Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cappadocia & Central Anatolia
This vast swath of Anatolia is Turkey's historical heartland. Many pivotal events have oc-
curred on these plains and mountains: Atatürk founded the Turkish capital, Ankara, as the
Ottoman Empire was crumbling, and Julius Caesar famously boasted
'Veni, vidi, vici
' (I
came, I saw, I conquered) after a victory near Amasya. Today, Amasya and Safranbolu
alike have restored their Ottoman old quarters, offering the chance to stay in atmospheric
half-timbered mansions.
Central Anatolia's dusty roads also lead to one of Turkey's most distinctive sights, the
winding valleys of fairy chimneys (rock formations) in Cappadocia. Here, you can start the
day with a hot-air balloon flight, return to terra firma - and keep descending - in the under-
ground cities, tour Byzantine cave monasteries with biblical frescoes, and sample troglo-
dyte living in a rock-cut hotel.
The Pamukkale and Eğirdir areas complete this region's bounty of rock formations, ruins
and ethereal scenery.
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