Things to do in Cappadocia
One of the best parts about visiting this part of Turkey is the sheer abundance of things to do in Cappadocia. You could make several trips to the region and still not be able to fit it all in. The landscape is truly picturesque, there are many historical sites in the area, tons of tours and activities. It really does have something to suit every traveler. This is absolutely a destination that is worth repeating. But if you can only make one trip, these are the best things to do in Cappadocia that will leave you feeling like you just had the best vacation ever!
Cappadocia is located in central Türkiye and easily reached on short flights from Istanbul or other places in Türkiye. You can fly into Kayseri and either rent a car or hire a transfer to bring you to your accommodation. Keep reading to see what you should plan on to fill up your Cappadocia itinerary.
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Hot Air Balloons
The most iconic and one of the best things to do in Cappadocia is a hot air balloon ride. People always ask “was it worth it?” and this is an activity I would say wholeheartedly “YES” to. Booking a hot air balloon flight is a little bit of a game to navigate.
There are many ways to book: online with a platform like Get Your Guide, through your hotel, through a tour guide, through a travel agency, or direct with the companies. There can be a great deal of variation on the price depending on who you ask and when you are trying to book. In general you can expect to pay between 100-250 euros per person for a flight.
In the middle of October, our family paid 150 euros per person for our flight with Flower Balloons. A Cappadocia balloon ride isn’t cheap but it is a bucket list worthy activity.Our 5 year old was allowed on the balloon but they did check his height first to see if he could see over the edge of the basket (he could).
The view from Cappadocia balloons is AMAZING, truly! The balloons are so gorgeous no matter where you view them from, but nothing can replace actually going up in one. There was a tiny moment where it was a little scary for me, but it was totally worthwhile.
If going up in the balloons just isn’t in the cards for you, you still need to wake up early to at least view the balloons. Many hotels have a balcony where you can watch or you can drive to a viewpoint to watch.
If you’re planning to also visit Istanbul, read this 4-day itinerary!
Hiking in Cappadocia
People come to Cappadocia initially to see the hot air balloons, but they keep coming back for the landscapes and hiking. The whole area is filled with such unique rock formations and ancient cave structures.
Some of the best hikes in Cappadocia are Love Valley, Pigeon Valley, and Red Valley. Love Valley is named so for the *ahem* very distinctive rock formations here sometimes called Cappadocia fairy chimneys. Pigeon Valley connects Göreme to Uçhisar where you will have quite a view over the valley. Red Valley is named for the color of the rocks, particularly at sunset.
There are so many valleys and trails to explore. We personally hiked through Love Valley on our trip and it was very easy and can be done as an out and back. You can make the hike as long or short as you want.
If you’re looking for more great places to hike, read about these top destinations in the Alps!
Watch a Cappadocia Sunset
This is one of the things to do in Cappadocia that you CAN’T MISS! We drove out to a viewpoint over the Red Valley and loved the view that we had. You will pay 50 TL to enter the parking area but it’s a small price to pay for the stunning sunset view. Watching sunset here almost gives you the feeling like you are on another planet, with the red and orange rocks.
Other people got here earlier than we did and hiked just a little bit from the parking to pop their folding chairs in just the right spot. We showed up with just enough time to walk for about 5 minutes before selecting a spot. So if you want to be able to pick a spot that’s more secluded, make sure to allow enough time. It would also be lovely to bring a small picnic out here to enjoy while you watch.
If you come here, wear good shoes. The paths are quite loose with gravel and very slippery. I wore white tennis shoes with absolutely no traction and I regretted it.
Other great places to take in the sunset are Göreme Hill and Uçhisar Castle. You can also enjoy the sunset from your hotel balcony but just make sure you are outside to watch it for at least one night of your trip.
Another stunning spot to watch a sunset? The Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland. Read this to see which hotel has the best view.
Visit an Underground City
This activity is not for you if you are claustrophobic. But if small, confined spaces don’t bother you, then add this to your list! Near Göreme there are ancient underground cave cities where up to 20,000 people could live.
The largest of them is Derinkuyu Cave City, you can visit and walk through these ancient dwellings and try to imagine what it would have been like to live there yourself. The cave cities were built as a way for Christians to hide from Islamic invaders. It is absolutely mind blowing to think about how they were able to build such an extensive network and how so many people would live here.
There is a smaller cave city in Kaymakli in the next town over. The two cities are actually connected by a long tunnel but as far as I know, there’s no access to that. As mentioned before, this is not a good activity for anyone who doesn’t like small spaces. I’ve heard several people say they turned around and left after 5 minutes because they were uncomfortable. It’s not the best place to bring a baby/toddler who can’t walk well on their own because you have to walk bent over through a lot of the passageways and it would be hard to do it carrying a baby.
At Derinkuyu the ticket price is 13 euros per adult, unless you have purchased a Museum Pass.
