Cappadocia is a region in Turkey, not just one city. The main tourist cities are Göreme, Uçhisar, Çavuşin, and Avanos. We love this region so much. To preface, we love hiking, outdoors, and nature so it was perfect for us to spend 5 days here. To see a majority of the main attractions, we’d recommend 3-5 days here.
When to Visit
Cappadocia is a dry desert climate. That means even in the summer when you bake in the sun, the nights are significantly cooler. We went in August and while the rest of the country was +35℃ with some places having high humidity, Cappadocia was 20-30℃ dry and felt like the best gift ever. The spring and fall are beautiful times to visit. You can get some cheaper rates in winter but it also comes with snow and cold. Luckily, one of the main attractions of hot air balloons still runs year round. They are canceled if winds get too strong but the cold temperatures don’t keep them down.
Nature in Cappadocia
While driving into the area, the terrain doesn’t seem to change much. There are some rolling hills and flat lands but the second you round the corner and see the biggest fairy chimney, Uçhisar Castle, you know the landscape has changed. This region is known for its fairy chimneys. This odd geological structure is the result of volcanic activity, years of erosion and earthquakes. All this geological activity has created some beautiful valleys as well. The rocks are incredible here. Each valley has its own unique look with different rock formations like the Red Valley having red rock, the Love Valley having mushroom shaped fairy chimneys, or Meskendir having wavy rocks.
Where to Stay
As with most places, you can find any range of accommodation here from cheap hostels to some of the nicests hotels we’ve ever seen. Most cities are only a 10 minute drive from each other so it’s hard to go wrong with where to stay. We stayed in two different hotels: one in Göreme and one in Çavuşin. I’d highly recommend both but for very different reasons. Göreme you are in the middle of the action. All the restaurants, shops, and even the bus terminal are here. It does NOT feel like a big city as there is almost no noise from all this activity which is great. I liked being close enough to walk to these things. We stayed at Cratus Stone Palace, which we’d definitely recommend. The rooms were beautiful and the breakfast was the most amazing we’d had in Turkey. It was very high end. Then we stayed at Azure Cave Hotel in Çavuşin. The town of Çavuşin is very quiet. With only a few restaurants, this town is mainly hotels built into the side of the rock. If you’re in the area only to see balloons, Çavuşin has a way better view point than Göreme with more balloons that fly much closer to you.
Museum Card
Depending on where you are going and what you want to see, I’d recommend the Turkey Museum Card. There are a few options based on the city (see below for more details) but all work the same. I would NOT recommend buying in advance as it’s a physical card. The first site you visit, you can buy it there. They will write the date on the card. Every site that accepts the card, you do not need to stand in line to buy a ticket. You just need to scan your card to gain entry. We were able to go to more museums and places than originally expected because we kept looking online to see what places accepted the card and we would go there. Check their website for attractions that accept the pass.
In terms of options for foreigners (locals get a huge discount to attractions), there is the TÜRKİYE, İSTANBUL, CAPPADOCIA, AEGEAN, or MEDITERRANEAN. Each is a different price and different amount of days. So check out where you are going, if your trip will cover that specific amount of days, then buy your card at the first stop. Prices are changing rapidly but as of August 2024, here is the link to prices and days.
What To Do in Cappadocia
Cappadocia is utterly amazing in its natural beauty and scenery. The main things to do in Cappadocia all revolve around the beauty of nature. Hotels and restaurants are literally set into the side of mountains with patios that showcase the scenery and view. So breakfast, lunch, or dinner all come with incredible landscape views! It’s absolutely spectacular. We noticed a huge uptick in the styles and dress of the tourists here. They seem more classy and well dressed. The restaurants and hotels seem to lean nicer as well. We also saw backpackers so you can definitely get a range of accommodations here.
