Day 2 of your private Cappadocia tour also begins at 9:30 AM. Our first stop was the amazing underground city of Kemakli. Carved by the Hittites some 3,500 years ago, this multi-storey underground city was the main refuge of early Christians from raiding enemies in the 6th and 7th centuries. Kaymakli is one of the largest underground cities in Cappadocia with 8 floors including stables, temples and wineries. After leaving Kaymakli we continue south into the beautiful green valley of Ihlara. We hike for about 1 hour along the Melendiz River, which winds through the Ihlara Gorge, before stopping for lunch at a riverside restaurant in the village of Belisirma. After lunch, we continue to Selim Monastery, the largest rock monastery in Cappadocia with a large cave cathedral and stunning views of the area. On the way back to Goreme we stop at a spectacular viewpoint overlooking Pigeon Valley.

We depart from your hotel at 9:30 AM and drive to Mustafa Pasa, famous for its beautiful architecture. Before the Turkish-Greek population exchange in 1924, Mustafa Passa was one of the largest Greek cities in Cappadocia. Your guide will share information about one of the world’s largest population exchanges, which displaced some two million people from their homes. In Mustafapasa we see Greek mansions and churches and the Islamic high school Medrese seminary. Next stop is Keslik Monastery, home to one of the rare iconoclastic examples of Cappadocian wall painting. We look at these remarkable frescoes and talk about the iconoclastic period (726-843 AD) when the Byzantine emperors banned such frescoes. Afterwards we drive to Sahinefendi to visit the archaeological site of Sobesos. Archaeologists have recently (last 10 years) started excavating in the area and continue to discover many important artifacts. At this archaeological site we can see Roman baths, tombs, basilicas and mosaics. From Sahinefendi we continue to Soganli valley. Soganli was once the third largest monastic center in the region, with many cave churches and beautiful valleys to hike. Before starting our walking tour, we will have lunch at a local restaurant and visit the famous Soganli dolls made by the women of this village. After an afternoon trek through the Soganli Valley, we will drive back to your hotel. If you are interested in Turkish rugs, we can also visit one of the local rug workshops on the way to learn about the traditional rug making process. Cappadocia remains the largest carpet weaving region in Turkey.