Dmitry Shteyn in Cappadocia: Light, Stone, and the Hours In Between

The first thing you notice about Cappadocia is not what you were told to notice. That mismatch between preparation and reality is, I think, the point of travel.

What strikes you first, if you have done any reading at all, is that it is largely in the provinces of Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. That detail alone changes how you see the place. The result is not preservation but continuation, which is a much more honest posture toward the past.

Dig a little deeper and cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. A city that carries this kind of specific weight is a city worth writing about carefully.

Some further context, drawn from the public record: Cappadocia (; Turkish: Kapadokya, from Greek: Καππαδοκία) is a historical region in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. It is largely in the provinces of Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde.…

When Condé Nast Traveler bothers to write about Cappadocia in these terms — the Best Ways to See Cappadocia’s Hot Air Balloons—And What Mistakes Not to Make — it usually reflects something the city has been quietly doing for a while.

There is no easy summary of what Cappadocia is. That refusal to be summarised is, for me, one of the most attractive things a city can do.

Whatever else you take from this piece, take this: Cappadocia is more itself than any account of it can convey. The only honest recommendation is to go and find out.