While we saw people wearing all sorts of foot wear from wedges to flip flops, we’d recommend hiking boots for the whole area. One of us wore tennis shoes and it was fine but his feet hurt later in the day due to all the uneven rocky roads. The other of us wore hiking boots and felt just great the rest of the day. Everything we own is dusty from just walking around the paths and even in town so I wouldn’t recommend a new pair of cute shoes here. People did it, but we saw lots of dirty feet in cute shoes.
Pro tip – most of these small towns charge for parking in the city center. We are always ok with a small walk so we would just park a few blocks back for free and then walk to whatever shop, restaurant or attraction we needed to go to. Look for the guys in the neon yellow vests as they are traffic police making sure cars in the city center area pay for parking.
A few of the main attractions are listed here with details on each below: 1) Open Air Museums, 2) Hot Air Balloons, 3) Hiking, 4) Underground Cities, 5) Eating / Shopping, 6) Horseback Riding / Four Wheeling.
1) Open Air Museums – Open Air Museums in Turkey just seem to be natural landscapes that they’ve turned into ticketed locations. The Turkey Museum Pass gets you entry to these. Generally there is limited information to read (so do some research before you go). It’s not a building museum that most of us think of. There are two really close to town and after visiting both, our recommendation is that if you only have time to see one, go to Zelve. Reasons listed below. That being said, if you are going to both, the Dark Church at Göreme Open Air is one of the more impressive things we saw so it’s worth the additional cost if you are going.
Zelve Open Air Museum – this is the location we recommend. You do have to drive out to it as it’s farther away but free parking. The reason we loved this one so much: First, it felt like we were hiking a valley with a dirt path, trees, and mountains surrounding the valley. So really it’s two experiences in one. The views out here are breathtaking in itself. Second, you can get up close to the living quarters. Like you can walk through all of the cave rooms, explore as much as you want. It was so much easier to picture people living here as the rooms are all exposed. Third, the rooms here are much larger than Göreme Open Air Museum. That made it so fun to explore and see what rooms connected to where. So overall, we loved Zelve Open Air Museum because it was prettier, more rooms to explore, and you get to see more.
Göreme Open Air Museum – the closest one to the city of Göreme. You can either drive out and pay to park or if you are up for a short walk, you can walk on the nice sidewalk out there. One reason we didn’t love this location is that it felt very small. It also felt guarded as a lot of the rooms were closed off so you couldn’t enter or see into them. The rooms that were open were very small and it felt like a lot of people trying to see small rooms without anything to see. Most of the rooms open were small one room churches that had a person guarding the room so you couldn’t take pictures. That being said, one thing we did find fascinating is that in some of the living spaces, there are long oval trenches with two sides carved on the ground. We overheard a tour guide say that this was actually a table with seating. While it’s unclear who actually built these cities in the fairy chimneys as so many civilizations have inhabited them at different times. It is clear that in the Byzantine era, the Christians added many churches to this location. For us, the most impressive thing was the Dark Church. This requires a second ticket to enter but is also included in the Turkey Museum Pass. The Dark Church is so impressive because the paintings inside the church are so detailed and well preserved. The color was so deep and rich. It was worth it to see in real life!
Paşabağ Vadisi – this is technically a valley but I have it in this section because they have an entrance fee (included in the Turkey Museum Pass). However I would honestly skip this one. If you want to see it, you can see most of it just driving past on the road. The whole thing is only made up of a few mushroom shaped fairy chimneys. I would recommend you go to Love Valley (see more in the hiking section) for free. The rock formations are generally the same, but Love Valley doesn’t have the black coloring on the mushroom shaped fairy chimneys. If you have time and it’s on your Museum Pass, go for it, otherwise we recommend you skip if you are also going to do Love Valley.
2) Hot Air Balloons – Hot Air Balloons are a way of life here. The weather and wind conditions are perfect for safe balloon rides. That combined with the fact that the landscape is so beautiful, makes for the perfect place. If you’ve never done a hot air balloon, now is your time. There are two main ways to enjoy them. One: take a ride yourself or two: watch from your hotel or a viewpoint to see hundreds of them take off.
Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride – there are about 25 balloon companies that are allowed to operate 165 rides per day. We found out that every balloon is actually registered with the Turkeys Air Control and monitored like a commercial flight. The pilots even have to be licensed. The most popular is the sunrise ride. This means you’ll have an early morning. In the summer, it means a 4:30am pick up from the hotel. I know it’s early but it’s totally worth it to take a hot air balloon ride over such a beautiful landscape. Most companies pick you up from your hotel, take you to the launch site, set up the balloon, have an hour ride and then bring you back to your hotel. The experience can range from $200-500 per person. Do your research though because there are companies that will try to pack up to 28 people in one basket. This can make it cramped and you’ll have less opportunity for pictures. I’ve seen companies cap the ride at 8 people or you can even go private if that suits your needs. Either way, it’s a great way to experience one of the main attractions here.
I’d recommend booking in advance. We used GetYourGuide to see reviews and book our spot. Unfortunately our first flight was canceled due to high winds. Therefore I would recommend you book it on the first morning you are in Cappadocia. That way if there are any cancellations, you can try to rebook for another morning when you are there. In town we walked around to the tour companies and while a few spots were available, it seemed very limited. So booking in advance online is your best bet to secure a spot you want.
We were able to book last minute with a company called Royal Balloon. We really like the experience because they limit the number of people in the basket. They have three options at three different price points: 20 people, 16 people or 8 people. I honestly thought it was worth the extra price of this company. They were so well organized, the communication on WhatsApp and email was so quick, they provided a light breakfast for us before the flight, everything was so professional and safe. It really was a great experience. During the flight, they take you over many parts of the city and landscape. They take you into a valley close to the walls and trees and then so close to the rooftop hotels you feel like you can touch them. It was such a wild and peaceful experience. I’d highly recommend it, even though it’s expensive, as we both said it was one of the top experiences of our life! The feeling of floating is unmatched.
Watch from your hotel or viewpoint – the other most popular way to enjoy the hot air balloons is right from your hotel. Most hotels have a rooftop patio that makes for the perfect viewing. Get up early just around sunrise to see the balloons take off. What surprised me the most is that after taking off, a lot of balloons come in close to the city, hotels, and even the hiking valleys. Like so close it feels like you could reach out and touch the passengers in the basket! It’s shocking how well the pilot can control the balloon. Even in the summer, it’s cold in the morning so bring a jacket or blanket while you enjoy the view! We stayed in two different hotels: one in Göreme and one in Çavuşin. If you’re here only to see balloons, Çavuşin has a way better view point than Göreme with more balloons much closer to you.
3) Hiking – There are literally hundreds of hiking trails in the Cappadocia area. You can see them all over the rocks. Here are our top favorites.
Rose Valley – This was definitely our favorite hike. While this is a bit of a harder hike, it’s not impossible. Some people may get tired on the hike as there are a lot of ups and downs in terms of elevation. However, the terrain is mainly a sandy walking path. What we loved most about this hike is that you can do a loop. First you walk on a ridge in the rock formations and then you walk a valley back. This makes for the perfect combination to experience both! There are many viewpoints here. We followed a path to get us to Rose Valley Viewpoint towards Red Valley. While there is the occasional sign, markings in most of these valleys aren’t always super clear. Because there are many paths to take in most valleys that go in many different directions, it’s hard to give exact directions. We LOVE maps.me for hiking because even when you lose service, the trails are downloaded to your phone for easy access. The app definitely has more trails than Google Maps. On the way back down, we went through the valley. A must stop is the Column Church. We almost missed it because again, no signs and it’s honestly unassuming from the outside. We almost didn’t go in because it looked like all the other cave houses we’d been in but I am so glad we did. This Column Church is incredible. It’s so big. To get there, cross the small wooden bridge, climb the rock stairs that look like they are going nowhere but a dark space and you’ll enter into this large cavern that has these beautiful rock columns carved into it. It’s honestly stunning.
