Property in Turkey | Caves in Turkey

Turkey has several notable areas rich in caving opportunities for people to explore, while Cappadocia offers the opportunities to visit cave dwellings.

The Taurus mountain range is the most significant part for caves in Turkey but the centre, south-east, north-west and Thrace also have grottos worth exploring.

One reason for there being so many caves in Turkey to explore - around 40,000 - is that it is part of the Alpine mountain chain and a third of the country is on carbonate rocks, which are ideal for the creation of caverns. This has led to karstification - fissures - at high altitudes and at sea level, leading to such features as the Ovacik submarine springs in the north-west and others in the Mediterranean.

Most of Turkey's largest caverns are along the coast and in the Taurus Mountains, with stratigraphy dating back to 500 million years ago.

Cappadocia has the most famous caves in Turkey as the 'fairy chimneys' were the dwellings of Christians keen to escape persecution. Inside these are homes and churches with splendid mosaics and frescoes that are well worth a visit. For those keen to get an even better experience of what it was like to be a troglodyte, there is the cave hotel which is centred upon a 1,000-year-old monastery.

Despite its age, the cave hotel offers modern facilities in addition to the frescoes and nearby 'city of caves', some of which go back as far as 5,000 years. It presents a different way to see a cave, one in comfort and with good food available.

For those more interested in seeing caverns the traditional way, the Ayvaini cave is a popular tourist location inside the borders of the Ayva village of Bursa, Turkey. Two entrances lead people in and one can descend 17km.

Another good cave to visit is Altinbesik in the region of Antalya, which has 2.2km to explore from the lake at its entrance with other lakes as well to contrast with its stone interior.

Similarly, the Mencilis cave near Zonguldak city, which has a water discharge at the start and ends with a syphon, while an alternative entrance is through a gorge. Inside, one can also see pits and halls, as well as cascades of water, making it a truly beautiful experience.

Kizil Elma in Zonguldak province is easily reached by tourists and likewise has a syphon which draws the wonder of tourists. In addition, there is a chimney 80m high which allows enough light to illuminate the lake inside, adding to the marvels of the 10km of caverns people can explore. Best visited in the summer, one should check the weather first as it is liable to flood during rainy periods.

Yet flooding can be an attraction to others - the Cumayani cave in the same province has boat tours in its galleries, allowing one to see caves in Turkey in a different way.

With 40,000 caves in Turkey to choose from and the opportunity to experience life inside a cave, one of the oldest ways of living, Turkey's caverns can offer a great day out or even an entire holiday's worth of experiences.

Those who own property in Turkey will be able to experience these stunning caves when they visit and as the caves and the surrounding locations are popular with tourists buying a property in Turkey here should yield good rental returns.