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Located in the middle of Turkey, Cappadocia is a great stop in any Turkey trip. The landscapes are fantastic, the underground cities are amazing and Goereme, the center of the region is a great place to stay. The unique features from Cappadocia come from its caves, carved in the chimneys or cliffs that shape Cappadocia’s landscapes by populations throughout the last 30+ centuries. The sights are somewhat reminiscent of Utah or Arizona national parks (think Grand Canyon), but the countless homes or churches carved in the rock add a historical twist to the visit. We were very impressed by the frescoes that decorate some of the churches: very elaborate and well preserved. Frescoes in the Black Church in Goereme A great way to visit Cappadocia is to explore the various canyons on foot. There are several around Goereme, all between 4 and 10 km long. Some paths are a little bit challenging (long dark tunnels and wood ladders). But we managed well despite having a baby in a baby backpack

After 10 days traveling in Turkey with our 16-month old son, we found that going to far-away countries with a toddler is not as difficult as many people believe. Yes, we also had our own concerns, and we had set our expectations that we might have a rough time. Yet, we had decided that it would be worth the effort since we were very eager to visit Turkey. As it turns out, most of our concerns weren’t justified, and we found that Daniel had a great time in Turkey. Below are a few things we have learned in our trip. • Jetlag : Interestingly enough, it was easier for Daniel to adjust after this complex trip than after a “simple” journey to Germany. After a 26-hour journey (2 flights and one 2.5 hour car drive) and a jump of 10 time zones, internal rhythm is typically quite upset for everyone, big and small. We flew with the night flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt, so Daniel had a good night of sleep behind him when we landed in Germany. From then, we paced his naps until the follo

My husband, son and I spent 10 days in Turkey at the end of May. Our first stop, for the first 5 days, was in a small village called Kapikiri by the Bafa Lake. The Bafa Lake is located about half way between Izmir and Bodrum on the Aegean coast. While the region is mostly known for beach resorts, Kapikiri has a very different charm: a 300-people village, sitting on the ruins of the old greek city of Herakleia by the quiet lake, living by the rhythm of cows, roosters and sheep. All houses are built using stones from the surrounding ruins. Now the entire village stands under protection as an historical monument. The road ends at Kapikiri, so things are really quiet there.... a whole different world. At the same time, the location is perfect for day-excursions to nearby cultural sights (Ephesus, Miletus, Priene, Dydima - all so worthwhile) and to sea-side locations such as Bodrum and Dilek Peninsula. For us, it was a perfect choice. We could take advantage of all the sightseeing of the r