![Take a hot air balloon ride to Cappadocia in Turkey. [Image Ahsioz/Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2019/5/24/660x290/b_502x220x82/take-a-hot-air-balloon-ride-to-cappadocia-in-turkey-image-ahsiozwikimedia-commons_2269195.jpg "Take a hot air balloon ride to Cappadocia in Turkey. [Image Ahsioz/Wikimedia Commons]")
Travel giant Thomas Cook recently revealed that British travellers were thinking of heading to Turkey or Tunisia this year, instead of Europe. This is thought to be the result of the ongoing Brexit debacle, where people are worried about losing their flights at the last minute or other troubles.
It turns out it's really not a bad idea. Turkey has some fascinating attractions to visit. Examples include a city carved from volcanic rock, tombs on the hillsides, also carved from solid rock, a Roman-era spa and a Neolithic city complex.
Cappadocia - Aksaray, Turkey
Cappadocia is located in the Nevsehire Province of Central Anatolia, Turkey. This is a place where entire cities were carved from the volcanic rock. It now looks like an alien desert, frozen in time. The rock formations were created by volcanic eruptions and erosion over the centuries. The rock was soft enough to make it easy to dig into it to create a home or church. They have been used as a hiding place for Christians escaping the Romans and have been home to Byzantine Christian monks.
Hot Air Balloon ride over Cappadocia
There are a number of ways to visit Cappadocia, but probably the best and most stunning is in a hot air balloon. Various online tour companies, like Get Your Guide, offer a one-hour hot air balloon flight over the fairy chimneys to get a unique viewpoint of the landscape. Take off just before dawn to experience sunrise over the scene, while enjoying a glass of champagne on landing.
Lycian Tombs - Fethiye, Turkey
Staying with buildings carved of solid rock, the ancient Lycian tombs, with their ornate facades, look like temples. However, they were created for the Lycian dead to be magically wafted away by angels from their lofty perch on the hillside. Some date back to the 4th century, where Romanesque columns can be seen. However, older tombs are merely rather plain holes dug into the rock. While the exteriors might be ornate, the chambers inside are plain with just a monolith to display the body.
Pamukkale Water Terraces - Denizli, Turkey
Romans knew a lot about about comfort and luxury. The Pamukkale Water Terraces are formed from white travertine and were used in the Roman-era as a spa in the city of Hierapolis. Water from ancient hot springs still spills down the hillside into the naturally formed, oyster-shell shaped terraces and pools. The calcium rich, healing waters are still appreciated today, although the area is now a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Catalhoyuk Neolithic ruins - Cumra, Turkey
Catalhoyuk is an archaeological wonder which was first unearthed in 1958. It was found to be a huge city complex where probably housed around 10,000 residents. There is an interconnected system of primitive homes and all appear to be purely residential, like one great Neolithic suburb. What was strange was that the site was completely free of any debris or garbage left behind by the former residents. The image here is a reconstructed example of one of the mud-brick built homes.
