12 Epic Travel Destinations for Fans of Fantasy and Science Fiction

15. Cappadocia, Turkey: Land of Fairy Chimneys and Subterranean Cities

Cappadocia is a place where Earth feels like another planet entirely. With its surreal “fairy chimneys”—cone-shaped rock formations sculpted by volcanic eruptions and erosion—the landscape looks like something conjured by the imagination of a fantasy writer or science fiction concept artist. But Cappadocia isn’t just about what lies above ground. Beneath the surface, vast underground cities like Derinkuyu and Kaymakli stretch for miles, built centuries ago to house thousands of people in times of invasion. With twisting tunnels, hidden chambers, and mysterious ventilation shafts, these subterranean worlds could easily serve as the setting for a secret rebel base or an ancient magical realm. Above ground, the dawn skies are filled with a constellation of hot air balloons, casting shifting shadows over the ochre valleys and sandstone towers below. Watching the sun rise over this dreamlike landscape feels like witnessing the awakening of a world where dragons might glide over the horizon and forgotten empires still slumber in the hills. From the ancient cave churches of Göreme to the alien topography of Love Valley, Cappadocia is a place where fantasy and history blend seamlessly—a real-world realm that seems too magical to be real.