1 Peter 1 · 8 days · Kayseri – Kayseri

Cappadocia and the Church Fathers – a single-base tour to the rock-cut churches

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”2 Corinthians 4:7

8 days7 nights

KayseriStart

KayseriEnd

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Where volcanic ash hardened into soft tuff, monks and congregations carved churches, monasteries and entire towns into the rock over the centuries. Cappadocia is therefore a place where the history of early faith is not only read but can be walked into – from the account of Pentecost to the frescoes of the 11th century.

Because you stay seven nights in the same hotel in Ürgüp, there is more time for what really matters. The day trips lead to Göreme, down into the depths of Derinkuyu, through the Ihlara gorge as far as Selime, into the quiet Soğanlı Valley, to Mustafapaşa and Güzelyurt, and on foot through Rose Valley. Driving times remain manageable, and in the evening you always return to the same place.

At the heart of the tour are the Church Fathers Basil, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzus, who prepared the way for the Creed of 381, and the biblical texts by which they lived. A state-licensed tour guide brings archaeology and church history together. On the last full day you celebrate a service in a rock-cut church, subject to permission. Christians of all denominations are warmly welcome.

The Bible reading path

Passages you will read on site

1 Pet 1:1–2Ürgüp (welcome evening)

To the elect strangers in Cappadocia – the letter that was addressed to this very landscape.

Acts 2:1–11Göreme Open-Air Museum

Pentecost: people from Cappadocia, too, heard the wonderful works of God.

Matt 25:35–40Ürgüp (devotion)

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren” – the programme of the Basiliad.

Psalm 91:1–2Derinkuyu

In the secret place of the Most High – read in the depths of the underground city.

Heb 11:32–40Ihlara Valley

The cloud of witnesses who lived in dens and caves of the earth.

2 Cor 4:6–10Mustafapaşa

Treasure in earthen vessels – in front of the abandoned Church of Constantine and Helena.

John 1:1–14Güzelyurt

In the beginning was the Word – the Gospel on which Gregory the Theologian preached.

Matt 3:1–6Çavuşin

John the Baptist in the wilderness – in front of the church that bears his name.

1 Cor 1:18Church of the Cross in Rose Valley

The preaching of the cross – beneath the cross on the rock ceiling.

Psalm 23Rock-cut church (closing service)

The Good Shepherd – the close of the week in worship.

2 Cor 13:14Ürgüp (farewell)

The Trinitarian benediction that sums up the thought of the Church Fathers.

Tip: bring your own Bible – at each place we open the relevant passage together.
Bible quotations: King James Version.

Day by day

Itinerary

Day1

Arrival in Caesarea – the city of Basil

Kayseri Airport → Kayseri → Ürgüp

Your tour guide welcomes you at Kayseri Airport. In antiquity the city was called Caesarea and was the capital of the Roman province of Cappadocia; from 370 Basil was bishop here, and outside its gates he had a great complex built for the sick, the poor and strangers. Depending on your arrival time, you make a short stop in the city, above which the snow-capped Mount Erciyes rises. Then you drive for about an hour to Ürgüp, where you stay for the whole week. At the welcome evening your tour guide introduces the day trips. To begin, you read Peter’s greeting to the elect “strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia” – to the first Christians of this landscape.

1 Pet 1:1–2Overnight: Ürgüp

Day2

Göreme – rock-cut churches in the valley of the monks

Ürgüp → Göreme → Ortahisar → Ürgüp

First thing in the morning, before the crowds arrive, you enter the Göreme Open-Air Museum. Among the tuff cones lie the churches, chapels and refectories of a medieval monastic centre. In the Apple Church and the Snake Church you see frescoes of Christ, the apostles and St George; thanks to the scant light, the Dark Church preserves colours from the 11th century. Here you read the account of Pentecost, which also mentions people from Cappadocia. The 10th-century Tokalı Church impresses with its deep blue background. After a stop in Ortahisar, in the evening you talk about Basil, whose monastic rules shaped the life of these monasteries.

Acts 2:1–11Matt 25:35–40Overnight: Ürgüp

Day3

In the depths of the earth – Derinkuyu, Ihlara and Selime

Ürgüp → Derinkuyu → Ihlara → Selime → Ürgüp

The day begins underground. In Derinkuyu – or in Kaymaklı, depending on crowds – you descend several storeys through narrow passages: stables, kitchens, ventilation shafts and heavy rolling stones with which the doors were sealed. Their origins are disputed; the complexes were extended above all in Byzantine times as a refuge from raids. Here you read: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High.” Then you go down into the green Ihlara Valley. On the way to Belisırma you visit rock-cut churches and read of the witnesses of faith who lived in dens and caves of the earth. In the afternoon you reach the rock monastery of Selime.

Psalm 91:1–2Heb 11:32–40Overnight: Ürgüp

Day4

Treasure in earthen vessels – Soğanlı and Mustafapaşa

Ürgüp → Soğanlı → Mustafapaşa → Ürgüp

Today you drive to the Soğanlı Valley in the south of Cappadocia, where the rock-cut churches often lie quiet and almost without visitors. The Karabaş Church preserves frescoes from the 11th century, the Kubbeli Church a dome hewn entirely out of the rock. In the valley you read the words of Paul: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels.” In the afternoon you reach Mustafapaşa, ancient Sinasos. Until the population exchange of 1923/24, Greek Orthodox Christians lived here; their stone houses and the 18th-century Church of Constantine and Helena remain. The abandoned church makes plain how fragile the vessel is – and how lasting the treasure.

