Villages, valleys and viewpoints: a walk through Cappadocia

I loved hiking through the Ihlara Valley, which is a 70-80-minute drive from Goreme. We stopped halfway along the drive to visit Kaymakli Underground City, an ancient city once home to some 3,500 people. We explored four of the eight subterranean floors, which get thinner and shorter as you go further down...
 

Afterwards, it was a further 40-45 minute drive to the Ihlara Valley. The walk was split into two parts: the first 7km passes rock-cut churches and trickling streams, before leading to a local village. This is then followed by another 7km, which was much quieter, and we could spot Mount Hassan in the distance.
 

Others in the group said that Pigeon Valley was their favourite walk, because it gives you the classic Cappadocia view of the fairy chimneys. It has this name because there are loads of caves for the pigeons here.

We stayed in Sobek Stone House, which served as our base for the week. This premium accommodation is located on the outskirts of Goreme and is surrounded by beautiful gardens with views overlooking Cappadocia. If you go to the terrace for sunrise, you'll be rewarded with beautiful views of hot air balloons drifting through the sky.
 

I liked that we were based in one place, so we didn't have to pack our bags and move on every day. Some of the walks started from the hotel, while for others we were driven to the starting point. Along the way, we might make stop-offs, such as to Kaymakli Underground City. This ancient city was once home to some 3,500 people. Today, you can explore four of the eight subterranean floors, which get thinner and shorter as you go further down...

During our final walk of the trip, as a gentle breeze cooled us from the heat of the sun, a group of horses ran through the Valley of the Churches. We watched in awe; it felt like we were part of a movie. We continued onto a local café and stopped to reflect over our highlights of the week. As we sipped on fresh fruit juices and listened to Turkish coffee being freshly ground in the background, it felt like a brilliant way to round off an unforgettable trip.