I have been to many countries and seen many beautiful and unusual places, but when I am asked what made the biggest impression, my first answer is Turkey. If a person is surprised, I realize that he or she has not been to Cappadocia.
If you don’t have enough money to participate in a space tourism program yet, I suggest you start with Cappadocia. At first you will think you are on another planet or in a photoshop. It is very hard to believe that all this is real, on our planet, in Turkish Anatolia. The same Turkey that the average Russian tourist associates with an all-inclusive package tour.
Cappadocia is an ancient region with a long history, but is mostly known for its fantastic volcanic landscapes. Here you will see vast underground cities and cave monasteries, you can fly over the valley in a hot air balloon, and the number of followers in your Instagram after this trip will multiply.
I’ll tell you why this place conquers at first sight and why you will definitely want to come here again, again and again.
Cappadocia vacation: what to do and what to see?
Cappadocia itself is a region consisting of small settlements. One of them, the village of Göreme, is the center of local tourism. The optimal time to visit Cappadocia is 3—4 days. It is enough to see all the most interesting things and move on.
Wander the valleys of Cappadocia
The main feature of Cappadocia is its unusual cone-shaped formations, often called «fairy chimneys» or «fairy chimneys». They are of volcanic origin: once the territory of Cappadocia was covered with ash and lava from nearby volcanoes, and the wind and rain did the rest of the work.
Most of the valleys are located in the Göreme National Park, which was added to the UNESCO heritage list in 1985: Pasabag (Monks) Valley, Zelve Valley, Pigeon Valley, Love Valley, Red Valley.
The Ihlara Valley is located 85 km from Göreme and is a canyon about 100 meters deep and about 10 km long. In the period from IV to XIII century AD. here was a bustling life — in the valley there were more than 4 thousand dwellings and hundreds of cave churches. Some of them have been preserved.
Walking in the Valley of Ihlara is for the prepared. First you will have to go down the stairs. There you will find a 4 km long trail along the Melendiz River. To see the churches and other buildings, you will have to climb up and then climb down again, so you will need comfortable shoes. Be sure to bring water, sunglasses and sunscreen — there are no stores in the valley.
Visit the Open Air Museum
The Open air museum is Cappadocia’s most famous attraction, inscribed on the UNESCO heritage list in 1984. It is a complex of cave churches with Byzantine frescoes, outbuildings and monastic cells. The first Christians hid here from the first centuries A.D. — it was possible to exist in the inaccessible valley without fear of persecution.
There are now 8 churches open to the public. The best preserved is the restored Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise), for which you have to pay 15 TL extra to the main ticket. It was a dovecote before the 1950s, and it took more than 10 years to clean the walls of pigeon droppings. But now you can see the magnificent XI century frescoes with scenes from the Gospel. There is no extra charge for visiting the other churches.
The main ticket price also includes a visit to the Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise), the largest in Cappadocia. It is located outside the museum, 50 meters down the road towards Göreme.
The museum is within walking distance from the center of Göreme — a 1.5 km road will take about 15—20 minutes on foot. It is open from 8:00 to 19:00 in summer and until 17:00 in winter.
See the sun over the horizon from the observation deck
There are many panoramic lookouts in Cappadocia that offer stunning views. People usually gather at them in the evening before sunset.
I’ve marked the best viewpoints on the map: Goreme Viewpoint, Red Valley (Kizilcukur) Viewpoint, Lover’s Hill Viewpoint, Goreme Open Air Museum Viewpoint, Uchisar Castle Viewpoint, Ortahisar Castle Viewpoint and Urgup Wish Hill Viewpoint. If you stay in Cappadocia for a few days, you may well have time to visit several of them.
If you only have one evening, I recommend Lover’s Hill Viewpoint. It’s easy to get to and is located in Göreme, not far from the central mosque. The best place to watch the sunset is here.
Take a hot air balloon ride over the valley.
Two of the most popular activities in Cappadocia are hot air ballooning or balloon watching from the ground. Flying is possible all year round and the most breathtaking views of the cliffs and valleys can be enjoyed from the air.
A standard flight lasts 1 hour. One basket holds from 8 to 20 people: the fewer people, the more expensive the flight. Sometimes the price may include breakfast and transfer from the hotel, and upon landing you will be treated with champagne and given a certificate confirming that you have been here. Children under the age of 4 are not allowed on the balloon.
Even if you don’t decide to take a flight yourself, be sure to get up early in the morning to take a couple of photos. Local guides take groups of tourists to watch the balloons from the ground: for 50 €, a guide will take you to the points with the best views of the balloons — the best shots are taken at the right time, in the right place.
Visit the underground cities
There are more than 200 underground cities in Cappadocia. It is believed that they were built as a refuge, invisible from above, so that the Christian community could escape persecution from the Roman Empire and Arab raids. The cities are carved out of soft volcanic stone and connected by narrow tunnels. The most famous are Kaymakli and Derinkuyu.
