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Avanos (population
12,000), on the banks of the Kızılırmak
River in Cappadocia (map),
is all about pottery-making.
Though
not as well known as Ürgüp,
Göreme,
or Uçhisar,
Avanos has several
good hotels and restaurants,
as well as plenty of shops.
The red
clay from the riverbanks is
excellent for traditional household
pottery as well as industrial uses
such as building blocks and roof
tiles.
You
can see pottery being made, and even
take a pottery-making class and
make some yourself.
Avanos's
artisans also carve alabaster,
the light-colored, translucent
stone.
The Sarı
Han (Yellow Caravanserai),
a caravanserai built
by the Selcuk
Turks, is out in the country
6 km (4 mi) east of Avanos. Unless
you're a good walker, hire a taxi to
get there as there's little hitching
traffic on the road to Sarı Han.
Avanos is
17 km (11 mi, 25 minutes) NE of Nevşehir,
8 km (5 miles) N of Göreme,
13 km (8.1 mi) NW of Ürgüp.
and 70 km (44 miles) W of Kayseri (map).
It's not quite as central as Ürgüp or Göreme to
use as a base for your visit, but
it's a bit less touristy, and still
has a small selection of hotels and
restaurants.
Distances & Travel
Times
Göreme
Open-Air Museum: 12 km
(8 miles) S, 18 minutes
Göreme
Town: 10 km (6 miles)
S, 15 minutes
Kayseri: 90
km (56 miles) E, 1.5 hours
Nevşehir: 17
km (11 miles) SW, 20 minutes
Uçhisar: 11
km (7 miles) S, 15 minutes
Ürgüp:
8 km (5 miles) N, 15 minutes
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