Hot-air balloon over Uçhisar in Cappadocia, Turkey (© Coolbriere Photograph/Getty Images)

【March 23 2015】For thousands of years, people in Cappadocia have literally carved out an existence within the “fairy chimneys” that rise up across the region. These natural towers are made of soft tuff, formed from hardened volcanic ash, and Cappadocians dug innumerable caves into them. They used these caves as sheltered homes, churches, even entire underground communities that offered some degree of protection from relatively frequent raids. Cappadocia nevertheless fell under the rule of various kingdoms in the region’s storied history, but it’s emerged in modern times as a major tourist destination in Turkey.Explore breathtaking Gallery from the HuluTrip homepage over the past 5 years..