Kaymakli , the largest and deepest underground city in Cappadocia, is located in Kaymaki Village, 25 km from Görem. It consists of 8 levels, of which only 4 are open. It extends 40 meters deep and can accommodate 5 thousand people.
Derinkuyu , 35 km from Göreme, also consists of 8 levels and is considered a marvel of engineering. The oxygen level on all levels is unchanged, so people could exist quite comfortably here. Inside there are stables, storages, schools, temples, wineries and even cemeteries intertwined with a network of branching tunnels.
You can get to Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu by bus from Nevşehir. They run frequently, about every half an hour. When you arrive in Kaymaklı, look for Yeralti Sehri, which means «underground city» in Turkish. Any local will give you directions.
Both Derinkuyu and Kaymakli can be booked as day tours. The price starts from 50 € per person. For the same price you can combine an excursion to one of the towns with a visit to the Open Air Museum.
View the valley from the highest point — Uchisar Castle.
It is the highest point in the region and offers the best views of the valleys of Cappadocia. The castle is located in the town of Ukhcisar of the same name. It has been used as a fortress throughout time, starting with the Hittites, then the Roman and Byzantine armies, and then the Ottoman Turks. The rocky caves were convenient for hiding from enemies.
There is a path to the top of the castle — you’ll have to work hard to get to the top. It is now one of the most popular viewpoints in Cappadocia and one of the best places to watch the sunset.
Uçhisar is 5 km from Göreme, so you can walk there. The buses between Göreme and Nevşehir also stop in Uçhisar.
When to go and how to get to Cappadocia
Cappadocia is recommended to visit in May or September: it’s not as hot, but the weather is mild and comfortable. I was there in September, and I agree that this is a good time, as one trip can include not only a visit to Cappadocia, but also add a pinch of beach vacation.
Traveling in Cappadocia starts from the town of Göreme — you need to get there first. There is a direct bus from Ankara to Göreme for 80 TL. The schedule is available here. Travel time is 4 hours.
Göreme can also be reached from other points in Turkey. The nearest airports are Kayseri and Nevşehir. There are airplanes from Antalya and Istanbul, and direct flights from European cities.
You can’t get to Göreme directly from Istanbul — you have to go through Nevşehir. The bus ride costs 150 TL and takes about 12 hours. The schedule is here. An alternative option is to book an all-inclusive tour from Istanbul to Cappadocia: a trip with accommodation, meals, entrance tickets and excursions will cost 220 € for two days and one night or 275 € for three days and two nights.
- There is a bus from Kayseri to Göreme — the distance between the two is about 60 km. The journey will take on average 1 hour. The cost of the ticket is 20—30 TL. You can see the bus schedule and buy a ticket here.
- You can also take a bus from Nevşehir to Göreme — the distance between the cities is 45 km and the journey takes about 40 minutes. Buses depart frequently — the schedule is available here.
- You can take a transfer from Kayseri or Nevşehir airports with a local agency: Goreme.com, Helios, Argeus. The transfer cost is approximately 8 € per person from Nevşehir and 10 € from Kayseri.
We traveled by rented car from Istanbul via Ankara. I liked traveling in Turkey by car: the roads are excellent, free, with good infrastructure. You can always find a place to stop, refuel, eat and rest. The prices of roadside cafes are democratic.
Where to stay in Cappadocia
Göreme is one of the few places on the planet where you can stay in a cave hotel. There are quite a lot of such buildings, people still live in them, and such accommodation is more expensive than usual — in caves it is not cold in winter and not hot in summer. You can also choose an ordinary hotel, as we did in our time, which I regret a little.
«Cave» accommodation options in Göreme are available for all tastes and wallets, from hostels to expensive hotels. Since the city is alive with tourism, there is plenty of accommodation and you will probably be able to find something even at the very last moment.
Hostel Terra Vista is not a bad option for the most budget accommodation. A bed in a shared room costs only 7—8 €, while a double room with private bathroom starts at 12 € and even includes breakfast.
The terrace at Guven Cave Hotel offers mind-blowing views of the valley — something to enjoy over breakfast. It is also very conveniently located. A night here will cost 20—25 €.
For 60—80 € at Tekkaya Cave Hotel — a large and beautiful room, and in the morning you will be fed the most delicious breakfast. Great location, wonderful views.
Despite the fact that many people know or at least have heard about Cappadocia, there are still relatively few Russian tourists here — it is too inconvenient to get there from popular Turkish resorts. All the better for those who do not adhere to stereotypes about Turkey as a country of inexpensive package vacations. If you are ready to look out of the hotel and go a little further than others — you will see a completely different Turkey.
