19 Aralık 2020 Cumartesi

Miracle of nature: Cappadocia

Cappadocia is Turkey’s most visually striking region, especially the “moonscape” area around the towns of Ürgüp, Göreme, Uçhisar, Avanos and Mustafapaşa, where erosion has formed caves, clefts, pinnacles, “fairy chimneys” and sensuous folds in the soft volcanic rock.

The Bible’s New Testament tells of Cappadocia, but in fact this part of central Anatolia has been important since Hittite times, long before the time of Jesus.

How to Go Cappadocia

You can travel to Cappadocia easily by bus from anywhere in Turkey. It's easy to arrange a transfer or shuttle bus from Kayseri Airport to Cappadocia. The second one is Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport, which is located in Gülşehir town of Nevşehir Province. Turkish Airlines operates direct flight from Istanbul Ataturk to Nevsehir Kapadokya twice a day.

Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Cappadocia

1. Göreme Open-Air Museum

Just outside of Göreme village is the UNESCO-protected site of Göreme Open-Air Museum, a monastery cluster of rock-cut churches and monk-cells that hold fabulous frescoes. There are several churches and chapels within the complex, but the most important are the Apple Church, with its Ascension fresco above the door; Chapel of St. Barbara, with its red-ochre interior decoration; Snake Church, with its wall-paintings of St. George and interesting fresco of the hermetic hermaphrodite St. Onuphrius.

2. Hot Air Ballooning


For many visitors, going for an early morning hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia is one of Turkey's highlights. In high season, over 100 hot air balloons take to the skies just after sunrise and give you bird's-eye views of the valleys and their rock formations. Hot air balloon rides take around one hour and are available year-round, weather permitting. All tours include pickup and drop-off from your hotel.

3.Get down to the Underground Cities

One of the most interesting experiences in 10 attractions in Cappadocia is to go down to the underground like going to the center of the Earth. Do you know what awaits you in deep? 

Here are some hints:

- The place was built with using splendid engineering skills and mathematic and have mysterious like Egyptian Pyramids.

- It is so deep like that there are some places that unexplored yet and we only have predictions about the depth.

- The place that under 10 meters or more deep, equipped with lots of capillary air ducts, it provided to live for thousands of people and animals without going up.

- We still don’t know why they needed to close the gates with huge millstones, but their protection methods are really impressive.

4. Ihlara Valley

In any of the Cappadocia travel guide, do not miss out on Ihlara Valley which is one of the important Cappadocia tourist attractions that attracts visitors for its tall poplar trees and fertile farming plots. During the Byzantine period, this was a favored retreat for hermetic monk communities, who carved churches and monastery complexes into the cliff face. The Fragrant Church and St. George Church are three of the best which cannot be missed. It is also believed that the valley housed more than 4000 dwellings, 100 cave churches decorated with frescoes and about 80,000 people.

5. Zelve Open-Air Museum


With its knobbly-topped rock cliffs speckled with cave dwellings, walking through Zelve Open-Air Museum is an experience of the Cappadocia of old. The settlement began life as a monastery in the 9th century, and by the 20th century was a thriving village. Due to erosion and rockfall dangers, the village had to be abandoned in 1952. Now the entire valley is a museum.

6. Make Pottery in Avanos

First, you will see masters in many workshops named as ‘chez’ at the center of Avanos, after then you will see the artist in you. You will be proud of your works from clay that get shapes in your palms and transform to a vase or pitcher. Making pottery is one of the healer things for mental health. We say ‘make pottery’ among activities to be done in Cappadocia and we guarantee that you will enjoy it. By the way, you will see many works that created from both clays and stones in Guray Museum, Avanos, and how the clays of accumulating of Kızılırmak River create an artistic population. 

7. Uchisar Castle

Among many places to visit in Cappadocia, Uchisar Castle is a fascinating one. This castle is situated at the highest point in Cappadocia on the Nevsehir-Goreme road and is just about 5 km away from Goreme. Travel to the top of the Uchisar Castle and witness a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area with Mount Erciyes in the distance.

8. Red and Rose Valleys

Cappadocia's most beautiful intertwining valleys lie between the villages of Göreme and Çavusin. Here, the rolling and rippling rock faces arc out across the countryside in a palette of pastel pink, yellow, and orange cliffs, formed by volcanic explosion and millennia of wind and water erosion. Between the cliffs are lush orchards and vegetable plots still tended by local farmers, while carved into the rock are hidden churches and hermit-hideouts, which date back to the Byzantine era.

