Experience the striking natural beauty, mind-boggling rock formations, and remarkable stone-cut churches and dwellings of Cappadocia. Hop on a night bus from Istanbul to arrive in Ürgüp the following morning, spend the day exploring, and then board the bus again that evening for the overnight return ride.

You're picked up right at your Istanbul hotel around 10 PM, the perfect time to settle in, get comfortable and let the motion of the bus lull you to sleep as you cross the moonlit Turkish countryside. Rest up on the ride and arrive in Ürgüp in the early morning, catching glimpses of colorful hot air balloons hovering over the spiraling pinnacles and folding valleys of Cappadocia as you enter this stunning terrain.

Hop off the bus and stretch your legs with a walk among the so-called fairy chimneys that dot the lunar landscape of Devrent Valley, snapping photos of imagination-sparking rock formations and natural sculptures. Head to Paşabağ, or the Valley of the Monks, to see striking mushroom-capped rock pillars that conceal cave dwellings and chapels carved out centuries ago by Christian hermits.

Stop in riverside Avanos to see the region's famous clay pottery being made by hand, and enjoy a delicious lunch of Turkish specialties. In the afternoon visit the UNESCO-listed Göreme Open-Air Museum to roam among the rock-cut Byzantine churches, filled with colorful frescoes that date back to the 10th century. Climb through maze-like carved passages to reach the peak of Uçhisar Castle, where you can watch the setting sun paint the surreal landscape in honey-colored hues before you hop back on the bus to get some rest on the return ride to Istanbul.