Göreme National Park in Cappadocia, central Turkey, is home to one of nature’s most intriguing phenomena. Commonly referred to as the Valley of the Fairy Chimneys, after the strange rock formations that proliferate in the region, this weird and wonderful landscape of 9572 hectares (23,653 acres) was formed when three volcanoes, Erciyes, Hasan and Melendiz Daðlari erupted around 30 million years ago. The deposits they created make up a material called tuff, a soft rock that is easily eroded to form extraordinary table mountains, fairy chimneys and undulating, sand-dune like cliff faces. For hundreds of years, the indigenous population had carved homes out of the rocks, many of which have been turned into comfortable pansiyon (guesthouses). St Paul introduced Christianity to the region in the first century AD, and one of Cappadocia’s chief attractions is the array of rock churches and monasteries that were hewn out of the landscape, thus being hidden from the pursuing Arab invaders. The town of Göreme has an open-air museum where many of these preserved houses and churches, adorned with frescoes, can be seen.

Nevþehir Directorate of Tourism, Atatürk Bulvarý 14, Nevþehir, Turkey
Tel: (0384) 213 3659

Air: Ankara Esenboga Airport, Istanbul Atatürk Airport, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Nevsehir Airport (domestic flights), Kayseri Airport (domestic flights). Road: Coach: Public services.

Turkey