Goreme Open Air Museum has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.  This rocky settlement area has been home to a flourishing monastery life from the 4th to the 13th centuries.  This is one of the most popular tourist spots in all of Cappadocia.  Tourists get to enjoy seeing gorgeous rock-cut churches, paintings and frescoes that date from as early as the 10th century.  The region encompasses chapels, churches, rooms, and dining halls.

The frescos and cave wall paintings here are some of the best preserved Byzantine paintings and depict scenes from the Old and New Testament, saints and church fathers.

Pasabagi Valley is located between the Goreme Open Air Museum and Avanos road. This stunningly beautiful valley is most famous for its breath-taking landscape and incredible collection of fairy chimneys.  Pasabagi Valley is also known as “Monks Valley,” and the name came from an interesting story about a monk.  According to the story, a monk from the 4th century was well known for his miraculous healing abilities.  St. Simeon was visited daily by locals, and St. Simeon retreated to Pasabagi Valley so he could retire in peace and live his spiritual life style as a hermit. Years later a Chapel was built in St. Siemon’s honor. Today tourists can see the fairy chimney with three heads that was created in St. Siemon’s honor.
Pasabagi Valley is such a peaceful place, so quiet and intriguing.  Its natural beauty reels you in and speaks to your soul.
Devrent Valley is quite unique compared to the other valleys in the region, as Devrent Valley has never been inhabited by humans.  Devrent Valley is so remarkable because of the geological anomalies and pink-hued rock formations that have formed over centuries of erosion.  When you view this region from above you can fully appreciate its depth and beauty, and the reason why some people have named this area Moonscape and the Lunar Landscape.
Devrent Valley is also known as Pink Valley and Imaginary or Imagination Valley because of the Fairy Chimneys and incredible animal shaped rock formations.  You can see Snakes, Dolphins, Seals, Alligators and Praying Mary.
Devrent Valley is about 5km from Pasabagai and 5km from Avanos.  Avanos is a cool town well known for its lively markets and pottery workshops and should be a must visit if you make it to this part of the world.

If you would like to see these incredible sites with your own eyes, join us for our 2022 Yoga, Meditation and Adventure Retreat through Turkey! On Day 12 of Olotita’s 2022 Yoga Retreat, we will get to visit Goreme Open Air Museum, Pasabagi, Devrent Valley, Avanos, Ozkonak and Pigeon Valley!

We will begin this glorious morning with a grounding yoga practice. After breakfast, we will be picked up from our hotel by our guide to start the Cappadocia Tour, including Goreme Open Air Museum, Pasabagi also called the Monks Valley (because Christian hermits chose to inhabit cells and churches in this location, within three-headed pinnacles), Devrent Valley, also known as “Imagination Valley” (a most surreal-looking landscape), Avanos (lunch and pottery making), Ozkonak Underground City (one of the best preserved and deepest underground cities), and Pigeon Valley (picture stop). Overnight in Cappadocia.

If you’d like to learn more about the 2022 Turkey Yoga and Meditation and Adventure Retreat, tap herehttps://olotita.com/turkey2022/