Turkey is a dazzling destination that connects Asia and Europe. Cappadocia is one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the world. It seems that Cappadocia was on everyone’s Instagram feed this year. Looking for great things to do in magical Cappadocia but don’t know where to start? So let’s reveal these cave city.
Cappadocia was in our bucket list this year, so in our second visit to Turkey we finally crossed it off. This small region in Central Anatolia will seduce you with its preserved nature, culture and diversity of natural landmarks. Göreme is the perfect place to spend your summer weekend. Lunar landscape and fairy tale atmosphere have made this place a must-visit.
Yep, Cappadocia is a drug. And we’re addicted. Cappadocia has so many fantastic things to do and see for visitors.
Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Ride
So you’re traveling to Cappadocia and you have no idea where to begin. Cappadocia is the number one place in the world in terms of the number of hot air balloon flights per day. This is one of the world’s top destinations to take a hot air balloon ride (be brave), which gives an unbeatable bird’s-eye view of the incredible rock formations, known locally as “fairy chimneys”. Hot Air Balloon flight over the stunning landscape early in the morning is the highlight of Cappadocia. As you float to an altitude of 6,000 feet above the Cappadocia, you can see entire landscapes. Take a balloon ride and watch the sunrise while floating through the region’s rugged valleys. This is, without any doubt, one of the most thrilling experiences of your life! Don’t forget your camera!
Stay in a Cave Suite
There are plenty of gorgeous hotels in Cappadocia. We don’t recommend you to stay in an ordinary hotel. But where to stay? A cave hotel, of course. There’s no better way to have a completely unique experience in Cappadocia than staying at the magnificent cave suites. Imagine a modern Boutique Hotel transplanted to a cave in the Cappadocia hills. We stayed at Sultan Cave Suites for 4 nights and the place is simply fantastic! Remember to book as soon as possible because popular hotels are often booked out quickly.
Best rooftop views in Goreme and tasty breakfast, make the terrace Sultan Cave Suites a wonderful place to stay in Cappadocia.
Take a photo with the coolest Car of Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a goldmine for the content creators and photographers. Love Valley Viewpoint is one of Cappadocia’s best sunrise spots. It’s also a good place to photograph are the growing number of hot air balloons floating in the skies.
This bus a 1971 Volkswagen Deluxe Bus which has been lovingly restored by the current owner İlker Katik. Minnak is an absolutely gorgeous Volkswagen Bus. That experience is truly magical with plenty of nostalgic charm. You can easily book your photo session by simply contacting İlker (@ilkerkatik) via Instagram.
Love Valley
When you first visit this place, it’s not hard to spot the reason for the name ‘Love Valley’. There are hundreds of these phallic-shaped rocks, created from wind erosion over hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years. As the sun rises over Love Valley, hundreds of colorful hot air balloons fill the sky. Wow! It was absolutely amazing.
Pasabag Monastery
There are so many exciting things to do in Cappadocia that you could spend a lifetime here and still discover new places. Pasabag is located just a few kilometers away from Göreme. Pasabag Valley (also known as the Monks Valley) is a wonderland of mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. In nature, these pillars take thousands of years to form. Great place to enjoy and take photos of more rock formations to design your Instagram feed.
Pigeon Valley
Cappadocia’s lunar landscape was formed around 60 or 70 million years ago by a massive volcanic eruption. When you come to Cappadocia you must take at least one of your days, pick a valley, and spend some time exploring.
Pigeon Valley in Cappadocia got its name because of all the pigeon houses carved into the rocks. It’s the perfect place for a hiking adventure. The trail through Pigeon Valley is about 4 km long between Göreme and Uçhisar. The best way to see Pigeon Valley is from above via a hot air balloon flight.
Ortahisar
Ortahisar is a quiet small charming town with ancient cobbled streets and a nice castle in the heart of Cappadocia. The fortress, towering above the ruins of stone houses, is one of Cappadocia’s most famous landmarks. Travelers who make an effort of climbing to the summit will be amply rewarded later with outstanding views. You might want to consider these nearby alternatives to nearby crowded Goreme.
Derinkuyu Underground City
Derinkuyu is 40 km or about 1-hour drive from Göreme. Derinkuyu is one of the largest underground cities in the world. Located in Turkey’s Cappadocia region, it’s one of over 200 underground cities discovered in the region. Part of what makes it so impressive is the city’s depth of over 200 feet. It is 11 levels, according to National Geographic, with an area of a little over 10.4 kilometers squared which is enough to shelter 20,000 people. No joke! This underground city is one of the best places to visit in Cappadocia. People who are claustrophobic should be aware that some of the tunnels are exceedingly narrow.
Balloon Launch Site
Visiting a hot balloon launching area is one of the things to do in Cappadocia. And most importantly, it’s completely free. Waking up between 3 a.m and 4 a.m. isn’t easy, but worth it for views of the magical balloons floating above the fairy chimneys. The town of Göreme is closest to the hot air balloon launch sites, but any of the towns nearby have a good observation point. We drove out to the launching area near Göreme where dozens of balloons were being inflated in preparation for takeoff. To photograph the launch from a close distance you should be there by sunrise as they begin setting up the balloons. Truly a spectacular sight!
Balloons take off before sunrise – about 5:00-5:30am, because the air temperature and the wind conditions are best shortly after sunrise. So we advice rent a car or scooter the day before and take the route to Çavuşin, follow Göreme Yolu for about 3 minutes and park if you see some balloons lighting up. Here you get to see the balloons prepared for flight. Use this time to create stunning hot air balloon pictures.
Catch the Sunset
Every time you think of Cappadocia, you are probably thinking of a sky full of a hot air balloon. But what about a stunning sunset? While many people do visit Sunset Point (and it’s also a great choice for watching the balloons take off at sunrise) due to its close proximity to Goreme, we chose a more deserted place – Red Valley. The quiet atmosphere and beautiful views from the Panoramic Viewpoint make it a great spot for couples to enjoy a romantic moment together. Sunset point is located at the start of the Red Valley hike. Pure heaven for everyone, one of the best places to watch the sunset or the sunrise in Cappadocia.
We have collected our favorite activities to do in Cappadocia, which also happens to be the most popular for good reasons. So which of these is your favorite thing to do? Please, let us know in the comments!
Feel free to share on Pinterest
