Page 104 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023 DISCOVERING TURKEY
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TOURING CAPPADOCIA
In Cappadocia, private, group and self- in the pottery making town of Avanos for ce-
guided tours are available. Most are inexpen- ramics and tiles. Another was at a jewelry
sive (except for the hot-air balloon rides), and store where wares include Turkey’s unique
go to the same places, so check reviews before color-changing zultanite.
you book or work with the knowledgeable Transport is mostly via white 16-passenger
staff at your hotel. vans, where we enjoyed great camaraderie
Major tours here are color-coded, red, with like-minded adventures from around the
green, blue and yellow, and follow the same world. And all include licensed guides. In our
routes. We selected the day-long red and case, we were fortunate to have two excep-
green tours along with a hot-air balloon ride. tional women show us the ropes. They were
The Red or north tour took us to ancient rock- well-informed, friendly and caring, especially
hewn churches, towering fairy chimneys of when the going got tough.
Love Valley and Monk Valley, Uchisar Castle These tours are not for the faint of heart.
and the UNESCO-listed Goreme Open-Air There’s a lot of walking and climbing on slip-
Museum. Green tour stops included the fasci- pery, often steep paths. The sunny days were
nating Kaymakli Underground City, the lush hot and shade often was in short supply. A
green Ihlara Valley, and Selime Monastery. couple of times, we had to bow out of a tour
Both tours fit in shopping experiences simi- segment rather than risk falls or worse.
lar to those at Istanbul’s rug stores. One was
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