Cappadocia Turkey is one of nature’s wonders. The lunar rock formations and table top mountains of the Soganli Valley have been thrown up by Mother Nature to rival even the Grand Canyon. Although many Turkey pictures focus on the beaches or urban attractions, these natural wonders are no less picturesque, and they're drawing tourists in spades.

The Cappadocia landscape contains many unique geological and historical features. The spectacular landscape of eroded rock formations makes the surrounding valleys a popular Cappadocia travel destination for tourists. Much of the sweeping Red valley and Ihlara Canyon contain villages carved out of the lunar rock and can be visited on walking Cappadocia tours. Many of the rock formations strutting up from the valley floors have earned them the nickname "fairy chimneys."

One of the best ways to see Cappadocia Turkey is with a hot air balloon ride. This offers a unique and memorable experience while giving you the time to savior the beauty of the magnificent landscape. Flights are usually just over an hour long and are best taken at sunrise or sunset.

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However spectacular the landscape may be, it is the Cappadocia underground city that is really breathtaking. There are scores of these underground cities some reaching up to 40 meters in depth. Only a few have been opened for tourists including the caves at Kaymakli, Tatlarin, and Derinkuyu.

The Cappadocia region is famed for the soft volcanic rocks around Goreme, which have enabled the ancient inhabitants to carve out houses, churches and monasteries all over the area. The Goreme Open Air Museum is also a fantastic place to visit and features on most Cappadocia tours. The complex is a major Cappadocia travel destination for tourists. It contains an isolated complex of around 30 rock carved churches and chapels dating from as early as the 10th Century. Inside, many of the buildings contain excellent frescoes. The Goreme Museum offers one of the highlights of the majestic Cappadocia region. On the highest point in Cappadocia on Uchisar Hill is a castle carved into the rock offering visitors a fantastic panoramic view over neighboring valleys. The open-air museum if within Goreme National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site largely because of these remarkable churches. The village itself boasts a number of caves that have been converted into hotels.

Cappadocia Turkey can trace its human occupation back to the Bronze Age. The region had since fallen under rule from both Persian and Byzantine Empires. The area is most famous for its occupation from Christian settlers who fled to Cappadocia Turkey to escape persecution under the Romans. The first Christian settlers constructed elaborate passages and an entire Cappadocia underground city out of the steep canyon rock faces. Living in the city for a long duration out of sight of Roman soldiers was a remarkable achievement. The occupants were entirely self- sufficient and developed an intricate network of provision rooms, abbeys, water wells, toilets, communal rooms and ventilation chimneys. The entrance tunnels to the Cappadocia underground city had huge stone rollers used for sealing the tunnels and protecting the inhabitants.

The underground city is one of Turkey’s most important tourism attractions and is well served by Cappadocia tours which take you through passage ways into the heart of the cave complex. This enticing Cappadocia travel destination attracts visitors year round and should not be missed. People with a fear of enclosed spaces should be aware that some of the ancient passage ways are only wide enough to fit one person at a time. Most of the sites however, can be visited with ease.