Is Cappadocia Worth it? 10 Best Reasons & Things To Do 2024
Cappadocia is one of those ethereal places that you repeatedly see on social media: a young couple sitting on beautiful Turkish rugs atop the cave hotel terrace, overlooking hundreds of hot air balloons shimmering in the early sunrise glow, the landscape punctuated by fairy chimneys carved by nature over centuries. In the past decade, Cappadocia has been transformed from a relatively unknown gem to a global tourist destination. But you may be wondering, is Cappadocia worth it? Or is it simply a dreamy destination created by influencer hype?
In this post, we discuss our experience in Cappadocia and help you answer the question if Cappadocia is worthwhile. Over the 5 days we were there, we had the chance to go up on the hot air balloons, explore underground cities, venture into cave dwellings, gaze at the rising sun on a rooftop terrace, stay in a historical cave hotel, hike the red-rose valley, and much more!
So Is Cappadocia worth visiting?
Let’s dive in!
Quick Answer: Is Cappadocia Worth it?
Cappadocia is definitely worth visiting! The top 3 things you’ll get to experience there include:
– Riding the hot air balloon above Cappadocia
– Discovering the world’s largest underground city
– Exploring the cities carved into the cliff walls
– Staying at an ancient Cave Hotel
Is Cappadocia Worth it?
Alright, we won’t keep you waiting.
In short, YES, Cappadocia is worth it!
If you are considering a visit to Cappadocia, you need to understand that the region is so much more than just the hot air balloons and Instagram photos. Cappadocia, formed by volcanic eruptions sculpted into conical spires over thousands of years, offers some of the most otherworldly landscapes found anywhere on Earth.
Additionally, hidden beneath the fairy chimneys, red valleys, and underground cities, is an incredibly fascinating history telling the story of ancient civilizations during the Byzantine era.
And yes, there are also those dreamy-looking hot air balloons. Although somewhat over-touristic, there is something truly magical about standing on the cave hotel rooftop, covered by beautiful Turkish rugs and pillows, gazing peacefully at a sky filled with hundreds of hot air balloons.
Yes, many aspects of Cappadocia have in fact become over-commercialized and glamorized through social media. However, dig deeper and you have a chance to take a step back in time and witness the remarkable architectural achievements of ancient civilizations.
Imagine clamouring deep within the labyrinth of an underground city, carved thousands of years ago, and finding what was once their kitchen, their winery, their animal stables. You then learn that this city extends 18 floors deep below ground, and once housed 20,000 people. The rooms and tunnels are so well preserved that you can imagine the families sleeping there, the children chasing each other through the endless labyrinth.
Imagine having the opportunity to sleep in a local cave hotel, bathe in an ancient Turkish Hammam, and ride horses between the conical spires of the Love Valley. Imagine soaring hundreds of feet high in the air within a Hot air balloon, watching the sun rise above the red valley.
Whether you are chasing after beautiful photos, adrenaline adventures, learning about history, or just unwinding on the rooftop with a glass of Raki, Cappadocia has something perfect for you.
10 Things To Do & Reasons To Visit Cappadocia
During our 5 days in Cappadocia, we had the opportunity to discover countless experiences including hiking, photography, hot air balloons, cave hotels, history, and much more. Since we rented a car, we explored not only the central cities of Göreme, but also Ürgup, Avanos, Uçhisar, Ortahisar, Kaymakli, and Derinkuyu.
If you’re still wondering if Cappadocia is worth it, below we highlight for you 10 of the best reasons and activities for why you should visit in 2023.
1. Riding the Hot air balloons
Definitely one of the top and most well-known reasons why you should visit Cappadocia is the hot air balloons. Maybe it’s the sheer number of balloons, or the backdrop of the red/rose landscape, or those ethereal fairy chimneys, but there is something truly magical about this experience.
Whether you decide to ride high up in the air in the hot air balloon or just to witness it from the ground, the hot air balloons is one of the main draws for tourists from all over the world.
Yes, going up on the hot air balloon has gradually become quite expensive, but we feel it is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Not only do you get to see the rising sun cresting over the horizon, but the hot air balloons take you both high and very low into the valleys where you can practically touch the fairy chimneys.