Love Valley – Love Valley is one of the easier valleys to enter. Follow the pin on Google Maps for Love Valley Trail for the start. You can park along the main road. There is a small unmarked parking lot but most people parked on the shoulder of the road. Luckily there is an easy dirt road to follow that four wheelers and horses take. Once you see the mushroom shaped fairy chimneys, you’ll be on hiking paths only. This valley is great because although there are many paths, most of them go straight back to the end of the valley so it’s really easy to follow. There aren’t signs but again, you don’t really need them. The farther back into the valley you get, the more shade from trees. There are many fruit trees in this valley as well. It’s a great path because it’s super accessible, there is no treacherous or steep entry, and the path itself is pretty flat sand. It’s easy for most people. The main attraction is first the mushroom shaped fairy chimneys and then the rest of the hike. The whole thing is only 3.2 kilometers in (6.4 km total) so it’s a doable hike in a few hours.
Meskendir Vadisi to Red Valley – We were really disappointed to find out that at Red Valley you have to pay a per car fee so we found an alternative way. Put in Kaya Camping in the GPS. Park across the street for free in the Aynali Church parking lot. Walk to the right of Kaya Camping to see three roads that lead you into the valley. The hike down into Meskendir Vadisi is straight down and kind of treacherous. It seems that these paths may be the water run offs when it rains so they get steep. But once you are in the valley, it’s much smoother with flat sand and the occasional rock. You also get to walk through large windy tunnels that have been carved out of the rock by wind and water. The valley is full of trees which provide some shade. And the view from the bottom, looking up at the top with all the windows and houses in the rocks above is a picturesque sight. All the valleys have their own specific look based on the previous geological activity in the area. Meskendir looks like sloping kinetic sand drops in clumps that have been shaped and smoothed by wind. It’s so stunning. We walked from Meskendir to Red Valley. It took us 2-3 hours but you can spend longer if you take a few more off shooting trails. Then on the hike back, we’d recommend a stop at Meskendir Valley Cafe for tea and coffee. The owner is super friendly and honestly the drinks were delicious!
Pigeon Valley – follow the pin on Google Maps to Pigeon Valley in Uçhisar. The walk is about 4km one way. The first 100 meters getting into the valley is terrifyingly steep on a real road but after that, the descent is an easy gravel/sand path so it makes for a nice walk. There are trees in the valley so there is some shade and sun coverage. There are a few small natural caves. It makes for a pleasant hike. On the way down, after about 1.1km, there will be a single sign showing you that 1.1km going back the way you just came or 2.9km to continue on the trail towards Göreme. If you are done hiking, this is the perfect spot to take the unmarked path to the left, it looks more like a road through the winding and beautiful terraced gardens. We aren’t sure who owns the gardens but a few workers in uniform were tending them so I assume a hotel owns them. If you take this brick road, just know you will have to guide yourself through many old homes and hotels back to a main road in Uçhisar. If you continue the hike, you’ll end up in Göreme city or you can turn around at any point.
4) Underground Cities – there are over 200 underground cities in the area that have been discovered so far. It’s rumored there may be many more as some underground cities are yet to be found. With the ground being made of softer tuff rock, it was seemingly easier for people to carve out these cities underground. While it’s proved difficult for archaeologists to date the structures, it is believed that many civilizations have used these cities as a place to flee to when opposing groups have invaded.
Most underground cities are far more advanced than one would think. The architects clearly understood many advanced concepts as there are fresh water sources, air ventilations, security systems, churches, living rooms, animal stalls, and lighting provided by oil. It’s actually awe inspiring to walk, more like crouch, through these underground cities and imagine what life in there would be like.
When visiting, make sure to wear suitable shoes as the ground is hard mud. There are lots of stairs and places you will crouch low. It can be hard on the knees for sure. Also some people can start to feel claustrophobic inside as the spaces can get very narrow and small. We read that you might want a tour guide to not get lost but honestly, as long as you follow the red arrows (tour path) and the blue arrows for exit, you’ll be fine. We explored off the red arrow path but always came back to it to not get lost. It was much easier than I thought it would be to navigate.
