Soğanlı Valley, the less touristic area of Cappadocia

Cappadocia is the most well-known attraction in Turkey; although its beauty leaves without words, sometimes when visiting Göreme and the many pottery shops, you really feel like a tourist. I don’t like to be a tourist in general, it’s just a ready-made package for everybody and there is anymore the pleasure to discover a place by yourself.

I know that America has already been discovered, I can’t be the new Cristoforo Colombo hahhaha ;) but to see those beautiful places turned into a cash-cow to make money and deprived of their own style is depressing. For example, in the Zelve Yolu you can see dromedaries; yes you read right, isn't dromedary the typical animal in the whole Turkey? Then don’t surprise yourself if there are so many prejudices in the world! But this is another topic, let’s turn to the valleys in Cappadocia.

If you have the possibility to go off of the beaten path and you would like to see a less touristic place, then throw away your tourist book guide and discover the hidden parts of Cappadocia, such as Soğanlı Valley. This Valley is located 50 km south of Göreme & Co., under Yeşilhisar Belediyesi in the province of Kayseri. This place is not less beautiful of others, just it is more difficult to reach and there are not the same facilities you can find in a touristic area, that’s why less people visit there.

I had the luck to discover it thanks to a trip for professional photographers organised by Kayseri Büyükşehir Belediyesi. Ok, we were lots of people of course, because it was an organised trip, but I can say that beyond our group there was nobody else. So don’t worry, if you go there by yourself I’m sure it will not be crowded.

While driving to Soğanli, the plan landscape rapidly changes into rock mountains. I've never see such kind of mountains before, they looks like big cliffs similar to grand canyon. The area we visited is nestled in the between of two valleys divided by a stream, where you can find some old churches and pigeon houses caved inside the rocks. People lived there in a village untill 2011, when the area was declare dangerous by authorities.

You can explore the all area on your own, getting lost in hiking trails. The most interesting parts you will come across are the churches, signs that in the past Christian communities lived there. The paintings inside them are still visible and the atmosphere is special. Thinking that hundreds years ago people lived there, in such a beautiful and quiet place, nowadays seems unreal.

I was very glad to hike up and down in this valley, without paying any fee, without following prefixed routes, without come across in tourists, taking picture of everything. Well, I was with group of photographers, so the last one is not valid. ;)