At certain points, the basket was brushing up against the top of the trees as it slid between the valley walls.
Also, note that there is such an essence of tranquillity and freedom while gliding silently in the hot air balloons. Then a few seconds later, you have risen 700 feet into the sky where you can admire the dramatic landscape of Cappadocia.
Although our experience cost us around 220€ each for a 75-minute flight time, it is something that we will always remember.
Helpful Tips:
▣ Hot air balloon rides are available year-round but I highly recommend the months between April and November. During the winter months, the weather is very cold and there is a high chance of cancellation. The wind is higher during the end of spring and the end of autumn so again it is less recommended during those months. We went during the month of June.
▣ Make sure to book your hot air balloon ride well in advance as they tend to book up. Also booking well in advance gets you a better price. When I booked over 6 months in advance, it was 220€. When I rechecked 1 month before my trip, it went up to 320€!
▣ Make sure to book your hot air balloon for the first day you are there. This is because flights can be cancelled due to weather (rain or wind). We stayed 5 days in Cappadocia and only ended up flying on the 3rd day. If a flight is cancelled, you will be pushed to the next available day. For us, we were pushed two days later since the following day was already full.
Fly with Turquaz Balloons
Having done a lot of research comparing the hot air balloon companies, we ended up booking with Turquaz balloons for several reasons: Long track record of safety, smaller basket size, included breakfast and celebratory drink, but most importantly they fly both very high and very low into the valley (which not all companies do). We had an amazing experience with them and it met all our expectations!
2. Incredible Hiking opportunities
Cappadocia has some truly incredible and varied hiking opportunities with landscapes seen nowhere else in the world. We ended up doing 3 big hikes in total during our 5 days and every excursion was an adventure.
This is because not only do you get to experience the nice scenery, but there are also countless historical cave dwellings and church frescoes for you to explore along the way. This is why many of the sites in Cappadocia are called open-air museums.
Here are some of the best hikes you can do in Cappadocia:
Red Valley + Rose Valley + Meskendir Valley
A truly epic 11km hike through some of the most iconic landscapes of Cappadocia. What’s more, is that you can time it perfectly to visit the Crazy Ali panoramic point for sunset at the end of the trail. This hike can be done independently by taking a taxi to Crazy Ali Cafe. Alternatively, Red + Rose valley are part of the Blue Tour.
Pigeon Valley + Uchisar + Love Valley
Another 11km hike through Love Valley with its phallic-shaped spires, and Pigeon Valley with its historical pigeon holes lined along the valley walls. You will also get to visit the impressive Uchisar castle. This can be done independently. Alternatively, Pigeon valley + Uchisar castle are part of the Red tour.
- The two above hikes are a combination of several mini-hikes combined into a grand loop. You can break them down into short hikes if you would like. They can all be done independently but if you prefer guided, we have provided the links to the corresponding Blue and Red tours above.
Zelve Open Air Museum
Although theoretically not a classical hike, it is an open-air museum site with 3 amazing valleys filled with cave dwellings. You will be climbing through and up the caves as well as the countless steps along the way. We spent 3 hours hiking through the area so I would consider it a hike! A visit to Zelve, as well as Avanos, Uchisar, and Devrent valley, are all included in this North Cappadocia tour which also
3. Exploring Cave Dwellings and Rock Formations
During your hikes as well as in the Gorëme and Zelve open-air museums, you will have the chance to explore some of the most impressive carved-out cave dwellings. It was hypnotizing to walk through a valley, and suddenly see the cliff walls covered in interconnected doorways and windows, often concealed high above a reachable level.
Stepping through these doorways, you witness the intricacy of this complex carved city, with innumerable rooms and passages. There were living communities that once lived here. Climbing in and exploring the rooms, you feel like a kid exploring a new world for the first time. To get up to the second floor, you need to shimmy up a vertical chimney-like shaft, with only slight indentations as footholds.
Visiting these cave dwellings was truly one of our top highlights and definitely made Cappadocia special!
Guided tours to the highlights of Cappadocia
Blue tour includes: Red Valley, Ortahisar Castle, Kaymakli Underground City, Pigeon Valley.
Red tour includes: Goreme Open air museum, Pasabag valley, Uchisar, Devrent Valley, Avanos.
