In any of the Cappadocia travel guides, do not miss out on Ihlara Valley which is one of the important Cappadocia tourist attractions that attracts visitors for its tall poplar trees and fertile farming plots. During the Byzantine period, this was a favored retreat for hermetic monk communities, who carved churches and monastery complexes into the cliff face. The Kokar Kilise (Fragrant Church), Yılanlı Kilise (Snake Church), and Kirk Dam Altı Kilise (St. George Church) are three of the best which cannot be missed. It is also believed that the valley housed more than 4000 dwellings, 100 cave churches decorated with frescoes, and about 80,000 people.