Add on Selime Cathedral if you have time. It’s a bit out of the center of Göreme and makes the most sense to visit if you are already out by the cave cities.
Pottery Class or Mosaic Class
This is a super-fun, hands-on, get your hands dirty activity. The town of Avanos is famous for its pottery. There are plenty of shops you can browse and places to watch master potters at work. But learning how to make pottery yourself is one of the best things to do in Cappadocia.
We booked our class through AirBnb experiences but I would recommend it only with a few warnings first. This was a more at-home operation than maybe some of the other classes. You’ll be instructed to put on some dirty pottery clothes that they have available to protect your own clothes.
The workshop is small and has only 4 wheels but the instructor was very kind. I would feel more comfortable recommending you this class with great reviews and is even less than what we paid.
Another hands-on creative opportunity is to make your own mosaic Turkish lamp! This class can hold up to 50 people so there’s not really a worry about it filling up. You should set aside a few hours to make your masterpiece. You’ll walk away with a beautiful custom lamp that you created yourself.
Open Air Museum
Visiting the Open Air Museum was one of my favorite things to do in Cappadocia. There are two different options for you to visit: Göreme Open Air Museum, the larger and more popular of the two, and Zelve Open Air Museum which is the one we visited.
The scenery at Zelve is so beautiful, it feels otherworldly. There are hiking trails that lead up to ancient cave dwellings and stunning viewpoints. You can even climb inside some of the caves. This was highly entertaining for our kids and we loved it as well.
If you plan to visit Göreme Open Air Museum in high season, try to get there as soon as it opens to avoid the large tour groups.
More Cappadocia Tours: ATV, Horseback, Camel Rides
There are so many different activities and tours in Cappadocia, you will never be bored. ATV tours are abundant and look like a lot of fun, but they are not the best option with kids. I got mixed information from tour guides and travel agencies but one told me that kids have to be 8 to go on the tour and 18 to drive their own ATV. Those dynamics did not work for our family but maybe your family has the right ages to do a ATV Tour Cappadocia.
Horseback riding is another option. There are different length tours, with the sunset tour being the most popular. You can also arrange a camel ride at various locations around Cappadocia.
Cappadocia Photo Shoot
Why not commemorate a vacation to an epic location with a photo shoot. There’s all kinds of options and your hotel can likely arrange a shoot for you but I preferred to hire Julia from Flytographer as her aesthetic was a better fit for me. We did a sunrise shoot and the photos are GORGEOUS!
Thankfully Julia was able to be flexible with us as the balloons were canceled for the original date we picked. She was able to push it a day later and we were lucky because the balloons went up that morning!
If you want to book a shoot or buy a gift card for a shoot, you can use the code ABROADWIFE to get $25 off your first booking.
Uçhisar Castle
This castle is perched over Göreme in the neighboring town Uçhisar. Less of a traditional castle, it has a Cappadocia spin to it where it was formed in a natural rock tower. It is known to be one of the best viewpoints in the area so don’t miss out on exploring the castle’s tunnels and surveying the stunning landscape around you. You can drive here or walk here from Göreme via Pigeon Valley.
Cappadocia Shopping
When you visit Türkiye, you will want to shop! Cappadocia is a place to shop for carpets, lanterns, metal ware, scarves, jewelry, pottery, and all kinds of other souvenirs. Most carpet shops will ship to you, so don’t worry about how you’re going to pack it in your luggage. For more expensive items, sellers will likely also accept USD or euros for payment.
Just remember, haggling is an accepted norm in this country. You should negotiate a bit before deciding to make a purchase.
Sample Cappadocia Cuisine
What are the things you should try when you come to Türkiye? Try these things to enjoy the best of Cappadocia cuisine.
Tea is the first! In Turkish, çay (sounds like chai) comes at all times of day and will certainly be offered to you after meals. It comes in the characteristic tulip glasses and is a delight to try.
Testi Kebabı is a special dish from this region. The stew-like dish of meat and vegetables is cooked in a clay pot and is brought to the table in it. The waiter will break off the top of the clay pot so you can enjoy your dish. Make sure to have your camera out to capture it!
Mantı is a version of Turkish dumplings. They are small, filled with meat, and served with a tomato sauce and yogurt.
Künefe is a Turkish dessert with many of the same ingredients as baklava. There are fried pastry strings, cheese, honey syrup, pistachios and if you have the option to get ice cream on top (dondurma), do it! This is my favorite Turkish dessert to date, I suggest giving it a try!
Cappadocia Hotels
Göreme is the most central place to stay in the region and has the most choices for shopping and eating. If you are a big family, I will say the options for getting your whole family in one room are fairly limited. We stayed at Holiday Cave Hotel because it was reasonably priced and it had a room where we could all fit. They also have a pool and it was still nice and warm in October. Some more hotel options in Göreme:
Sultan Cave Suites (we ate dinner here and the view was stunning!)
Uçhisar is next to Göreme and is still centrally located but more quiet than Göreme.
