Pasabag Valley

About Pasabag Valley

Pasabag Valley sits between Goreme and Avanos, in the northern half of Cappadocia, and it's the place most people picture when they think of fairy chimneys. The cones here aren't the plain single-stem kind. Many carry two or three dark basalt caps balanced on a single body of soft volcanic tuff, the result of harder rock protecting the softer stone beneath it from millions of years of erosion. The valley is also called Monks Valley, a name that comes from the hermits who once cut cells and chapels straight into the taller chimneys.

The tallest of these formations is tied to Saint Simeon, who is said to have lived as a recluse carved into the rock. You can still see rooms and window openings hollowed out partway up the cones, and a small chapel dedicated to the saint. The site is compact and mostly flat, so it doesn't ask much of you physically. A gravel path loops through the main cluster of chimneys, and there's usually a small stand or two selling pottery, dried fruit, and drinks near the entrance, along with basic facilities.

Pasabag is a standard stop on Cappadocia's Red Tour route, which covers the northern sights and generally pairs it with the Goreme Open Air Museum and either the Zelve Open Air Museum or an underground city, with lunch in between. If you're driving yourself, it's an easy roadside stop rather than a long detour. Most people spend 30 to 45 minutes here, enough to walk the loop and get up close to the chimneys. Early morning is the quietest and coolest time, and it's also when the light on the pale rock is at its best. Bring water and a hat in summer, since there's little shade among the cones.