The "Valley of the Witch's Trumpet" is one of the most popular areas in Cappadocia, it is shaped like a triangle formed between the three main towns of the region: Avanos, Ürgüp and the main transport hub of Nevşehir.
The valley contains amazing amorphous rocks and formations so unique that, with a great imagination, one can see a variety of animals in these figures. For centuries, the inhabitants who inhabited the area carved dwellings in the rocks, which are labyrinths, tunnels, and shops where they traded carpets. However, religious persecution of the early Christians and Arab attacks forced the local population to hide and build temples and even entire cities underground.
Countless caves, bizarre mountains and cliffs have emerged here due to the erosion of solidified volcanic tuff. They have amazing, sometimes quite fanciful shapes of cones, as well as pyramidal slides topped with huge stones resembling caps. From afar they resemble mushrooms. They evoke quite different associations among the locals, who call them "Fairy Chimneys". This is explained by the fact that above them as if smoke is curling, jets of clouds arising from sudden changes in temperature. Local legend says that these pillars are the chimneys of the fireplaces of the fairies who live underground. It seems that someone invisible is underground and stoking the furnace. At different times of the year and depending on the position of the sun on the horizon, these stones can change their colour. Especially spectacular look "stone mushrooms" at sunset shimmering pink, ochre-red and even purple colour.
These cones, if you believe the legend, arose during the simultaneous eruption of three volcanoes a couple of tens of millions of years ago. Most of all such pipes are located on the territory of Avanos and Ukhchisar settlements. Amazing stones-istukans as if by someone's whim rise above the Anatolian plateau. Some of them resemble sugar heads, and others look like multifaceted prisms. There are also bizarrely shaped towers, gates and walls. Their height sometimes reaches several tens of metres, and if you take into account that they are painted in light and black tones, it creates a stunning picture.
Göreme is an open-air museum, is the largest attraction, which presents about thirty Byzantine churches carved in the rocks, decorated inside with beautiful frescoes dating back to the 9-11th centuries. The churches are quite inconspicuous from the outside, but their interiors and the central dome with its cross-shaped base are in the characteristic Byzantine style.
The town of Göreme, located in the centre of the "Valley of the Witch's Trumpet", is surrounded by fantastic and supernatural rock valleys and structures. It is studded throughout with stone chapels, underground cities, dwellings and monasteries that were carved in 400 BC from volcanic rocks. Göreme is one of the few surviving settlements where people still live amidst the rock-carved houses and "fairy chimneys". There are several guesthouses, cafes and restaurants located right in the rock.
When talking about this land, locals are proud to point out that an episode of the film Star Wars was filmed here. This landscape seemed the most ethereal to the film crew. Indeed, this area has become a distinctive sign of Cappadocia, impressing with its caps in the form of stone cones. By the way, they are the ones that are painted on T-shirts and magnets offered to tourists as souvenirs. This town represents the most convenient point to explore the local rock formations, vineyards, villages and other interesting places. The "Fairy Chimneys" are best explored at a leisurely pace by car, horseback or hot air balloon.
The "Valley of the Witch Chimneys" is one of the world's best hot air ballooning destinations. Rare thrill seekers can deny themselves this pleasure. Large and brightly coloured balloons ascend upwards at dawn. The air at this time in the valley is practically still. The beautiful balloons float leisurely between gorges, over valleys and hover among towers, pyramids and tuff pillars. Everyone in the balloon feels as if they are on a viewing platform and have the opportunity to admire the endless fantastic landscapes created by nature from soft volcanic rocks over millions of years.
Pilots manage to deftly manoeuvre among the rocks, and avoid the "chimneys of fairies", allowing tourists to fully enjoy the amazing scenery, reminiscent of the plots of science fiction Hollywood blockbusters. Each passenger of the balloon after landing is poured a glass of champagne and given a special flight certificate as a souvenir. However, even without it, the unforgettable impressions of the flight remain. And no matter how many times you go on such a trip, each one will be filled with new impressions.
