NEVSEHIR
The number of tourists visiting Cappadocia, one of the most important tourism centers of Turkey, has increased 15 percent in January 2013 compared to the same term in 2012.
Cappadocia, famous for its chimney rocks, hot air balloons, underground cities and boutique hotels carved into rocks, was visited by 72,665 Turkish and foreign tourists in January, according to the statement released by the Governorate of Nevsehir.
63,201 Turkish and foreign tourists had visited Cappadocia in January 2012 and tourists mostly visited Goreme open-air museum, Kaymakli underground city and Derinkuyu underground city in Cappadocia region.
Hot-air ballooning and trekking are very popular in Cappadocia. Sedimentary rocks formed in lakes and streams and ignimbrite deposits that erupted from ancient volcanoes approximately 9 to 3 million years ago, underlie the Cappadocia region. The rocks of Cappadocia near Goreme eroded into hundreds of pillars and minaret-like forms. People of the villages at the heart of the Cappadocia region carved out houses, churches and monasteries from the soft rocks of volcanic deposits. Goreme became a monastic centre in 300-1200 AD.
