Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia, Turkey is an area in central Turkey that is a hot spot for many tourists. And who can blame them? Only an hour flight from Istanbul, it is definitely worth a few days visit. The landscape of Cappadocia is unlike anything I have seen before. While being most famous for its “fairy chimneys”, this place has hot air balloons, cave hotels, hiking, and so much more to offer!

Wondering how to get here?

Most people come to Cappadocia from Istanbul. You can either fly, drive, or take a bus. The bus takes around 12 hours, and since the driving in Turkey gives me anxiety, I would recommend flying. There are several flights daily from Turkish air and Pegasus that are very reasonably priced. We have always flown to Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport, but another option slightly farther away is Kayseri Erkilet Airport. Once at the airport, there will be taxis available to take you in to the city. However, I suggest booking transport through your hotel or a shuttle company. Many of the hotels are poorly marked and difficult to find if you are not familiar with the area.

Things To Do

Hot Air Balloons

Taking a hot air balloon ride is an absolute must if you are in Cappadocia! Even being scared of heights, I was able to muster up the courage to go- and was so glad that I did! The view was like nothing I have ever seen before. Watching the sunrise while surrounded by so many other balloons and the fairy chimneys was just amazing.

View from our hot air balloon

We went with the sunrise tour, and I would highly recommend it if you are able to. There was an afternoon ride offered when we were there also, but there were a lot less balloons, and you miss the sunrise. There are several hot air balloon companies to choose from in the area, but it is recommended that you book ahead of time as they do fill up. The hotels should all be able to help with this. If you have more than one day in Cappadocia, you should try to book the balloon ride for your first morning in case of cancellation. The balloon rides are often cancelled due to the weather, and there is very little notice when this happens. Even when the weather on the ground seems perfect, the air may not be suitable. A lot of the times, the decision to cancel is not made until you are already standing in the field waiting- like happened for us. If the ride is canceled, the hotel should be able to call around and try to get you on the next one.

Terrified of taking the hot air balloon ride like I was? Here’s exactly what to expect!

Hot air balloons being inflated

The company will pick you up in a big van and bring everyone to the place where the hot air balloons are being prepared- usually a big open field.The staff will already be there inflating the balloons, which are set up very close to each other. They will bring a stepstool and help everyone climb in to the basket. We took the comfort balloon, which fits 20 people. The basket was bigger and sturdier than I expected, and it is separated in to 5 sections. The middle is where the pilot stands. The 2 sides are each split in half so there is space for 5 people in each section. When the balloon is ready, they untie it and you slowly float up. It was a super smooth ride. The pilot will control how high or low you are. There were times when we were almost on the ground in the valleys and other times when we were pretty high. The ride lasts about an hour, but depends on how the wind is that day. When the time is up, the pilot will land the balloon on the back of a pickup truck.After they secure it to the truck, everyone is helped out of the balloon, and you are given champagne, a snack and a certificate!

Göreme Open Air Museum

Carving in the open air museum.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, the open air museum is a must do while in Cappadocia. Just a 20 minute walk from the city center, it is very easy to visit. The entrance fee is 45 Turkish Lira and there is an option to purchase an audio tour for an additional 15 lira. We stayed for around an hour because the weather was not ideal, but you could easily stay for several hours wandering around. The museum’s highlight are the many churches built by Christian monks in the medieval ages. Since the volcanic rock is so soft, they were able to carve the churches into the rock formations

Horseback Riding

If you are looking for a fun way to explore the unique landscapes of Cappadocia, you may want to try horseback riding. There are a few different companies in the area, but your hotel should be able to arrange it and they usually pick you up from your hotel. You can choose how long you want your excursion to be. We chose 2 hours and thought it was the perfect amount of time. Halfway through, we took a short break to have tea at one of the local restaurants. We enjoyed seeing the rock formations up close without having to find a hiking trail.

Horseback riding in Cappadocia.

Underground Cities

Although we have never had time, the Underground Cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli are another cool thing to see. They are located near each other, but around half hour outside of the city so you would have to rent a car, take a taxi, or take a tour if you are interested in seeing them. There are 3 main tours in Cappadocia- Red, Green, and Blue tours- and the green tour goes to Drinkuyu Underground City.

Cave Hotels

Wondering where to stay while you’re in Cappadocia? Stay in a cave hotel! There are so many to choose from, but it is such a small area that almost any hotel will be close enough to the activities you will want to do.

Cave hotel in Göreme.

View from our hotel.

We prefer to stay in the town of Göreme so we have plenty of food and bar options in walking distance. Choosing a cave hotel is based totally on your preferences and budget. Most are small boutique hotels and communicate well through email if you have questions or special requests. Just decide what is important to you and go from there! For us, it is breakfast and a good view of the balloons, but some also have pools and spas if that interests you.

Turkish food

What better place to try Turkish food than while actually in Turkey? Cappadocia has a large variety of restaurants to choose from (even Chinese ones!), so you will definitely be able to find something to satisfy your hunger. But if you are looking for some local food, here are the Turkish dishes that are my favorite!

Pottery kebab

Pottery Kebab

So many different kinds of kebabs! But our favorite in Cappadocia was the pottery kebab. Also known as Testi kebab, it is one of the most unique meals we had in Cappadocia. Made with either lamb, chicken, or beef with vegetables and sauces, this dish is cooked inside of a clay pot. When it is ready, the pot will be brought out to the table and broken open in front of you! We enjoyed it so much that we ate it a few times.

Manti

Manti

Otherwise known as Turkish ravioli, Manti is one of my favorites. While it varies slightly everywhere, it is basically small dumplings with garlic yogurt sauce and tomato sauce. 

Baklava

What meal is complete without dessert? Baklava is one of the most popular desserts in Turkey. It is made of layers of nuts (I have usually seen pistachio) and flaky dough, baked with butter and covered with syrup or honey. Some restaurants offer it with a side of vanilla ice cream as well.

Raki

If you drink alcohol- you must try Raki! Made from different fruits in the region such as grapes, figs, and plums, Raki is the unofficial alcoholic drink of Turkey. It goes best with fish, but any food will do. To drink Raki properly, first pour either a single or double shot into the Raki glass (yes, they have specific glasses), then fill the glass about three quarters full with water (this will turn the Raki from clear to a cloudy white), put an ice cube or 2, and enjoy! Be careful though, it is stronger than it tastes!

Itinerary

Day 1- We arrived in the evening, checked in to our cave hotel and headed in to town to enjoy some Turkish food and Raki. We were supposed to be up early in the morning for our hot air balloon ride.

Day 2- Our balloon ride in the morning was cancelled. They told us they would try to reschedule for the 2pm tour, so we went to the Open Air Museum for the morning. Just before 2pm, we were picked up by the balloon company and brought to a field where all the balloons were waiting. Unfortunately, the weather was not ideal so this tour was cancelled as well, but we were told maybe tomorrow morning. We went back in to town for shopping and eventually dinner.

Day 3- We finally got to go on our hot air balloon tour! Afterwards, we went horseback riding, had lunch, and departed for home.