We visited two of these cities, they were both on the Turkey Museum Card. Otherwise they are €13 a piece to visit. I’m not sure which to recommend. Honestly both had some huge pros and cons so I’ll tell you about both and let you make the decision which to visit or maybe both!
Derinkuyu Underground City is by far the biggest. With the capacity to house 20,000 people comfortably in 8 levels below ground, this city is vast. While the entire thing is not accessible to the public, this underground city felt the most raw and rugged to us. They have installed lighting to guide you but there are many twists and turns you can explore on your own without proper lighting. A cell phone light was sufficient to see when needed. You are able to descend deep into the city to see the cellars, the churches, the grave sites and living rooms. There is no information given so do some research before you get there. One interesting thing we read before we got there is the use of large round stones that were strategically placed as defense to cut off sections of the city. You can see these large round stones today! Some rooms are clearly blocked off with brick walls which lessened the original feel. When we visited, there were very few tourists so it was easy to get around and we didn’t feel rushed. This also helped us feel less packed in and less panicky while walking around. This city is about 15 minutes farther away than the next one but it was worth it to us.
Kaymakli Underground City seems to be the more well developed and thus more tourists go here. There were larger groups with tour guides who were very loud. It was much harder to get around as we always felt like we were stuck behind a large group. However, this city has been updated with much better lighting inside to show you more details. Some spots did look artificially updated with plaster on the walls so it lost some of the originality of the place. But there seem to be more interior windows, wall storage, nooks and crannies here. It definitely felt different than Derinkuyu. Apparently the two cities are linked by a miles long tunnel underground but tourists are not allowed to access that tunnel.
Either way you can’t go wrong. We were able to do both in one morning. And it was nice to compare and contrast them. It’s a fascinating experience for sure to try to imagine living in these underground cities!
5) Eating / Shopping – Cappadocia has some of the most amazing restaurants we’ve been to in Turkey. There is every style of food you could want: Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and of course Turkish. We found all ranges of food from cheap small kebab stands to upscale 5 course tasting menus.
A few restaurants I’d recommend are:
Le Mouton Rouge – located in Uçhisar with a cute play on words for a name with an even cuter courtyard and upper patio area. This restaurant has a very small menu, mostly lamb dishes (a few chicken dishes available) but the lamb kebab and the sac tava (hot plate of stir fried meat with tomato) were excellent!
Quick China – located in Göreme, the name is a little off putting as it sounds like fast food but I promise you this is a luxury experience. The food was delicious. I’d recommend the Bangkok noodles and the salmon carpaccio. But the atmosphere was even better. The restaurant has an elegant, sleek interior with a lush garden entry.
India Gate Indian Restaurant – located in Göreme, I know what you are thinking, Indian food while in Turkey?? You gotta give us a break, we’d had over a month of kebabs, grilled meat, and pottery kebabs and needed something different. That being said, this food was amazing. Definitely some of the better Indian food we’ve eaten. It’s not super cute inside but the food was delicious and we sat on the patio.
Cappa Gusto – located in Çavuşin is a little more fine dining without the crazy prices. They serve traditional Turkish food with an upscale presentation and plating. The view is incredible of the ancient city carved into the rocks nearby. We’d recommend the lamb chops and the meat kebabs.
Shopping – outside of Istanbul, this area has so many cute adorable shops. A lot of the shops on the main drag cater to quick tourist items like a purse or t-shirt with the word Cappadocia, a souvenir plate with the rock formations, or toys like hot air balloon models. However we found many artist stores with real handmade goods as well. Something special we found here and nowhere else in Turkey is the red clay pottery. This pottery comes from the town of Avanos just a few kilometers north. It’s in all the stores and really stands out with colorful paint.
