Cappadocia’s fairytale landscape makes it a popular destination for hot air balloon rides, winning the Turkish region a top spot on every Instagram-obsessed traveller’s bucket list. But there are more things to do in Cappadocia than the iconic balloon flights!
I visited Cappadocia for just 24 hours during my 10 days in Turkey and found there are more than enough things to do in Cappadocia to fill a longer stay.
I packed a lot in to my one day in Cappadocia and managed to see some of Cappadocia’s top attractions – as well as catching those beautiful hot air balloons take their majestic sunrise flight. There are tips for seeing and riding in hot air balloons in Cappadocia towards the end of this guide.
Read on for my guide to visiting Cappadocia including the best time of year to visit, what to do in Cappadocia, the most popular area to stay and the lowdown on hot air balloons in Cappadocia.
What to do in Cappadocia
Watch my full-length Cappadocia travel vlog on Youtube
If you’re short on time, you can see some of the best places to visit in Cappadocia in just 24 hours. Tourists who only have one day in Cappadocia might like to think about booking a one-day private tour to see all of Cappadocia’s best attractions.
Just want pics of yourself with the balloons as a backdrop? You can now book a shoot with a photographer in Cappadocia.
It’s fine to pack Cappadocia sightseeing into 24 hours, but there’s a very good reason why you should plan to stay in Cappadocia longer than just one day. I’ll explain that further down in this post!
1. Explore the open air museum
Around 1km from the centre of town, Göreme Open Air Museum is a UNESCO protected collection of cave monasteries dating back to the 11th Century. They don’t look anything like the religious buildings we’re used to today!
The open air museum is one of the most important places to see in Cappadocia. You can get an audio guide to explain the sights.
The entrance fee for the open air museum is 40 Lira (plus 10 Lira if you want to enter the Dark Church) and you can spend around an hour there.
You can pre-buy tickets for Cappadocia tours online that include a stop at the museum, plus other must-see sights in Cappadocia – check out the options below.
2. Visit the underground city
There are 36 underground cities carved from volcanic stone in Cappadocia. They were established to protect local people from Muslim Arabs during the Arab-Byzantine Wars between 780 and 1180.
The oldest (which I visited during my day in Cappadocia) is Kaymakli Underground City, while the deepest is the Derinkuyu Underground City, which could shelter up to 20,000 people.
The entrance fee for the Kaymakli Underground City is 42 Lira and you will need your own transport to get there from Göreme if you don’t want to visit the underground cities on a tour. Hire a private driver (check price here) for ease getting around the top places to visit in Cappadocia.
It’s a remarkable sight, with kitchen areas, places for worship and even livestock holding pens carved out of the maze-like rock.
Be warned that the underground cities aren’t suitable for anyone who suffers from claustrophobia – I don’t have a problem with it usually but even I couldn’t go too far down!
3. Go quad biking
One of the most fun things to do in Cappadocia is an ATV tour. The area’s landscape provides ample bumpy terrain for adrenalin junkies to traverse, and the scenic views make the whole experience feel surreal.
You can haggle with one of the ATV hire shops in Göreme or book a quad bike tour of Cappadocia ahead of your trip. The sunset tours are especially magical.
4. View the fairy chimneys
Cappadocia’s unmissable fairy chimneys can lead tourists to wonder whether they’ve somehow stumbled onto the surface of the moon. The formations, created by volcanic eruptions, are a curious sight.
If you’re wondering where to see Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys, they’re visible in the valley stretching from Göreme to Urgup – simply get to a high point and look across.
You’ll find the most phallic formations in the aptly named Love Valley. Rose Valley, meanwhile, stretches north from Göreme to the town of Cavusin, and boasts pink-hued ‘chimneys’.
5. Try local wine
Did you know wine is made in Cappadocia? The wine cellars still sitting in the underground cities should be a clue!
There are four wineries in Cappadocia who each make a variety of wines: Turasan (the oldest and largest winery in Cappadocia), Kocabağ, Kapadokya, and Şenol.
It might surprise you, but drinking is pretty normal in Turkey. Say şerefe and raise your glass! There was a seriously unique organic wine bar right in front of our hotel with outdoor seating.
If you’re interested in learning more about Turkish wine, you can do a winery tour in Cappadocia.
