The riverside walk
Shade and running water between cliffs.
Tevfik Teker — CC BY 3.0 · Codas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · prilfish — CC BY 2.0 · Codas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Josep Renalias Lohen11 — CC BY 4.0
Ihlara Valley is a canyon about 14 to 15 km long and up to 150 m deep in the south-west of Cappadocia, in Aksaray Province. The Melendiz stream runs between tall cliffs lined with around 50 rock-cut churches. It is one of the region's finest walks, with shade and running water, and shows a greener side of Cappadocia than the stone valleys of Göreme. The canyon formed in prehistoric times as the stream cut into tuff laid down by eruptions of Mount Hasan. Byzantine monks settled here from the 7th century, carving homes and churches into the cliffs. The churches fall into two groups: those near Ihlara, with local Cappadocian paintings showing eastern influence, and those near Belisırma, in the Byzantine style of the 10th and 11th centuries. Most visitors start at the main entrance, descend a stairway of almost 400 steps to the valley floor and walk beside the stream towards Belisırma. Ağaçaltı Church is known for the Ascension in its dome, Yılanlı Church for scenes of Hell in its narthex, and Sümbüllü Church for its facade. Belisırma has simple riverside restaurants that suit a lunch stop. At the northern end lies the rock-cut Selime Monastery. The valley is about 100 km by road from Göreme and 40 km from the Derinkuyu Underground City in a straight line, which is why they share the Green Tour. The walk takes two to four hours. Bring water and suitable shoes, and take care on the stairs coming back up.
Shade and running water between cliffs.
Paintings from several Byzantine centuries.
Simple restaurants on the riverbank.
Ihlara town, Güzelyurt, Aksaray Province, south-west Cappadocia
No. Most visitors walk only from the main entrance to Belisırma and either return or leave from there. You can arrange the exit point with your driver in advance.
The path itself is fairly easy, but the long stairway at the entrance is tiring. You can enter at Belisırma or Selime to avoid it.