Cappadocia | where to stay and what to do

Anatolian Houses Hotel in Cappadocia offers fairy-tale surroundings for a vacation experience unlike anything you have ever experienced. Each of the hotel's 19 suites is a cave, hewn in the soft rock of the area, that has been transformed into a luxurious and unique accommodation, and each room is completely different from the next.

Each of us had our own room (very low occupancy rate in February when the average high in the area was about 25 degrees Fahrenheit), and it was an adventure just to visit all of our rooms. Some had multi-levels and some had displays of incredible artwork. Every room had a fireplace and most had jacuzzis; what a setting for a romantic getaway!

While the hotel itself is a destination, Cappadocia is an area abounding in fascinating things to see and do. We took a hot air balloon ride at dawn, visited the Goreme Open Air Museum (an entire ancient village of cave dwellings that housed a monastic community), explored an underground city, gazed at the conical rock formations called "fairy chimneys," and had a tour of a pottery factory where some of the area's hand cast and painted pottery is made.

Cappadocia (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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hot air ballooning in Cappadocia

Our wake-up call came before dawn, and the instructions were to dress very warmly. I took that advice very literally, wearing two undershirts, two sweaters, two pairs of socks, in addition to a down jacket, scarf, gloves, and a Polartec beanie. Comfort is definitely more important to me than elegance!

I had never gone hot air ballooning before, and I must confess to having some fear, but once our balloon lifted off the ground and we started floating upward, all anxiety disappeared. Totally unlike an airplane, a hot air balloon is virtually silent and free of any shaking or vibrations. Save for an occasional blast of the propane burner to re-heat the air within the balloon, sending the balloon higher, the loudest sound you'll hear is the conversation among your traveling companions. It's a beautiful, peaceful experience as you float high above the ground and look out to the horizon.

The winds were extremely calm that morning, and we floated above the amazing landscape of Cappadocia, a region in the southeast corner of Turkey. There had been a recent snowstorm, and the valley was covered with the glistening white of a clean cover of snow. Pictured above is a photograph I took from our balloon; seen in the distance is the other balloon flown that morning by Kapodokya Balloons, the first ballooning company in the region and the vendor used by our Virtuoso on-site.

The flight was a magical experience. Talk about a bird's eye view! We looked down at the fairy chimneys, conical rock formations for which Cappadocia is known, and as we floated over the countryside, we saw the natural beauty of this part of the world. Cappadocia is a destination rich in history, culture, and scenic landscapes -- not to mention wonderful food and gifted pottery artists. It's a place you must visit when you come to Turkey. For help with putting together a completely customized tour of Turkey, just send me an email.

hot air ballooning (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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traveling to Turkey

I will be flying off tomorrow afternoon for a fabulous 9-day trip to Turkey, and I will post as I am able while I am away. While in Turkey, I'll be visiting three major destinations.

Istanbul is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. I'm looking forward to the religious sites, especially the Blue Mosque and St. Sophia, as well as exploring the Grand Bazaar and the other various attractions of the city.

Cappadocia is home to a bewitching landscape that features conical rock outcrops known as "fairy chimneys," and I'm looking forward to the view from a hot air balloon flight. The printed itinerary cautions us to "wrap up warmly this morning." With February temperatures forecast in the 30's, I expect to take this advice seriously!

Our final destination is Bodrum on the coast, a summer beach resort. Again, this is February and a reminder that this is a working trip... the better to help my clients plan the perfect summer vacation to Turkey.


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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