These fairy chimneys in pasabagi are unique to this valley and feature bizarre large toadstool like caps which protect the rest of the chimney from erosion. The area was formerly a monastic retreat and used to be known as “monk’s valley” and features a rock cut church dedicated to St Simeon.
Pictured above is the rock cut St Simeon’s chapel.
Getting There Pasabagi can be found on the road between Zelve open air museum and Goreme. There is no entry fee.
The Shoestring Cave Pension in Göreme is a charming and friendly pension in the heart of Cappadocia it offers a selection of dormitory rooms, rooms with shared facilities and ensuite rooms from as little as six Euros per night. The room we stayed is was clean and functional as you would expect from a budget hotel. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and has a very communal feel, in the evenings it is not unusual to find the staff and guest relaxing around the barbeque together swapping stories and sharing a glass or two of raki. Breakfast consist of a choice of various different things including gozleme(pancakes), omelettes and French toast. In the evening the BBQ cost 15 Turkish lira and is very reasonable. Upon arrival one of the staff members will put you through a sales pitch offering the various different tours on offer; if like us you are not interested to sit through this then should be no problem if you politely excuse yourself, which is what we did. I would particularly recommend this pension if part of the appeal of your trip is hanging out and meeting other travellers.
The pension offers a selection of tours including balloon tours, trekking tours, bus tours, horse riding tours, jeep safari tours and a whirling dervish ceremony. click here for Shoestring Cave Pension website
Göreme is situated in central Turkey and forms part of the area informally known as Cappadocia. It is an area famous for its outlandish rock formations and fairy chimneys. Until recently Göreme was the name of the valley and the village was called Avcilar but for touristic reason the village also took the name Göreme. Unlike the other towns in the area Göreme is notable because the fairy chimneys and houses all blend into one making for an unusual and slightly bizarre looking town. In the mornings the sky above Goreme fills with hot air balloons as tourists and travellers get bird’s eye view of Göreme and the surrounding valleys. There is plenty to see in Göreme including the world famous Göreme open air museum and Göreme valley both listed as UNESCO world heritage sites, there are also so fascinating rock cut Byzantium churches. The town offers a charming combination of traditional village life combined with a tourist fuelled boom and cafe culture all set amongst the spires of the other worldly fairy pinnacles. Göreme offers a large selection of hotels, inns and pensions (most of these offer cave rooms) and is particularly popular with budget travellers and backpackers. Whilst in Göreme we stayed in the ShoeString Cave Pension which I can thoroughly recommend click the link for a review. Göreme Is a good place to use as a base to visit the rest of Cappadocia particularly if you like walking as it is a perfect base from which to explore the surrounding valleys. Goreme is also a perfect destination if you enjoy hanging out and meeting other travellers. Getting There The transit hubs in the area are Kayseri and Nevşehir, it is possible to fly to Kayseri although the majority of travellers come by bus. If travelling from the coast by bus be advised that some of these journeys can take an excruciating 13 hours, although it is well worth it in the end. Also it’s a good idea to check that your ticket includes a transfer to Göreme as many travellers have been stranded at Nevşehir otogar (bus station) although if you find yourself in this situation repeatedly requesting the free service to Göreme (serviş Göreme nerede or for the more lingually ambitious Göremeye servişleri nereden kalkar?) usually works and you will hopefully be bundled into a minibus to Göreme.
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Derinkuyu is probably the largest underground city in the area, so far 11 levels have been discovered, all this is thought to represent only 10% of the entire excavation which descends to an unnerving 85 meters underground. Derinkuyu has a surface area of 2000 square feet with a possible 7000 square feet in all if you include the possible extent of areas yet to excavated. Of the 11 levels discovered only 8 are currently open to tourists. The rooms and tunnels in Derinkuyu are comparatively big so if you’re worried about feeling claustrophobic I would recommend visiting this one as opposed to Kaymakli, all though most people still find the atmosphere oppressive and the feeling of being so far underground in a confined space unsettling. Unique to derinkuyu underground city are the large religious school with a high ceiling and rock carved seating area. There is also a winery, cruciform church, chapel, stables, refectory, oil press and a large 55 metre deep ventilation shaft which you can look up and down at various points in your visit to get a proper feeling of how far up or down you are!
Like most underground cities in Cappadocia, Derinkuyu was used as an underground fortress and features large round stone doors that can be used to seal all the entrances with small stab holes in the middle so the inhabitants could spear approaching intruders. Even though the complex can be completely locked down it is still well aired with over 52 air vents. The inhabitants also had access to running water and wells that are not connected to the surface to protect the water supply from being poisoned by attacking enemies. The exact dates of construction of Derinkuyu are still under debate with some historians citing the Hittites (1400BC) as the original builders whilst others point to the Phrygians (7th-8thBC) although it is known that they were used well into the Byzantine era by Christians fleeing persecution. The story goes that the underground city was re-discovered in 1963 when one of the locals in the above town of Derinkuyu demolished a wall in his house and unexpectedly found a room which led to another room and another going deeper underground, the city was opened as a tourist attraction in 1968.
