Cappadocia lies in Central Anatolia, with the cities of Kayseri, Nevsehir, Aksaray and Nigde. Cappadocia has become a very popular tourist destination, thanks to the amazing rock formations arising from the large-scale volcanic deposits and the historical settlements within these formations. Explosive volcanic activity, which started about 9 Ma from today, formed large pyroclastic flows and ignimbrites covering the region in geological time, and these rocks later took their present appearance with erosion processes. Erosion of these deposits resulted in amazing formations referred to as "Fairy chimneys". Over centuries, people have carved out the soft tuff to create tunnels, caves and homes.