Ihlara

The Glass Terrace, built by Aksaray Municipality in the Ihlara Valley, the second largest canyon in the world, has opened with a ceremony on May 28 by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.

The hot air balloon trips in the Ihlara Valley in the Central Anatolian province of Aksaray, which is the starting point of the iconic touristic attraction Cappadocia, have resumed after they had to be halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 14-kilometer-long valley lures visitors, who can go all the way down the valley with 394 step stairs, with its ancient churches and landscape.

Among one of the world's biggest canyons, the Ihlara Valley resembles an open-air museum, with its historical and natural beauty, and attracts visitors for its hiking routes and magnificent scenery. 

The number of tourists visiting the Ihlara Valley, one of the most important routes of Cappadocia in the Central Anatolian province of Aksaray, increased by 12 percent to 491,380 last year compared to 2014. 

The Ihlara Valley is a site of stunning natural beauty and is home to a series of ancient Christian churches and frescoes tucked away in stone caves. 

The Central Anatolian province of Aksaray has become a favorite of Turkish and foreign producers in recent years thanks to the historic and natural beauty of the area on the edge of Cappadocia Boasting a wealth of natural and historical beauty, Aksaray, the gateway to Cappadocia, is attracting an increasing array of producers and directors for cinema films, TV series and programs.

The Turkish Environment and Urbanization Ministry has prepared a special environment protection plan for the Ihlara Valley in Turkey?s central Anatolian province of Aksaray, where the construction of daily facilities such as buffets and tea gardens will be permitted.

The Central Anatolian province of Aksaray has become so popular among tourists in recent years thanks to its Ihlara Valley, underground cities, caravanserais and the investments in accommodation Eight archaeological sites in the Central Anatolian province of Aksaray, which dates back to 10,000 years ago, were visited by more than 1 million tourists last year, a 17 percent increase in com

The Selime Cathedral, high atop the Ihlara Valley, was a space of refuge and defense for Anatolia’s earliest Christians