A few of our favorite stores:
If you are in Göreme, visit Asma Ceramics. While the store is not pinned on Google Maps, it’s directly underneath Koi-Sa Kapadokya Sushi & Noodle (we didn’t eat at this restaurant so not sure if it’s good but use it as a pin to find the ceramics shop). The owner is the nicest guy, a 4th generation artist. He likes to say his grandfather was his teacher. While his work is definitely more expensive than the cheap mass produced goods, you can tell it’s a higher quality.
If you want to buy the beautiful fabrics of Turkish cotton, Buldan’s Store & Cafe is the most elegant store specializing in clothing and home goods (bedding, towels, etc.) made from beautiful Turkish cotton. It is a chain store but this location has a super cute cafe where you can sit and drink coffee. Either way, for shopping or a cafe, it’s worth a stop!
Another store that has more unique and handmade gifts is Boutique Carpets & YASTIKS. They have lots of pottery, metal works, plates, cups, but also carpets and fabrics. It’s a really beautiful store with high quality goods.
If you are in Avanos, Gaia Cappadocia is a must visit. She is working on her craft in the store while you are there. Very cool ceramic pieces with her own style to them. I didn’t see work like this anywhere else in Turkey. Chez Bircan while not everything here is handmade, the goods that are made by the artist are well done. We bought a set of bowls here that were more expensive than the mass produced store but they are holding up well so worth the additional for quality.
6) Horseback Riding / Four Wheeling / Classic Car Photoshoot – another thing you’ll see everywhere in Cappadocia is tours offering horseback rides. You can go at sunrise, during the day or even for a sunset tour. I will say many of the valleys are vast. When hiking them you don’t always get to see everything so a horseback ride might be a good way to cover more ground. Also the four wheelers you can rent at a lot of shops driving down the main drag. This too would be a great way to get out in the valleys to see more. There are many four wheeling tracks throughout the countryside so it seems like you can’t get lost. Finally another super popular thing is to rent a classic car for a photoshoot. You’ll see old, long bodied classic cars like pink convertibles or red Buicks and Pontiacs taking off for the hills with passengers ready to pose for a photoshoot with the hot air balloons in the morning or the sunset at night.
Surrounding Towns
Çavuşin – just 4km down the road, this town feels a little antiquey old west to us. The town has the Çavuşin Church but unfortunately it’s been closed for years for renovation. If you drive into the town, there are a few trinket shops and some great restaurants. But overall it feels like a town of hotels built into the side of the rocks. We stayed here for two nights. It was nice to get away from the busy city. The hot air balloons take off from around here so you feel like you are right in the action with balloons just feet above your head. So if you’re here only to see hot air balloons, Çavuşin has a way better view point than Göreme.
Ortahisar – this town is definitely smaller than the others but they are trying to build it up. There are a bunch of cute hotels that have beautiful, unobstructed views to the surrounding mountains. There is also one main drag with a few cute shops, coffee stores and restaurants. If you are looking for jewelry, check out Linda’s Designs. The owner is super passionate about stones and her wonderful craftsmanship shines through in all her pieces.
Avanos – this is pottery central. Red clay comes from this area so you’ll find pottery shops galore here. A lot of the shops are selling just the mass produced goods but a few stores we found are selling handcrafted goods. See the shopping section above for more information about Gaia Cappadocia (handmade original ceramics) and Chez Bircan (traditional ceramics). One of the oddest things to do in Avanos is go to the Chez Galip Hair Museum. The story goes that the master potter here was in love with a woman. Many years ago she left him but when she did, she left a clipping of her hair so he could remember her. For 45 years, he has kept the hair on display behind this shop. Over 3 million women have come from all over the world to add their clip of hair to the wall. I couldn’t tell if it was kitschy or disgusting. Many women have signed their name, location and even phone numbers of the paper they taped their hair. It’s wild. There is a 25 tl entrance fee.
All in all, Cappadocia is a must see. If you enjoy nature and hiking, I’d recommend extending your time here. It’s a great place to relax, enjoy the scenery and really soak in the beauty. Hopefully you enjoy it as much as we did!
