The best things to do in Cappadocia
We spent five days in Cappadocia in June. And despite the town being small, we never found ourselves short of things to do. From guided tours to exploring the valleys – and of course flying in a hot air balloon – it was an adventure-packed week.
In summer, the weather was great. But Cappadocia can get cold and snowy in the winter, which can affect whether some of the tours and experiences run.
by @tomokas
How much time do you need in Cappadocia?
We were in Cappadocia for four nights, which was the perfect amount of time. We were able to see everything, and were lucky to fit our hot air balloon trip in on the first morning. You could spend up to a week in Cappadocia and see every single attraction. But some – like the valleys and monasteries – are quite similar and can be viewed without going for a full tour.
So for us, five days in Cappadocia was the perfect amount of time. Staying longer would give you an increased chance of getting to fly in a hot air balloon. While as little as three days would be enough to see the main attractions.
Want to know more? Check out our blog? How we spent five days in Cappadocia.
The best things to do in Cappadocia
by @tomokas
Go on a hot air balloon ride
The attraction that Cappadocia is most famous for is its hot air balloon rides. When you Google Cappadocia, almost every photo will feature a sky filled with multicoloured balloons. But don’t be fooled. Hot air balloons only launch once each day in Cappadocia, at dawn. And even then, the weather dictates if they are able to fly.
There are so many hot air balloon tours in Cappadocia that it can be hard to pick which to go with. We chose Türkiye Balloons and went for a 16-person basket which was about £120 per person. That might sound huge, but some baskets carry as many as 40 people!
TOP TIP: Book your hot air balloon experience for the first morning you will be waking up in Cappadocia. It might not sound ideal – especially if you’re overcoming jet lag – but if the weather is even slightly off, the balloons don’t fly.
Our planned tour went ahead, but the next two mornings the winds were too high and the balloons didn’t fly. So booking on your first morning gives you more chances of getting out there during your trip. As most companies move cancelled flights over to the next day.
by @tomokas
What happens on a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia?
We were picked up from our hotel by Türkiye Balloons at about 4:15 am (times vary depending on the sunrise). And after watching the team inflate our balloon, we were up and away by 5 am. The views across the valley are incredible, and an hour later we were back on the soil with a glass of champagne in hand.
I hate heights and before the trip, I’d said I wouldn’t be going in a hot air balloon. But I did, and I’m glad I did. It was actually far less scary than I’d expected. You can read about riding in a hot air balloon when you're scared of heights in my blog here.
Want to know more about what happens on a hot air balloon ride? Learn everything you need to know in my blog: Hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia: are they worth it?
Join the Green Tour
There are a number of tour routes that leave Greme every day. We chose the Green Tour, which goes to Pigeon Valley, Kaymakli Underground City, Ihlara Valley and the Melendiz River, and the Selime Monastery. The tours take about 8 hours each. But we chose the Green Tour as we wanted to visit some of the stops on the Red Tour, like the Göreme Open Air Museum, in our own time.
The starting point for the Green Tour was next to our hotel, so we met there at 9am. However, the price of the tour (about $50) included hotel pick-up and drop off, lunch, and a very informative guide.
What happens on the Cappadocia Green Tour?
By 10am we were at Pigeon Valley taking in the view of the fairy chimneys covered in pigeon holes. Next we went to the amazing underground city of Kaymakli (more on that later) before driving about an hour to Ihlara Valley.
Here, we walked a mile or so along the Melendiz river. The walk was easy and mostly along a shaded and well maintained trail. We stopped at a cafe with floating seating areas along the way, and finished at a restaurant serving traditional Turkish food for lunch.
On our way back to Göreme we stopped at the ancient Selime Monastery, and explored the different cave dwellings. The tour also stopped in a spice market on the way home, where we were able to try (and buy, if you wanted) a range of Turkish sweets and other ingredients. Turns out Türkiye is also the place to buy a good ‘designer’ bag if you’re into that kinda thing.
These tours are a great way to fit in a lot of sights that you might not get to see during a short trip to Göreme, and the Green Trip was a brilliant day out.
by @tomokas
Go to Love Valley
From Göreme, we walked for about 40 minutes to Love Valley, where we spent a further hour exploring the valley's trails and stone structures. The pillars have been shaped by millennia of wind and rain. But you’ll quickly see how the area got its name!
In the afternoon in June, Love Valley was very hot and there’s little shade. However there is a cute cafe serving drinks, teas, and snacks if you need to stop and refresh. There is a Love Valley trail, but we went back into town the way we came, walking another 40 minutes along the road.
