Cappadocia

A volcanic plateau in central Anatolia where millennia of erosion have sculpted the tuff landscape into thousands of fairy chimneys, cone-shaped spires, and honeycombed cliff faces. The valleys around Göreme contain some of the world's most surreal rock formations, and hot-air balloon flights at sunrise reveal the full panoramic scale of the terrain. Underground cities and rock-cut churches painted with Byzantine frescoes extend the region's historical depth well beyond its visual spectacle.