Cappadocia... A dream of a land, gracefully sparkling in its texture: extraordinary natural settings, mesmerizing vistas from dusk till dawn, wonderous ancient designs carved into the soft rocks, colored balloons greeting fairy chimneys the natural rock formations with every pass, and the allure of history taking guests through a journey in time. The sublime story of this land dates back millions of years, to the eruption of the two volcanic mountains of Central Anatolia, the Erciyes and Hasan. The tuff and basalt layering throughout the region was then formed by the wind hot and cold air, turning amorphous into the mythic fairy chimneys for miles and miles. As the natural formation completed, humans began to show their faces, adding migrations, invasions and conquering to this storied history. First, it was Christians who fled oppression and violence and made the fairy chimneys their home. After settling, they carved their churches into these very rocks. They engineered complete underground cities, with ventilated living areas and expansive imagination. Today, these ancient structures seek your permission to take you on a magical journey in both time and wonder. Are you ready for the extraordinary?
Panoramic view of a fairy tale
Esta historia es de la edición March 2023 de Travel+Leisure US.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición March 2023 de Travel+Leisure US.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Oodles of Noodles
Slurping through a lantern-lit alley in Sapporo, Japan, where miso ramen was born
The Sweet Spot
Just an hour south of Miami, Nora Walsh finds a candyland of tropical fruits ripe for picking.
Freshly Brewed
In the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa, Kendall Hunter discovers the powerful effects of the humble rooibos plant.
SHORE LEAVE
Raw, wild, and mind-bendingly remote, yet peppered with world-class wineries and restaurants-Australia's South West Edge is a study in contrasts.
Of Land and Sea
Savoring French flavors on a gastronomic trail between Marseille and Dijon.
FAMILY-STYLE
Food writer MATT GOULDING couldn't wait to get back to the hushed omakase restaurants of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. But would his young kids love the country-and its cuisine as much as he does?
HAPPY MEAL
Many tascas, the no-frills dining spots in Lisbon, have vanished. But others, Austin Bush discovers, are being lovingly reinvented.
A City Abuzz
In underappreciated Trieste, Taras Grescoe finds some of Italy's most storied-and spectacular-coffee shops.
FJORD FOCUS
Norway in December? Crazy-and crazy beautiful. Indulging a family wish, Akash Kapur discovers a world of icy enchantment.
DESTINATION OF THE YEAR Thailand
Full disclosure: I didn't like Bangkok at first. I didn't get it—the chaos, the traffic, the fact that everything was hard to find. But like all good love affairs, my relationship with Thailand—which deepened when I moved from Vietnam 12 years ago to work at Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, where I'm now editor in chief—took time to blossom.