9. Pasabag

Among the many places to visit in Cappadocia, Pasabag is one which you should not miss. This beautiful valley is located on the road to Zelve while coming from Goreme or Avanos. In the middle of a vineyard, you can see remarkable earth pillars. The name Monks Valley was derived from some cones carved in tuff stones which stand apart even today.

10. Çavusin

The main attractions in the dinky village of Çavusin are two lovely Byzantine churches. By the entrance into town is the Çavusin Church with a stunning interior of frescoes. In the old village center, after hiking high up on the ridge above the tumble of derelict houses, is the Church of St. John the Baptist. This is thought to be the oldest church in Cappadocia, and its basilica-like proportions and fat columns are an impressive sight.

11. Explore the Tastes of Cappadocia Cuisine

You can find tastes that both belong to the world cuisine and the local food which prepared tasty by talented local people and have the essence of the Central Anatolian cuisine in Cappadocia. We have a suggestion, a very special presentation, if you are especially looking -local and specific- food. Although testi kebab is coming from out of the region, the cooking and presentation style is special for Cappadocia. Testi kebab is broken in your table and you will be almost full up with its steam. The tandoori and stewpan are the special cooking styles of Testi kebab. I Because of the meat cooksfor a long time it is more delicious than normal. Even the haricot bean will be different when you eat it in its popular place. Besides kebab, you should try the other local and special tastes such as dıvıl, kömbe, sızgıt and ayva dolması.

12. Join Wine Tasting

The region is actually the first grape paradise that comes to mind when it comes to the winemaking of Central Anatolia. The fame of the white wines that produce grapes of Emir spread to the world. The reason of the high quality of grapes in cropped from Hittites is tuffaceous soil. Tuffaceous soil provides having high efficiency grapes, protecting insects and creating vaults by carving easily. The vaults that carved into rocks ensure that temperature stays stable both winter and summer, so it provides the good quality tastes of wine. There are many vineyards around Nevşehir but Ürgüp Turasan and Uçhisar Kocabağ Vineyard are the most famous and oldest vineyards in Cappadocia. As one of the 10 attractions in Cappadocia, we recommend you go to these vineyards to taste the flavor awarded wines and buy them.

13. Stay Cave Hotels

If your expectation is comfort in accommodation, you will wake up in cave rooms that have local themes and the scenery of valleys in Uçhisar in the most luxurious hotels ranked in the world. If your budget is enough for the cheaper ones you can still find stone houses with local theme in Cappadocia. You will say ‘good morning’ to the most beautiful mornings of the world and will see both the historical living traces and its harmony with modernity in here.


7 Aralık 2020 Pazartesi

Best Christmas Markets in Europe

There's nothing in the world quite like the holiday season in Europe. There are wooden chalets in 13th-century towns, snow-capped cathedrals, seasonal cookies and cakes in display windows, and of course, all the hot mulled wine you can drink. Put all of it together, and the continent practically twinkles with fairy-tale festiveness.

Sure, many of us are staying stateside this holiday season, but it's never too early to start planning for next year, right? Here, in no particular order are the best Christmasmarkets in Europe. 

ZAGREB CHRISTMAS MARKET, CROATIA

From the tunnel of intertwined branches that twinkle with white lights between Gajeva Street and Praška Street to the ice rink in King Tomislav Square, the Croatian capital goes all out at Christmas. Wooden chalets line a handful of streets selling everything from knitted scarves and mittens to sweet almonds and decorations for the tree. Don’t miss Park Zrinjevac, where you’ll find more artisanal gifts and can sample Zagreb specialities.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS - PRAGUE

Just five minutes apart by foot, Prague’s Old Town and Wenceslas markets are the best in a city that already tops our list of places to spend Christmas.  Don’t miss the barbecued pork or trdelník, a hot, rolled pastry rolled in cinnamon and sugar and cooked over a grill. Also, pack your hat and gloves: It can get cold here in December.

VIENNESE CHRISTMAS WORLD, RATHAUSPLATZ – AUSTRIA

There are plenty of Christmas markets in Vienna, but Rathausplatz hosts the biggest one in the city. Set between the stunning town hall and the Burgtheater, the market puts you in a picturesque setting of twinkling lights and grand architecture. It has everything from reindeer rides to an impressive ice rink, which winds through the trees in the square. For some light shopping, wander through the 150 booths, which sell little gifts, trinkets and food. The market can get crowded, but it’s all part of the Christmas fun.

