Zelve Open Air Museum

The Zelve Valley, now known as the Zelve Open Air Museum, is among the earliest-settled and last-abandoned monastic valleys in Cappadocia.

Its churches are not as many or as impressive as those at the more famous Göreme Open Air Museum, but Zelve (ZEHL-veh) has its own attractions: the topography is even more dramatic, with crags and pinnacles and steep valleys, and there’s more freedom to climb around and look at all the caves, nooks and crannies.

Unfortunately, there’s no regular public transport to the Zelve Valley, so you must have your own vehicle, hitch a ride with others, take a hiking trail, take a taxi, or a tour.

—by Tom Brosnahan