While the walk there was easy and flat, once you’re in the valley the ground is uneven, gravelly, and in some places quite steep – so dress appropriately!
by @tomokas
Explore Göreme Open Air Museum
We visited the Göreme Open Air Museum, walking about 25 minutes from our hotel in the centre of town. Entry costs about £6.50, and we spent about 1.5 hours here.
The walk is easy but uphill on the way there. And once you arrive at the museum, almost everything to see is either at the top of a steep hill or a large set of steps. So bear this in mind if you have mobility issues as it’s not suitable for everyone.
The monasteries on this site, which were active from the 4th to the 13th centuries, are now a UNESCO World Heritage. Some of the most impressive things to see here include the Karanlık Kilise or ‘dark church’ which still has evidence of original frescoes preserved by the lack of light.
In Çarıklı Kilise, or the Church with Sandals, you can see the footprints of an ancient resident of the monasteries. Other caves include original stone tables, and holes carved into walls for storing wine.
Go underground at Kaymakli
When we were told that the Green Tour was taking us to the Kaymakli underground city, I’m not sure what I expected. But I definitely hadn’t imagined just how impressive it would be. We were driven there by our tour guide and entry was included in the price, but you can catch a taxi or coach here and tickets on the door cost less than £5.
There is another underground city near Göreme called Derinkuyu, which is bigger (but slightly newer), and has more space. So it's better for people who are likely to struggle with mobility issues or claustrophobia.
Derinkuyu is actually usually included on the Red or Green tour. But due to Covid it was closed at the time of our trip. So all tours were going to Kaymakli. But the essence is the same – and underground maze that is mind blowing to think of as a 7th century city. Explore the winding tunnels and passages by following the blue arrows so you won’t get lost – and mind your head!
Check out the views
Even if a hot air balloon ride isn’t your thing, there are so many ways to see the views across Cappadocia. We walked up to the viewing area known as sunrise point, where there is a small fee to enter to prevent overcrowding.
At any time of day, this is a stunning view across the amazing valleys and chimneys of Cappadocia. It's also one of the best places to see the balloons. On the Green Tour we also got to see Pigeon Valley from above at a viewpoint in Uçhisar.
A top tip if you want to see the balloons in flight one morning: use either the Windfinder app or this designated website. To save yourself getting up at the crack of dawn, just set an alarm for their scheduled flight time and check these resources. They’ll let you know if the flights are going, or if they’ve been cancelled due to the weather. And you only need to open one eye to find out!
Eat out!
Who doesn't love Turkish food? And yet I was still surprised by just how good and diverse the food was in Cappadocia. Our hotel restaurant, Haruna, served both traditional and global cuisines. But eating in Türkiye is about the whole experience as well as the food itself. One of our favourite spots, Dibek, serves a selection of authentic Turkish stews cooked in a ceramic pot, which is cracked open and poured, steaming, onto your plate in front of you.
Want to know where else we ate in Cappadocia? Read my blog: The best places to eat in Cappadocia.
Other things to do in Cappadocia
by @tomokas
Follow the Red Tour
If you’re planning to go on more than just one tour, or are exploring some of the Green Tour sights on your own, then the Red Tour covers just as many interesting spots.
It goes through Devrent Valley, Monks Valley, Avanos, the Göreme Open Air Museum, and Uçhisar Castle. If we had an extra day in Cappadocia, this would have been a great way to spend it. However, we chose to explore the Open Air Museum and some of the valleys in our own time.
See the whirling dervishes
Most nights in Cappadocia, you can visit a Mevlevi Sema ceremony where you’ll see dances and whirling dervishes. Rooted in religious mysticism, this show is an authentic part of Turkish culture celebrated through music and movement. There are no photos allowed, and shows last about one hour.
by @tomokas
Follow the Blue and Orange Tours
The Blue and Orange Tours of Cappadocia are quieter as they visit some lesser-known sites in the region. But they’re no less impressive than the more popular Red and Green Tours.
The Blue tour takes about 8 hours and goes to the Greek town of Mustafapasa, Red Valley and Rose Valley, Uçhisar, Ortahisar Castle, and Kaymakli Underground City.
The Orange Tour is slightly different, as it’s a 4 hour walking tour that runs either from sunrise, or from the afternoon to sunset. It explores the nearby valleys, taking in the colours, rock formations, and ancient churches and villages along the way.
Uçhisar Castle
A destination of the Red and Blue tours, Uçhisar Castle is an ancient defence point that looks over the valleys and formations of Cappadocia. Now mostly hollowed out, it’s still considered to be one of the most interesting attractions in the region, boasting some of the most impressive views.