6. Shop in Göreme
Though beautifully preserved as a historical area, Göreme does have commercial streets selling typically Turkish souvenirs. Stock up on Turkish eyes to ward off evil spirits, beautiful pashminas and locally made trinkets.
You can even buy token Cappadocia souvenirs: hot air balloon-shaped lamps, candle holders and even children’s mobiles.
While you’re in town, check out some of the magnificent Turkish rug shops. Galerie İkman is the one that’s famous on Instagram, and you’ll need to pay if you’re going to take pictures here.
If you’re going to buy anything anywhere in Turkey, be ready to haggle!
7. Hike in Pigeon Valley
Cappadocia offers keen hikers swathes of interesting walks. Pigeon Valley, also known as Güvercinlik Vadesi, is one example.
Get a taxi or bus to Uçhısar and do the walk slightly downhill to Göreme, taking in the pigeonholes carved into the rocks overhead. The path can get uneven and it’s easy to get lost so if you’re apprehensive, it’s best to do a Cappadocia hiking tour.
Alternatively, use this guide to Cappadocia’s best hikes by Anywhere We Roam.
8. Eat in a rooftop restaurant
Many of the restaurants in Göreme have rooftop terraces to take advantage of the views. Oscar Steak House has excellent reviews, and the aptly named Cappadocia Cuisine Restaurant rates high on TripAdvisor.
Order a typical Turkish meal like köfte, which are like mini burgers but with a lot more flavour, or side (a Turkish flatbread). Finish with Turkish Çay.
For an entertaining night in Cappadocia, you can book a Turkish show with dinner and drinks in a cave hotel.
The best place to watch hot air balloons in Cappadocia
If you book a hotel with a rooftop terrace (see my recommendations at the bottom of this post), you can enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon show in the comfort of your pyjamas. Thanks to the handy location of our hotel, I was able to do just that – and get a panoramic view from Göreme Sunrise Point in – all in one morning!
I was roused by the call to prayer emiting from the Göreme mosque some time between 5 and 6 this morning, and quickly threw on some clothes and hurtled outside.
The sky was full of balloons, more than I ever imagined possible. They drifted soundlessly over the historic town, sporadically lit by balls of fire overhead.
I ran from my hotel up to the nearby viewpoint and took these pictures, soon stopping to just absorb what I was witnessing. It was one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen in my life.
Having drank in the views from above, I joined my mum and our local friends on the hotel rooftop for breakfast. Needless to say, it’s a morning I’ll never forget.
How to book a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia
How much the hot air balloon rides cost in Cappadocia depends on a variety of factors. Because there was so much demand on the day we visited Cappadocia due to the bad weather in the preceding days, the price of a hot air balloon ride had been bumped up to 400 Euro per person!
To save money and safeguard against this kind of inflation, I recommend booking your Cappadocia hot air balloon ride online in advance.
More tours and activities in Cappadocia
Best area to stay in Cappadocia
When we were researching where to stay in Cappadocia, the answer was unanimous: Göreme. It’s a great base for seeing all of the most famous and photogenic places in Cappadocia, and it’s the place to book balloon trips, hire bikes etc.
Alternatively, Uçhisar is just south of Göreme so also close to the main attractions.
Booking.comCappadocia’s best luxury hotels
The best hotels in Cappadocia are mostly located in Ürgüp. If you want luxury, Kayakapi Premium Caves, Yunak Evleri and Seraphim Cave Hotel come out on top. Sacred House also looks unreal.
Museum Hotel in Uchisar is dreamy. They have a heated outdoor pool and their terrace has incredible panoramic views of the valley below. Some of the rooms even have free wine taps!
Cave hotels are the most popular and quintessential type of accommodation in Cappadocia. The most famous and unique of these is probably Cappadocia Cave Suites, which is housed inside the fairy chimneys. Cappadocia Cave Resort & Spa is the go-to for anyone looking to seriously indulge.
Mid range accommodation
Kapadokya Hill Hotel & Spa, Dere Suites and Harem Cappadocia all look really special and are affordable places to stay in Cappadocia.
