960s and were cleaned and opened to visitors. The Büyükakten Underground House, which we will visit and which was formed by combining three old rock-carved houses, was actually inhabited until the 1960s and it is known what each cave, room and section in this house was used for. In fact, the Büyükakten Underground House is an underground settlement connected to each other by tunnels. We believe that our guests will be able to travel back in time here and see for themselves how people lived underground and understand the lifestyle of ancient times.

Devrent Valley, more popular and touristic names such as Hayal Vadisi or Düşler Vadisi, is a small valley located almost in the middle of the Ürgüp-Avanos road. What makes this place special is that the fairy chimneys in the valley resemble animal figures or other objects due to natural erosion over millions of years. In this valley, we will see and have the opportunity to take photos of camels, wolves, lizards, brides and grooms, hands, hats and women figures carved from rock.