General

Highlights: Mustafapaşa + Keşlik Monastery + Cemil Armenian Village + Taşkınpasa + Hiking in Soğanlı Valley + Lunch in Soğanlı + Sobesos Roman mosaics + Ortahisar Castle. This tour visits the main attractions of South Cappadocia.

Our day starts with a visit to Mustafapaşa, which was originally known as Sinasos, an old village where Turks and Greeks lived side by side and where old Greek stone houses can still be seen. The Greeks left the village during the forced population exchange in 1923 agreed in the Treaty of Lausanne, and many of the houses have been abandoned since then or later restored and turned into hotels.  Admire the intricately-carved stone façades and timberwork that the Greeks were masters at producing.

Approximately 500 metres a short walk in one of the pristine valleys to arrive at Keşlik monastery where we will visit churches, baptism pools, refectory and other complexes used by the monks. The biggest Dinning Cave Room is carved out at this Monastery.

Cemil is an historic Armenian village where we will view houses built in the Armenian style as well as an Armenian church which is preserved very well.

Taşkınpasa is famous with its Theological School which was built during Ottoman Emprire. You will amazed when you see the stonework of monumental gate and the architecture of it.

Our lunch today is a Cappadocian Style Barbeque and most famous Cappadocian Pancake ”Gözleme” with vegetables. You can collect  fruit to taste after lunch, from the trees we sit under.

Approximately 2 km hike in Soğanlı Valley where the Christian monks established at 2nd century and founded one of the earliest Christian Communities. Your guide will point out and describe many features such as conical rock formation graves from the Roman period which the Byzantines subsequently transformed into churches.

Our last destination is the magnificent rock formation ”Ortahisar Castle” and the pigeon houses that were so precious for their fertilizer in the agriculture of the period and are still utilized to this day. Ortahisar Castle is one of the three watchtowers in Cappadocia. We will also see Cave Houses that local people still live in today.