2 Cor 4:6–10Overnight: Ürgüp

Day5

Güzelyurt – Gregory the Theologian and the Word in the beginning

Ürgüp → Güzelyurt → Sivrihisar → Ürgüp

Today the road leads to the edge of Hasan Dağı and to Güzelyurt, the old Gelveri. Gregory of Nazianzus grew up in this area – a friend of Basil and, for a short time, Bishop of Constantinople. In the former Church of St Gregory, which according to local tradition was founded in 385 and today serves as a mosque, you read the opening of the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Gregory, “the Theologian”, preached on this text. In Monastery Valley you see rock-cut churches, and in the afternoon the free-standing Red Church of Sivrihisar. Afterwards you talk about the Creed of 381, which the Church Fathers helped to shape.

John 1:1–14Overnight: Ürgüp

Day6

A voice in the wilderness – Çavuşin, Rose Valley and Zelve

Ürgüp → Çavuşin → Rose Valley → Zelve → Ürgüp

In the morning you climb up in Çavuşin to the Church of St John the Baptist, which was probably hewn into the rock as early as the 5th century. In front of it you read the words about the Baptist: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” Down in the village, the Pigeon House Church shows frescoes from around 964. Then you walk through Rose Valley with its pink rocks to the Church of the Cross, on whose ceiling a great cross has been carved out of the stone; here you hear the preaching of the cross. For non-walkers the coach runs. In the afternoon you see the valley of Zelve, which was inhabited until the 1950s, and the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ.

Matt 3:1–61 Cor 1:18Overnight: Ürgüp

Day7

Free day and worship in the rock – the LORD is my shepherd

Ürgüp → Uçhisar → Göreme → Ürgüp

This day is deliberately kept free. If you wish, you board a balloon at dawn and watch the sun rise over the valleys; the flight depends on the weather and costs extra. Others enjoy the peace of the hotel or read the Bible, which has gained so many images in these days. In the afternoon, if you wish, you go to Uçhisar with its castle rock and walk down through Pigeon Valley to Göreme. In the late afternoon you gather, subject to permission, in a rock-cut church for the closing service. Psalm 23 is at its centre: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” At the farewell dinner you look back on the week together.

Psalm 23Overnight: Ürgüp

Day8

Return journey from Kayseri

Ürgüp → Kayseri Airport

On the last morning, depending on your flight time, there is still time for a stroll through Ürgüp and a last look at the tuff cones. In a short devotion you hear Paul’s benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.” In these words resounds all that the Church Fathers of Cappadocia strove for. Then the transfer takes you in just over an hour to Kayseri Airport. If you would like to stay longer, you can extend with a few days in Istanbul, with Konya, the biblical Iconium, or with beach days on the Mediterranean.

2 Cor 13:14

The route

On the map

1Kayseri Airport2Kayseri (Caesarea)3Ürgüp (hotel)4Göreme · Çavuşin · Zelve5Derinkuyu6Ihlara Valley7Selime8Soğanlı Valley9Mustafapaşa (Sinasos)10Güzelyurt (Gelveri)

Inclusions & price

What the tour price includes

Price on request

The tour price depends on dates, group size and room allocation. You will receive your personal offer – free of charge and without obligation.

Enquire →

⛔ No shopping stops: carpet, jewellery or leather showrooms are not part of this tour.

Included

7 nights in a good hotel in Ürgüp with half board – one hotel for the whole tour
All journeys by air-conditioned coach, airport transfers in Kayseri
State-licensed tour guide
Admission fees as per programme, including the Dark Church in Göreme
Organisation of the closing service in a rock-cut church (subject to permission)
Welcome and farewell evenings

Not included

Flight
Balloon flight (optional)
Lunches and drinks
Tips
Travel insurance
Personal expenses

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Why only one hotel?

Cappadocia is compact: every stop can be reached on day trips from Ürgüp. You unpack once and have the same room every evening.

Is the balloon flight included in the price?

No. The balloon flight is an optional extra at additional cost, depends on the weather and must be reserved in advance.

Are the underground cities cramped?

Yes, some of the passages are low and narrow. Anyone who suffers from claustrophobia can stay above ground; the tour guide will also explain the site from outside.

How demanding is the tour?

An average level of fitness is sufficient. In the Ihlara Valley many steps lead down; the walk through Rose Valley (approx. 5 km) is optional – the coach offers an alternative.

Is it possible to hold a service in a rock-cut church?

Yes, subject to permission. We apply for the closing service in good time; your congregation can lead it itself.

Is the flight included in the tour price?

No. You fly to Kayseri and back, usually with a change in Istanbul. On request we will look for a suitable connection for you.

How much does the tour cost?

The price depends on the date, group size and room allocation. After your enquiry you will receive a personal quotation – free of charge and without obligation.

In which language is the tour guided?

A state-licensed tour guide accompanies you – in English or in one of 25 languages. We have been guiding guests since 1989.

Enquiry & booking

Enquire about this tour

Cappadocia and the Church Fathers – a single-base tour to the rock-cut churches

Cappadocia and the Church Fathers – a single-base tour to the rock-cut churches

Passages you will read on site

Itinerary

Arrival in Caesarea – the city of Basil

Göreme – rock-cut churches in the valley of the monks

In the depths of the earth – Derinkuyu, Ihlara and Selime

Treasure in earthen vessels – Soğanlı and Mustafapaşa

Güzelyurt – Gregory the Theologian and the Word in the beginning

A voice in the wilderness – Çavuşin, Rose Valley and Zelve

Free day and worship in the rock – the LORD is my shepherd

Return journey from Kayseri

On the map

What the tour price includes

Price on request

Included

Not included

Frequently asked questions

Enquire about this tour

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