Conference Venue ( Perissia Hotel & Convention Center)

Location of Perissia Hotel & Convention Center

Nevsehir – the Capital of the Cappadocia Region

• Nevsehir is the capital of the Cappadocia region and is a perfect starting point for extensively visiting the area. The first settlements date back to 3000 BC; the oldest name of the city was “Nyssa”. The city also has some interesting remains from the Seljuk period, such as the castle which stands at the highest point of the city. The Kursunlu Mosque has an impressive complex of buildings and a medresse surrounding it which dates back to 1726. The museum displays a rich collection of the local finds. Gulsehir, and Hacibektas which is the town where Haci Bektas Veli settled in the 14th century, and set up his own Bektas Dervish order which was based on love and humanism. Hacibektas is famous for its onyx souvenirs.

Urgup – Tourism Center of Cappadocia

• Urgup is a small town in the central region of Anatolia. Located in the historical region of Cappadocia, and near the cave churches of Goreme, it is renowned for its nightlife and for its good adjustment to tourism, making it a popular night stop for tourists. According to 2010 census, the population of the district is 34,372 of which 18,631 live in the town of Urgup. Urgup is also known for its famous hotels built within caves, for its wines and for its hand made carpets. Many of the hotels in caves are actually old houses. They can be rented and used for accommodation on condition of not damaging their historic structure. Some of the caves have also been converted into nightclubs and bars. Urgup is one of the main tourist towns in the Cappadocia region.

Avanos – The Ceramic Center

• The old city of Avanos overlook is the longest river 18 km in north of Nevsehir, the ancient name of this city used to be Venessa. The most famous historical feature of Avanos, which is still relevant and very visible today, is its production of earthenware pottery. The hand-made ceramic trade in this district and its countless pottery factories date right back to the Hittites, and the in Turkey, the Kizilirmak (Red River), which also separates it from the rest of Cappadocia.

• Located ceramic clay from the red silt of the Kizilirmak has always been used. It is a popular destination because of its attractive old town with cobbled streets, and superb views over the river.

Goreme – Cave Churches

• Goreme, situated 10 km from Nevsehir, is found in a region surrounded with valleys, within the Nevsehir-Urgup-Avanos triangle. The old names for Goreme are Korama, Matiana, Maccan and Avcilar. There are many holy and ancient cave churches in Goreme.

Cappadocia – Land of the Beautiful Horses

• Cappadocia has one of the most interesting and spectacular landscapes in the world. About three million years ago the volcanoes of Mt. Erciyes and Mt. Hasan covered the surrounding plateau with volcanic tuff as a result of their violent eruptions. The natural effects of wind, water and rain eroded this area into a spectacular, surrealist landscape of rock caves, capped pinnacles and fretted ravines in colors ranging from warm tones of red and gold to cool tones of green and gray. Dating back to 4000 BC; the earliest people used to live in Goreme, known as Cappadocia, in dwellings dug into the rock. Christianity came to the region, and chapels, churches and monasteries were constructed in the rocks. At Derinkuyu, Mazi and Kaymakli, cities were developed underground in order for the inhabitants to hide from raiders. There is another underground city -Ozkonak- which is also open to the public. They are really amazing to visit, and give a sense of the way people must have felt while living underground. Urgup, 20 kms east of Nevsehir, is a lively tourist center and has all the characteristics of the region. Besides this, it is the center of a wine producing region and every year in October an International Wine Festival is held. It is an excellent place to stay to tour the sights in daytime and to find amusement in discos and bars at night. In Urgup you can see how people once lived in houses carved into the rock along the narrow streets. This is a good place for buying carpets and kilims, as many varieties are offered. Pancarlik Valley, the Mustafapasa (Sinassos) and Cemil villages, with their traditional stone houses, the Taskinpasa and Sahinefendi villages where the 2th century Kirksehitler Church is located, and the Devrent and Catalkaya Valleys are famous for their fairy chimneys. The Goreme Open Air Museum, 8 km northwest of Urgup, is a monastic complex of rock churches and chapels decorated with frescoes. The churches of Elmali, St. Basil, St. Barbara, Yilanli, Karanlik, Carikli, and Tokali are of particular interest and their frescoes are very well preserved. Many pilgrims still visit the churches. The cities of Goreme and Uchisar provide a bewitching scenery of cones and chimney formations. Uchisar Fortress is the highest point and the view from its top is enchanting. In Cavusin you will find the monastery of St. John the Baptist. The attractive town of Avanos is famous for its handicrafts, especially pottery, and you may try this craft yourself in one of the many studios. Soganli has a picturesque beauty with dozens of chapels, churches, halls and tombs. The Byzantine development of fresco art can be observed from the 8th to the 13th centuries in Soganli. The town of Ortahisar is carved out of rock. The churches in the Balkan Valley are some of the oldest. Kizilcukur Valley is strikingly beautiful during sunset. You should not miss that marvelous picture. Cappadocia is a land which seems to be a fantasy. Words are useless to describe the beauty and charm of the region; you must experience it for yourself, hot-air baloon tours, trekking tours, horseback riding tours, and other fascinating activities. It will certainly take a particular place in your memories and in your photograph album.