4. Exploring Underground Cities
Beyond the beautiful fairy chimneys, the architectural marvels below ground in Cappadocia are just as impressive. In the neighbouring towns of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, only a 30-40 mins drive away from Gorëme, you will find two of the most extensive underground cities in the entire world.
It was discovered by a local resident in 1963 when he noticed that his chickens would inexplicably disappear from his house. When he searched further, he discovered a hidden passage behind his house wall, which eventually connected to the vast underground complex.
Derinkuyu turned out to be an incredible labyrinth of tunnels and rooms, comprising 18 entire floors, reaching approximately 285 feet deep, and believed to once hold 20,000 inhabitants!
Stepping foot into the rooms, it is mind-boggling the level of detail and ingenuity that went into its construction: from the innumerable ventilation shafts, the gigantic disk-like stone doors to seal off tunnels, the small window-like holes between tunnels and rooms to allow for communication, to the sheer scale of this subterranean complex.
Visiting these underground cities is definitely one of the activities that make Cappadocia unique and worth it!
Derinkuyu Underground City
We would highly recommend going on a tour to visit the underground cities. It is a total labyrinth in there and with so much history at every corner. Without a guide, each room will simply look like an empty cave. The Green Tour includes Derinkuyu underground city as well as hiking in Ilhara Valley and lunch on the river.
If we had to choose one underground city to visit, we would choose Derinkuyu over Kaymakli.
Helpful Tips:
▣ Entrance into the two underground cities (Kaymakli and Derinkuyu) is included in the Cappadocia Museum pass
▣ If we had to choose just one to visit, we would pick Kaymakli due to its more adventurous feeling, tighter-fit rooms, and more impressive layout. If you are claustrophobic, then Derinkuyu is the better choice
▣ You can rent a car to visit on your own or you can join the Green tour which includes visiting Ilhara Valley as well as the underground cities.
▣ If you have bad asthma or claustrophobia, visiting these underground cities is not advised. Some of the tunnels can get quite narrow (I had to fully crouch) and dusty.
▣ Visiting both the underground cities could be done in one day since it follows the same highway road outside of Gorëme.
🎟️ Cappadocia Travel Pass
If you don’t want to worry about buying the museum pass, individually selecting and booking tours, or worrying about what to do, then the Cappadocia Travel Pass is perfect for you! You can purchase a pass for any length of stay ranging from 1 day to 5 days and it includes access to some of Cappadocia’s best activities.
These include the Red tour, ATVing through the valley, the whirling dervish show, and free skip-the-line access to the top attractions. You even get a large discount on the famous hot air balloon ride!
For more details check out below!
5. Amazing Local Wines made with Emir grapes
Who knew that Cappadocia was known for its wines?
In fact, Cappadocia grows some very unique grapes and with them, makes some excellent wines.
During our stay there, we had the opportunity to taste several wines, both at restaurants, as well as some homemade wine at our hotel.
Our favourite was definitely the wines made with Emir grapes. There are also wine-tasting tours available, however, I did find them quite expensive (close to 40USD).
We believe the ones in Avanos are more affordable so you can check those out if interested.
Wine Tasting
If you prefer a guided tour for wine tasting, check out this Introduction to local wines tour where you get to sample over 20 varieties of wine.
6. Endless photography opportunities
When wondering if Cappadocia is worth it to visit, as a photographer, I immediately looked up what special moments I could capture there. Having spent 5 days exploring the region, I can certainly say that the photography opportunities you can have there are truly magnificent.
One of the most iconic photos is the one with a couple standing on the cave hotel rooftop terrace, surrounded by Turkish rugs and pillows, with the backdrop of hundreds of hot air balloons in the air. We had the opportunity while staying in Caftan Cave Suites to have that exact experience, and it was magical!
After that, you can spend another morning capturing the hot air balloons from within the dramatic red/rose valley. If you want to go even more extravagant, you can even rent a long ballgown dress and hire a professional photographer to capture the moment.