Getting There
Most visitors to Derinkuyu end up coming with a bus tour however it is easy to find on your own by car/motorcycle, it is located on the road between Nevsehir and Nigde and is well signposted, once in Nevsehir follow the brown coloured signposts to Derinkuyu yeralti sehri (literally Derinkuyu underground city) you should be able to park for free, although expect to be harassed by people selling tourist tack on the walk from the car park to the entrance. Entrance fee is 15 Turkish lira although Turkish citizens would be better off buying a museum card for twenty Turkish lira as this allows access to most Turkish museums for free for a period of one year. Opening times are 9-5, allow at least an hour to look around. You can pay for a guide although we found it cheaper and less restraining to listen to other peoples guides as and when we felt like it. Digg It!Add to del.icio.usStumble ThisReddit
The Galata Tower is one of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks, it dominates the landscape around Beyoğlu and the 10 Turkish lira entrance fee is well worth it as it offers breathtaking panoramic views of Istanbul. The Galata Tower is a nine storey building that is 66.9 meters tall and has walls that are 3.75 meters thick; there are two elevators that run to the top floor which contains a rather pricey restaurant. Once at the top you have to spend some time on the observation deck that runs around the tower. For the more adventurous it’s well worth walking back down the narrow stone stairs which snake their way around the building and offer some interesting peephole views both inside of and outside of the tower.
History
The Galata Tower was built by the Genoese in 1348 when this part of Istanbul was still a Genoese trading colony. Originally it was called The Tower of Christ (Christea Turris) and was part of the fortifications protecting the Genoese citadel. The tower has had many uses over the years including being used as a prison, observatory, fire lookout and the launch point for the 17th century birdman Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi who apparently achieved the first inter-continental flight (1630-1632) by jumping from the top of the tower wearing some artificial wings and gliding from the European side to the Asian side. Ironically in 1835 when the tower was being used as a fire lookout the Tower itself caught fire. The Tower was not completely restored until the 1960’s when it was commercialised and opened as a tourist attraction.
One of Istanbul’s top attractions the Hagia Sophia known as Ayasofya in Turkish, originally built to be the greatest church in all of Christendom on the orders of Emperor Justinian in 532 AD. It served as the largest cathedral in the world for over nine hundred years and is considered to be the finest surviving example of Byzantium architecture. The Hagia Sophia literally meaning “Holy Wisdom” remained as a church and the center of the eastern orthodox religion until 1453, when the city was invaded and conquered by Ottoman Turks. The building was then converted to a mosque at the behest of Sultan Memed ll. A lot of the Christian symbols and artefacts were removed or covered up. Bells, relics and alters were removed whilst mosaics where plastered over or stolen. The addition of minarets and a mimbar (Islamic pulpit) completed the conversion of the building into a mosque. The Hagia Sophia continued to be used as a mosque until 1935 when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk controversially ordered it be turned into a museum, the building had some of its Christian heritage restored and now represents and interesting combination of both Christian and Islamic religious practice. Fundamentalist in both religions still call for it to be returned to use as a church or mosque respectively. Visiting the Hagia Sophia you will be immediately struck by the huge domed roof, which is quite an engineering feat for 6th century Byzantine, once inside the museum you can’t fail to notice the beautiful natural light and it’s not much of a push of the imagination to imagine how awe inspiring this building was 1500 years ago and why it was considered (and still is) one of the most important buildings in the world.
Getting there The Hagia Sophia is in the middle of Istanbul’s historic centre in the sultanahmet area, on Yerebatan Caddesi. The peninsular is best travelled by the Eminönü- Zeytinburnu tram. The museum is situated next to the tramway and is easily identified by it terracotta hued walls, there is also a tourist information booth situated by the tramway. Other attractions nearby include The Blue Mosque, The Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace. The Grand Bazaar is just a four minute tram ride away. There is an entrance fee but if you are travelling with Turks you may be able to blag it for free by speaking a little Turkish and claiming some sort of relation, as entrance is free to Turkish citizens.
