Fodor's Expert Review Ihlara Valley
The landscape changes dramatically when you head south through Cappadocia toward Ihlara: the dusty plains turn rich with vegetation along the Melendiz River, which has carved cliffs as high as 490 feet. Walking the entire valley takes the better part of a day, but if you just want to get a taste of it, the most interesting part is the middle section. A few fresco-decorated churches are within walking distance of one another, including the Ağaçaltı (Under-a-Tree) church, Kokar (Fragrant) church, Yılanlı (Serpent) church, and the Church of St. George. Belisırma village, about 2 km (1 mile) north of the Ihlara Vadisi Turistik Tesisleri and roughly a three-hour walk from either end of the valley, has a handful of scenic restaurants, some of which have open-air cabanas built on stilts over the river—an idyllic place for a simple meal, accompanied by the relaxing sound of running water. Just outside the north end of the valley, Selime Monastery is a huge rock-cut complex with a chapel,... READ MORE
The landscape changes dramatically when you head south through Cappadocia toward Ihlara: the dusty plains turn rich with vegetation along the Melendiz River, which has carved cliffs as high as 490 feet. Walking the entire valley takes the better part of a day, but if you just want to get a taste of it, the most interesting part is the middle section. A few fresco-decorated churches are within walking distance of one another, including the Ağaçaltı (Under-a-Tree) church, Kokar (Fragrant) church, Yılanlı (Serpent) church, and the Church of St. George. Belisırma village, about 2 km (1 mile) north of the Ihlara Vadisi Turistik Tesisleri and roughly a three-hour walk from either end of the valley, has a handful of scenic restaurants, some of which have open-air cabanas built on stilts over the river—an idyllic place for a simple meal, accompanied by the relaxing sound of running water. Just outside the north end of the valley, Selime Monastery is a huge rock-cut complex with a chapel, two levels of rooms, and lots of nooks and crannies.
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