Red Cappadocia Small & Private Group Tour

Monks Valley or also known as Paşabağları. There is a bit of a difference between these two meanings in English and Turkısh. Monks used to live here and hide from the religious pressures of the Roman government or local people. During Roman period, most of the people were pagan and not Christian. That's why, all the history of these places come from this point. In Turkish, Paşa means men who have lots of money and land. Bağ means land or area can be purchased. In the following years, all these rich men bought some part of land for their own economic power. Afterwards, the local people where known as Paşabağları.

The most important place for Christianity and known as an open air museum, Göreme Open Air Museum will be waiting for your visit after Uchisar Castle. This will be completely similar with today's university model. You will see dormitories ( for men and women), churches (9 to 10), chapels, dining rooms, mutual places and classrooms. You will see wall paintings or frescoes on most of walls of the churches in this museum. These paintings depict some scenes from the Bible or some other important point in the life of Jesus Christ. People used to live here as students and teachers together. In addition, teachers gave Christian courses to their students from the Bible. Then after their graduation, they would go to some other part of Turkey in order to spread and teach Christianity to the people.

Smaller than Cappadocia’s other subterranean cities like Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, Ozkonak Underground City (Özkonak Yeraltı Şehri) makes for a less crowded, more intimate travel experience. Built around the time of the Byzantine Empire (and at one point home to some 60,000 residents), this hidden gem was rediscovered in the 1970s by a local farmer—and it has served as a fascinating tourist attraction ever since.

A photo stop at Pigeon Valley is a popular part of Cappadocia sightseeing tours, and a typical itinerary might also include Uchisar Castle, Pasabag, Avanos, or the Göreme Open Air Museum. Tours heading south to Derinkuyu Underground City or to Ilhara Valley also stop at Pigeon Valley. Travelers can also hike the 2.8-mile (4-kilometer) trail between Göreme and Uçhisar; the trail passes through Pigeon Valley and affords spectacular views of the fairy chimneys.

There’s nowhere on earth quite like Cappadocia. A tuff-sculpted wonderland of fairy chimneys and volcanic valleys, where you can explore troglodyte villages, UNESCO-listed ancient churches, and epic underground cities. The best things to do in Cappadocia are packed into color-coded tour routes—red, green, and blue—and this region is where the tourist trail is just as spectacular as the unbeaten track. Float over the fairy chimneys in a hot air balloon, hike through the Ihlara Valley, then spend the night in a romantic cave hotel