Long before civilization was born, Homo sapiens, humans, lived in caves. Soon after, and as evolution progressed, hunter-gatherers ditched their former dwellings and started building structures used as homes. The Central Anatolian region in Turkey, like many other places, did host prehistoric settlements. Nonetheless, the practice of cave dwelling here didn’t completely die out with the birth of civilization, but it was revived once again when early Christians fled prosecution and took shelter in caves.

The Cappadocia region enjoys a peculiar terrain feature that helped in making the place more hospitable for cave dwellers. Millions of years ago and due to volcanic activities and eroding rain and wind, mushroom-like rock formations were created, known as chimneys. The peculiar rock formations vary, not only in shape, but also in size — some are big enough to host an entire church.

One such church is Karanlik Kilise, or rather the Dark Church. Its rather unusual name is courtesy of the almost complete absence of windows — a reason that actually played a pivotal role in preserving its frescos. Cut out of a huge rock formation, the Dark Church’s walls and ceiling are almost completely covered with frescos depicting biblical scenes. The church was recently renovated and the paintings are now in excellent condition. Make sure your camera batteries are charged, as you will almost certainly get into a photography frenzy. The Dark Church is one of different sites that make up Göreme Open-Air Museum.

One of Turkey’s natural heritage sites, this museum hosts a number of other rock-hewn churches, as well as monasteries and chapels. It is located just one kilometer uphill from the village of Göreme, a small Turkish village that has grown a reputation for being one of Cappadocia’s tourism epicenters. It enjoys a typical laidback rural atmosphere with the add-on of having several lodging facilities, which offer caves instead of rooms as an accommodation option. Certainly, the idea of spending the night in a cave sounds both exotic and worrying, but rest assured that the comfort level has evolved dramatically since the old days of hunter-gatherers or even early Christians. During my visit to Göreme, I stayed at Kelebek Cave Hotel, a family run business that offers accommodation in regular rooms as well as caves in original chimneys. Although the cave I stayed in was much smaller in size compared to a standard hotel room, it offered most of the comforts expected by midrange hotels, or even some upmarket ones. The irregularity of the walls, the low ceiling, and the rock carved sofa are all factors that contribute to the cave dwelling feeling that comes with a 21st century twist — my cave had its own en suite with cold and hot water!

Cappadocia in general and specifically, Göreme, is a great place to unwind and recharge your battery. However, there is more to it than just that. The amazing terrain in Cappadocia offers super scenic hikes and treks that range from a couple of hours to a couple of days. And, even if you are not that into hiking and trekking, you can still enjoy the views by going for leisurely horseback ridings. If you want to have a birds eye perspective along with some great photos to share with your family and friends back home, book a hot air balloon excursion. It is a one-hour flight that takes off round the early hours of dawn and costs, on average, 200 euros per person. This may come as a hefty price, but the exceptional views of Cappadocia from above are certainly worth it.

Cappadocia is such an amazing place that literally transcends its visitors back to a bygone time. Enjoy the fairy chimneys rock formations, the stunning frescos of Karanlik Kilise and the blasé atmosphere of laidback Göreme, but most importantly, make sure you spend the night in a cave.


Air Arabia flies to Istanbul from Sharjah four times a week. From Istanbul, you can take a 12-hour bus or a more comfortable 1.5-hour flight to either Kayseri or Nevsehir. From any of the two towns, Göreme is about an hour drive by taxi or shuttle bus.  

If you want to go for an original cave stay in a genuine chimney, then try out Kelebek Cave Hotel.
 
Tel: +90 (384) 271 2531