COLOGNE CHRISTMAS MARKET - GERMANY

Long-favoured as a festive destination, Cologne boasts several Christmas markets, the largest of which is in the city centre, beneath the appropriately stunning backdrop of Cologne’s iconic cathedral. Markt der Engel offers some of the most magical moments, with hundreds of twinkling fairy lights suspended overhead like endless wondrous stars, and angels glimpsed flitting between elaborately decorated gables. Nikolausdorf is aimed at kids, and tells the story of the real St. Nick with the 13th-century Hahnen gate looming majestically in the background. There are even markets dedicated to mythical gnomes, and to maritime history, complete with sea shanties and pirates.

TALLINN CHRİSTMAS MARKET, ESTONIA

In addition to Estonian Christmas dishes like black pudding and sour cabbage, Tallinn's market which travelers dubbed the Best Christmas Market of 2019. The highlight, though, is its Christmas tree, which the city has been displaying in front of its town hall since 1441—making it the first Christmas tree to ever be displayed in Europe.

TIVOLI GARDENS MARKET – DENMARK

Copenhagen is home to the magical Tivoli Gardens, and the theme park fills with even more wonder every winter. As an important tradition for Copenhageners, the market retains its authentic charm and remains Danish to its core. From mid-November and throughout December, the garden transforms into a typical Nordic Christmas scene. Trees are strung with glittering lights, quaint wooden houses are adorned with pine cones and branches and, if you’re lucky, snow covers the pathways and trees

ADVENT FEAST AT THE BASILICA - BUDAPEST - HUNGARY

Each evening during advent in Budapest, festive stories and religious scenes are projected onto the façade of St Stephen’s Basilica in an extraordinary light show. This is also the site of the open-air market where around 160 stalls sell a mix of Hungarian handcrafted items and snacks, including flodni, a sticky apple, walnut and poppy-seed cake, popular with locals.

4 Aralık 2020 Cuma

Christmas in Turkey

Istanbul is likely not the first place that comes to your mind when you think about where to spend Christmas. Yet, against all odds, this megapolis will give you everything that Christmas is all about: warmth, kindness, love and of course great food.

As the winter sets in, we know that the most awaited festival is approaching. And, this season of the festival is going to last long from welcoming Santa Claus to celebrating the beginning of a new joyous year. And, if you wish to escape the snow and chilly weather, there is no better way than celebrating Christmas in Turkey.


4 Reasons Why Istanbul Is a Nice Christmas Destination

You’ll find plenty of Christmas trees, lights and even an occasional Santa Claus. Not that Turks celebrate the birth of Christ; they’re just gearing up for New Year celebrations. But the atmosphere leading up to that day is similar to what you’re used to for Christmas in the West.

In Istanbul, December 25th is business as usual. In other words, Istanbul spends the festive season in much the same way as it always does: bustling and at your service. Not only are all the historic sights open, on top of it they are fairly quiet with pretty short queues.

If you wish to attend a special Christmas mass, that’s no problem. Just go to Anthony of Padua, the largest Catholic church in Istanbul. It’s located on Istiklal Caddesi, on your left as you walk from Taksim towards Tünel. On foot it will take about 20-25 minutes. To be on the safe side, please check out mass hours at least a day beforehand.

Istanbul’s New Year celebrations are famous. On New Year’s Eve Istanbul is at full swing with restaurants, cafes, bars and night clubs fully booked. And if you prefer to celebrate outdoors, head for Nişantası‘s giant street party.

The history behind Santa and Turkey

Santa Claus 'known as "Noel Baba" in Turkish which means "Father Noel"' lived in the fourth century A.D. in a place known as Patara on the southwestern coast of what was then the Byzantine Empire. His name was Nicholas and he was the son of a very rich family. When his parents passed away, Nicholas inherited a fortune. Later, he became the bishop of Myra, a town further up the coast from Patara, which is now called Demre. Being a generous and big-hearted man, Nicholas used to climb on the rooftops of people's houses and drop coins down their chimneys. When a citizen caught him in the act, his identity was revealed to the town and so the fairytale of the giving character Santa Claus began.

After Nicholas's death, a memorial was erected in the town and he was later canonized as a saint, which is why he is referred to as Saint Nicholas. Dec. 6 became associated with the feast of St. Nicholas and years later, a bishop declared Dec. 25 as Jesus's birthday. Over time, the two celebrations began to be fused together. The Church of St. Nicholas is now located in the town of Demre in Antalya and special celebrations are held on Dec. 6 to honor him.