From Kapadokya to Şanlıurfa (south eastern Turkey)

By bus

There is a direct bus from Nevsehir to Şanlıurfa, it takes around 10 hours and i paid 15 euros, i was in Urgup when i bought it, all the Kapadokya villages are connected to Nevsehir by mini buses, in turkish called "dolmus". So you can buy the tickets from all the bus station.

The bus wasn't comfy like the others i took, i guess because is not a touristic direction so the major bus companies don't travel here. The bus stopped just once. But finally i was happy to be the only tourist.

Şanlıurfa (Urfa)

From the bus station

The bus station is far from the center, when you will go out you'll see just taxi, but up on the car parking there is a bus stop and in 20 minuts you will be in the center.

Accommodation

At the first impression  looks at bit difficult to find a place, overall if you like me refuse the idea to sleep in an impersonal hotel and spending more money. We found a pension called LISBON, and to get there we took a taxi. Unfortunately this pension won't be there anymore, the government destroyed that area to build something more, but this is another story. Anyway the owner said that he'll open it again with the same name, just in another area of the city. The rooms were basic or better to say spartans, but the way they make you feel home is a perfect reason to trust even the future pension of Azzim (the owner), and the delicious breakfast of his wife, still dreaming her homemade marmalade.

Looking for something different? Give a chance to Kurdistan, Şanlıurfa (Urfa).

Most of the population here is kurdish. Kurdish people are millions, in spite they have their language, their culture still to don't have the independence, actually in Turkey they are considered an ethnic minority. I don't want to enter in a political discussion, but my personal idea is that millions people can't be considered a minority. They still fight in the mountains, but visit the kurdistan is not a problem anymore for tourist, is an opportunity to meet people that never give up and keep smiling, they only fight for most important right: freedom.

The city of prophets, Şanlıurfa.

Urfa is famous for to be the city of the prophet Abraham. There is a big contrast between the old and the new city, useless to say which is better. The area of the mosque is simply amazing, and visiting during the Ramadan you can "breath" a deep spirituality. During the night all the people came in the garden around the mosque to eat all together and listen religious music, giving if is possible even more beauty.

In the hillside, always in the mosque zone, there are some restaurants where you can eat or smoke a narghile' with a beautiful view,  i suggest here to come to watch the sunset and enjoy this peace.

There is also a small bazar, with a nice courtyard with some bars, a meeting place for have a drink, chat and play backgammon. A really eastern atmosphere.

Do you see these people?

That's how the government is treating them, destroying a whole area to build a commercial center or a five stars hotel.

And that's how they treat us, bringing in their farm for a special kurdish dinner a nice chat with tea that i'll always remember as one of the best experience i had.

Peaceful shout.

Omar Faruk Teknilek is a great turkish flautist. And could be a nice soundtrack for your travel in Turkey. Check it out.

From Istanbul to Kapadokya

By plane
There are daily flight from Istanbul to Kayseri's Erkiler Airport and to Nevsehir's Kapadokya Airport. The flight company are Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines. Not so expensive, when i checked it was around 30 euro or 50.

By  train / bus
Is a bit longer, with Ankara Ekpresi sleeping car train at Istanbul's Haydarpasa Station, overnight and arrive in the morning at Ankara Gar, then you have to take a taxi to the Ankara's main bus terminal, and take a bus to Nevsehir, it takes 4 hours.

By bus
Is a long ride, about 10/12 hours, but if you choose the right company you'll find that buses are really comfy. There are many companies, i choose Nevsehir company, every seat has a personal tv, and the seats were large. The price is around 12 euro, is the cheapest way to arrive in Kapadokya, and not less important is that you save a night's hotel. You can buy the ticket from all the tour company (Sultanameth is full of it), but ask first to some, even usually they ask the same price. The tour company will bring you to the bus stop by mini buses.


Accomodation
Kapadokya has all sort of hotels but  the famous one are the "boutique hotel", and could be a beautiful experience, even the price could be higher (still not expensive anyway) compared to the pensions. But sleep in a cave room personally it's been well worthwhile!



                                                               Want you an example?

I booked my hotel in Istanbul, when i bought the bus ticket to come here, just because the man was saying how much could be difficult find an hotel there without booking it before. After i found out i could find by myself, choosing the one i prefer and overall with cheap prices. There always space. So that's my advice.

Walking on the moon, Kapadokya

When i arrived in Kapadokya early in the morning i felt like i was in another world. That's the real feeling when you see the landscape, actually everything is surreal, i can say a moonscape.
Let me just tell you that George Lucas, decide to use this landscape for Episod I of Star Wars.
Even the meaning of the name is magic: Land of beautiful horses.
This region in the centre of Turkey born with a volcanic eruption, and the wind and the extremes temperature created these beautiful shapes.

The first day we arrived, after a long ride the man of the hotel suggest us to make a tour, actually Kapadokya is a big region, and all the main place aren't close each other, so we thought was the right decion! WRONG! First the tour lasts less of they told us, they will bring you to the main places and you have a short time, well is true that you have a good lunch, but usually i hate to follow a guide so i couldn't really enjoy it. But fortunately some guys suggest us to rent a scooter, and is not expensive as the guide said! All day around 20 euro.

We had a map and in one day we visited almost all the important area. Moving with a scooter we found many secret places where usually tourist don't go, and the freedom sensation of the real travel was the main feeling!

What to do?

Fly over the "fairy chimney" with the hot air baloon. Choice the dawn. Expensive prices, 130 for person.

If you are not claustrophobic, visit the underground cities, i been in Kaymakli Undergound City, before to enter they will ask you for a guide, but we visited by our self without problems, even they will tell you can get lost don't believe it, all the way is marked with arrows. 

Have you ever heard about turkish wine? Me neither, so that's why was a nice surprise that Kapadokya is also famous for the wine. One of the best i ever taste, believe me, i'm italian! ;)

In Urgup we found a small wine cellar, where a nice woman made us taste her wine production with some great cheese. Absolutely reccomended! The wine cellar is in the centre of the village, close to the hammam. 

Forget the restaurants, we found a boutique hotel that even we weren't guest, prepared for us a lunch, treating us like a family, without the menu even the price is something you decide. Delicious!

But what i always remember about this paradise won't be just the surreal landscape, the caves, the underground cities, the amazing canyon, the delicious food, the hot weather, i will remember also the genuine people, their advices, how they help us and overall their smile... 

The sound of Istanbul

The flea market

On the way from the airport of Sabiha to Taksim we saw an area full of people and a nice mess everywhere, we found out was a flea market, and we were actually close to Taksim, so when we arrived even tired and  with ours heavy backpacks we decide to go there, and after a bit of confusion to find the street we found it. Was a right decision, we had a nice couple of hours, speaking with people, having a cup of tea sitting in an old sofa in the street, and even none could speak english we felt so comfortable.
I suggest you to visit it, we were the only tourist but there wasn't any problem.
A chance to see with others eyes Istanbul, for sure genuine.

Point of view

Behind the Sultan Palace a special place to rest smoking narghile'

Sultan Palace

Ramadan (in turkish Ramazan) is a perfect period to visit Turkey

Make a trip with the small boats and have a look of the city from Bosphorus

Many bars in Istanbul has a terrace on the roof

Muslim funeral, women are divided from mens 

Sunset

Dogs in turkey seems too lazy

Beyoglu area

Narghile' and apple tea

Pictures by Allan Dransfield