Istanbul without a doubt my most favourite city in the world, located in north western Turkey split in half by the Bosphorus, the straits that separate Europe from Asia. Not only is it the only City in the world to be situated in two continents simultaneously, but it is also one of the largest cities in Europe. The sheer scale of the city is at first intimidating and later impossible not to fall in love with, hence the reason I return every year. For most visitors your first glimpse of the city will be as your plane comes in over the Sea of Marmara, complete with seemingly motionless boats, once you sight land you notice the glittering minarets and tightly packed high rise blocks before touch down at the thoroughly modern Atatürk Airport. Once you venture out into the city you will be immediately struck by the hustle and bustle of life in Istanbul, the packed streets and noisy roads as twelve and a half million people go around their daily business. Istanbul is not known as the “City of the World's Desire” without reason, it is almost impossible to imagine a city more magnificent, resting majestically on the seven hills of Istanbul with the Black Sea above and the Sea of Marmara below. Regardless of your reason for being there it is always a pleasure; just travelling from A to B is in itself an adventure as you try to soak up all the eye candy the city has to offer. Istanbul isn’t a city you can visit in just a couple of days there is a massive amount of things to do here so if you’re travelling on a limited timescale it might be an idea to read up on the city first and decide what you want to see, or face arriving and being entirely overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of things to see and do. As luck may have it a lot of the major tourist attractions are grouped together around the Golden Horn so if you’re staying in the city it might be advantageous to find a hotel around the Galata/Beyoğlu or Sultanahmet/ Eminönü districts.
Historical Attractions It is easy to imagine the old city in all its Ottoman glory as much of it is still standing, and, with a push of the imagination you can imagine the city in Byzantium era as many historical gems from this era also remain. So what not to miss, most visitors head straight to Sultanahmet to see the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) something of a rarity built in 532 AD on the behest of Byzantine Emperor Justinian and considered the pinnacle of Byzantium architecture. It was the most important church in Christendom for 1000 years until 1453 when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmet II had it converted into a mosque, for almost five hundred years it continued in this role until Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ordered it to be converted into a museum in 1935. Right next door to Hagia Sophia you will find some of Istanbul’s other attraction such as The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), The Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace all within five minutes walk of each other. Don’t forget to head across the Galata Bridge to the Galata Tower with its stunning panoramic views of Istanbul. Obviously this list is not exhaustive, there is a wealth of history in and around Istanbul to jump in and explore these are just some of the most famous and popular ones, the old quarter of Istanbul is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Nightlife & Eateries For me the night time in Istanbul has to start in Taksim Square (Beyoğlu District) the beating heart of modern Istanbul, in the centre of the square you will find the independence monument commemorating Atatürk the founder of the Turkish republic. From Taksim Square walk southwest down Istiklal Caddesi and you will find pedestrianised streets lined with bars, boutiques, cafes, consulates, restaurants, and an old restored Ottoman tram that services the area. The side streets are also lined with small bars known as meyhanes or tavernas offering a selection of live entertainment, in recent times rooftop bars have become popular with their semi open terraces and skyline views, if you can find one playing local folk or gypsy music even better as a bar full of strangers often ends up a bar full of dancing friends. The area really is east meets west with its heady mix of European and Asian culture and was in the past often referred to as the Paris of the East. Lone male travellers are warned to be wary as it is known that there are a few scams that are used in this area to part you from your money, so best to politely avoid over friendly strangers that want to take you somewhere.
Getting Around Travelling around Istanbul by public transport is probably the cheapest and easiest way to get around; free maps can be found when you arrive at the airport or at the tourist information centre in Sultanahmet. The public transport system consist of a selection of trams, buses, boats or the metro each time you travel on one you need to purchase a metal token (Jeton). To travel from Atatürk airport to Sultanahmet get the Metro from the airport to Zeytinburnu then get a tram to Sultanahmet, really simple and should cost less the 3YTL whereas airport transfers are normally about 30 Euros. Taxis in Istanbul are relatively cheap and mostly pretty trustworthy, although I prefer to find out a ballpark figure of the approximate tariff before I get in, it normally comes in cheaper then there estimations. Taxi drivers that want you to agree a fixed price first are probably trying to overcharge you, but if you are happy with the price then why mess around. A Dolmuş is a cheap shared taxi that takes 8 passengers, they drive along a set route, but will take minor detours to drop you off, they only leave once the dolmuş is full.
Shopping Shoppers have been travelling to Istanbul for thousands of years, mostly to hit the covered streets of the Grand Bazaar which is a must for any enthusiastic shopper, although if you venture into the surrounding streets you will find many wholesale areas where there are bargains galore particularly if you’re buying in bulk. Get the tram down to sultanahmet to see the quaint shops in the Arasta Bazaar located behind the Blue Mosque, or continue on the tram to Eminönü and the old Spice Bazaar. Look out for local markets at Kadiköy & Ortaköy. For high end designer shops head to Nişantaşi. Most shops in Istanbul stay open until fairly late in the evening.
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