Here are some of the top places for photography in Cappadocia:
- On the rooftop terrace
- In a Turkish Rug store (Unfortunately, some stores now charge around 20-30$ to photograph there)
- Panoramic points (our favourite was at Crazy Ali Cafe panoramic point)
- On a hot air balloon
- Throughout any of the amazing hikes in the region
Cappadocia Private Photoshoot
For an incredible photoshoot in Cappadocia where you wear a beautiful flying dress standing above the red/rose valley at sunrise, check out this private photoshoot tour. You even have the option of doing a photoshoot with horses, vintage cars, or sitting on those famous Turkish rugs.
7. Stay in a Cave Hotel
Where else in the world do you get to stay in a cave hotel but Cappadocia?
Nestled in the beautiful valleys are countless hotels that were built to integrate the architecture of the cave dwellings. Having the chance to sleep in those historical caves is not only really cool but also provides you with a very comfortable ambient temperature during the days and nights.
What’s more, is that most of the hotels also provide you with a beautiful rooftop terrace where you can enjoy your breakfast as well as the early morning rising of hot air balloons. As described above, watching those hot air balloons on the terrace is one of the highlights of our trip.
It made Cappadocia totally worth it!
We stayed at Caftan Cave Suites in Gorëme and absolutely loved our experience there. From the rooftop terrace, the plentiful breakfast, the incredibly welcoming staff, to the beautifully decorated rooms, it made our experience in Cappadocia truly special! If you want a full rundown of our most recommended hotels in Cappadocia including what makes each town special, check out our post about the Best Places to Stay at in Cappadocia.
Caftan Cave Suites
We stayed at Caftan Cave Suites and loved everything! From the friendly service, caring staff, delicious breakfast, to the mesmerizing two-level rooftop terrace, our experience there was perfect! It is also a cave hotel so you get to stay in a historical cave room!
If you go one step more luxury, certain hotels even have pools or fancy restaurants overlooking Gorëme. Kelebek Special Cave Hotel and Spa and Sultan Cave Suites are some of the most stunning hotels that include a pool and epic views of the valley.
Here is a quick rundown of the towns you can stay in:
- Gorëme: the central and main town of Cappadocia. It has the most cave hotels available at a reasonable price, however, you sacrifice a bit with the fact that it is very touristic and busy. Food price is also a lot higher in Goreme.
- Üchisar: The town is located just 10 minutes drive from Gorëme. Üchisar is known as the more luxurious town. Catering certainly to a more deluxe experience, the town is quieter and also has the beautiful Üchisar castle.
- Ortahisar: also 10 mins drive from Gorëme, it is a small town with significantly fewer cave hotels. This town is very much more local. Go here for a very quiet and local authentic experience.
- Ürgüp: 15 mins drive from Gorëme, this is the wine town. This town caters to those who love wine, and a more secluded experience. There are mostly high-end cave hotels here. The town is quite small so there isn’t much else to do here.
- Avanos: 15 minutes drive from Gorëme, this is the pottery town. Avanos is also very local and has only a few cave hotels. However, it was the area where we saw the most locals going about their daily living here.
Check out our full blog post describing where to stay in Cappadocia including our best hotel suggestions in each town of Cappadocia.
8. Making Pottery and drinking wine in Avanos
Avanos is the artistic district of Cappadocia famous for its ceramic pottery. Located only 15 minutes away from Gorëme, you can easily spend an afternoon exploring the crafts, jewelry, wine tasting, and ceramic pottery workshops.
Many of the workshops offer you a quick 15-minute pottery-making class for free where you can get your hands dirty and learn the beginning steps of the craft. What we quickly realized upon stepping into the store was that they also serve you wine at the same time! Bonus!
While drinking wine and perusing the beautiful ceramic potteries, Mr. Hakan explained to us the history of the potteries as well as life in Cappadocia. He was patient and was truly happy to share his stories with us. 3 glasses of wine later, Nan had the opportunity to try out the pottery-making wheel. We also ended up purchasing one of the beautiful ceramic wine vases.
It certainly made for a perfect afternoon of shopping, history, and wine drinking!
Although there are countless pottery workshops in Avanos, we went to Chez Hakan and loved our experience there.
📍 Visiting Avanos with pottery-making class is included in the Red tour.
9. Experience a Turkish hammam affordably
The Turkish Hammam is the best way to unwind after a challenging day of hiking or sightseeing in Cappadocia. Although also available when visiting the incredible sites of Istanbul, we found the prices in Cappadocia far more affordable so we had our experience there.