Cheap hotels in Cappadocia
In terms of budget hotels, there are a few hostels in Cappadocia. Homestay Cave Hostel gives guests free bikes, while Hostel Terra Vista and Natureland Hostel both have roof terraces where you can take in the views.
We stayed at Arch Palace Hotel in Göreme for our night in Cappadocia. It was the perfect place to watch the hot air balloons, because they have a rooftop terrace overlooking the town.
A traditional Turkish breakfast is served to hotel guests from 8am, when the last few balloons are still lingering in the sky.
I’d definitely recommend anyone visiting Cappadocia stays at Arch Palace. The rooms are clean, comfortable and pleasantly cavernous and the location is just perfect for exploring. It only took me a few minutes to run up to the viewpoint at sunrise!
What to pack for Cappadocia
Comfy shoes are a must (it’s hilly!), as is a warm jacket – particularly if you plan to do a balloon ride in Cappadocia as it gets cold up there.
You’ll also need a camera to get all those shots for the ‘gram, and I recommend a Turkish phrase book because Turks really appreciate tourists who make the effort to at least say thank you.
The Lonely Planet Turkey guide is bound to come in handy too!
How long to spend in Cappadocia
One day in Cappadocia was enough to pack in most of the most popular places to visit, but I definitely wanted to stay a bit longer because I loved it there!
I’d recommend planning to stay at least two nights in Cappadocia purely because the hot air balloons aren’t able to fly every single day due to weather conditions.
In fact, we were really nervous because when we arrived we heard that there had been no flights for three whole days. It was just good fortune that they flew on our only morning in town. Weirdly I just knew we would be blessed with the sight so I went to bed feeling positive.
Imagine going to Cappadocia and not seeing the balloons? Unthinkable. Plan to spend more than one night in Cappadocia because you can never guarantee the weather and you don’t want to leave disappointed.
Best time of year to visit Cappadocia
Our visit was in October and I feel very smug that we we had chosen to go to Cappadocia in Autumn. The end of the season meant that we avoided the crowds.
Having seen other travellers moan about how crazy the place gets and how difficult it is to get good shots of the hot air balloons with no people in, I was a bit worried about other tourists spoiling my time there.
Thankfully, Cappadocia in October is blissfully quiet and while the Instagram crowd were present in their flowing dresses at 6am (you do you, gals!), none of the places we visited in Cappadocia were overrun with tourists.
The weather in Cappadocia in October was perfect: warm and sunny during the day and cool enough for a jacket at night. I forgot to pack one, so made do with the blankets given out at the bars and restaurants there.
In winter, the weather in Cappadocia can get super cold and even snowy so be prepared if you choose to visit then!
Sally from Passport & Plates has some gorgeous photos of winter in Cappadocia on her blog, if you are thinking about going then.
How to get to Cappadocia
Driving to Cappadocia
We visited Cappadocia on a Turkey road trip so we flew into Dalaman Airport and hired a car in Marmaris to drive to Cappadocia. We ended our trip in Dalyan.
Check out my itinerary for 10 days in Turkey if you’re interested in driving to Cappadocia and seeing some cool stuff along the way!
People wondering how to get to Cappadocia from Istanbul by car might be disappointed to learn that the journey takes around nine hours.
Flying to Cappadocia
The closest airport to Cappadocia is Nevşehir-Kapadokya Airport NEV. From there, it takes around 40 minutes in a car to Göreme. You can book a private airport transfer to your hotel or a shared transfer at a lower price, to make the journey to Cappadocia a bit smoother.
You can also fly to Kayseri’s Erkilet Airport (ASR), but that airport is further from the main towns in Cappadocia.
My best advice is to search for your flight to Cappadocia on Skyscanner and set up a price alert so you can bag the best value flight.
You can also book tours to Cappadocia from destinations around Turkey – see below.
I still can’t quite believe I’ve seen Cappadocia with my own eyes. If you’re planning a trip, I can promise you that the destination will blow you away. Instagram couldn’t prepare me for its beauty!
It’s one of the handful of places I’ve been in my life that have left me speechless and overcome with emotion. Everyone deserves to have moments like that.
I hope you’ve found this guide to visiting Cappadocia and all the top sights there useful for your own planning. I’m making a travel vlog about this Turkey trip, so subscribe to my Youtube channel to ensure you don’t miss it.
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