This practice dates back centuries and is rooted in Roman bathing traditions that were later adapted by the Ottomans. The Turkish Hammam provides you with a rejuvenating spa-like experience starting with steam room relaxation, then body scrubbing, foam bathing, exfoliation, and a massage on a traditional ornate marble stone.
Although we have had massages from all over the world, this Hammam experience is more like a relaxing cleansing ritual. There is something very soothing about lying on the hot marble top, covered in bubbly foam, being rinsed down and scrubbed.
We had our Turkish Hammam experience at Ürgüp Şehir Hamamı and took the whole package including massage. What was also great is that if you are a pair, you can book a private experience in your own closed-off hammam room.
Hammam Experience
This combination of bathing, cleansing, exfoliating, and massaging is sure to fully relax you!
Alternatively, if you bought the Cappadocia Travel Pass, you are automatically eligible for a huge discount on their Hammam experience!
10. Meeting friendly locals
Finally, the local people of Cappadocia are very friendly. During our 5 days in Cappadocia, we drank wine with the locals, were invited to have tea countless times, and made friends with many of the staff of Caftan Cave and Suites.
They were so welcoming and helped us in every way possible. When meeting one of the local shopkeepers, she was happy to share the history of her cave home and present to us her grandmother. They then showed us a beautiful viewpoint atop their home where we could enjoy a hot cup of Turkish tea.
The lady taking care of breakfast at our hotel, despite not speaking the same language as us, welcomed us with the warmest smile every morning. She would come to us and try to chat just using fragmented words and body language.
These countless experiences with the locals are definitely something we will always remember.
This post is part of our series about Turkey. If you want to learn more about Turkey, planning your trip, and some of the best experiences there, check out the guides below:
Best time to visit Cappadocia
Now that we have determined if Cappadocia is worth it, the next important point to consider is the best time to go.
Since most of Cappadocia’s activities are outdoors, it is important to pick a time when the weather conditions are perfect. As previously mentioned, the optimal time to do the hot air balloons is between April and November.
During the months of July and August, the skies are clear but temperatures can get very hot into the 30°C. Since you will be spending time walking in the open-air museums and hiking in the valleys, and there is minimal shade, it can feel too hot outside.
For that reason, we would recommend the months of May to early June, then late September to October. During those months, going on the hot air balloon is ideal, temperatures are still warm, the wind is not too strong, and it is the shoulder season of tourism.
So in short, the best times to visit Cappadocia are the months of May to early June and late September to October.
Getting around Cappadocia
When visiting Cappadocia, it is very important to consider the means of transportation and how you are going to get to those hikes and open-air museums. When we stayed 5 days in Cappadocia, we ended up renting a car and it turned out to be the best decision.
Car rental
We would highly recommend renting a car during your stay in Cappadocia. Having a car allowed us full freedom to visit all the natural sites without time limitations and without needing to join an organized tour. It also allowed us to drive to the neighbouring towns to explore the activities and local foods.
This turned out to be very important since we felt the food in Gorëme was overpriced and not as authentic. Having a car also allowed us to get up early to see the sunrise and stay late for the sunset without worrying about how to return to the hotel.
Finally, sometimes it rains in Cappadocia so having the car allowed us to wait out the rain before visiting the site.
👉 If you want a very reliable car rental agency, we booked with Discovercars and would highly recommend them!
Taxis
Taxis are another option if you only need to ride to another town (from hotel to restaurant for example) but they are not very frequently available. This is especially important if you want to get to one of the hikes or panoramic points outside of town.
Although you can call a taxi at your hotel to take you to the start of the hike, when you get to the end, there is no way to call a taxi. The price can also add up since you will likely make several stops in a day. Unfortunately Uber is not available in Cappadocia. To learn more about Uber in Turkey, check out this post.
Buses
Buses are available in Cappadocia but we would not recommend it due to its infrequent schedules and they mainly only go from town to town. Most of the main attractions are in the middle of the way between towns.
Scooter rental
Renting a scooter is another available option. It will be more affordable than renting a car however there is the drawback of not having air conditioning, cargo space, and the constant exposure to the sun. Furthermore, the roads in Cappadocia are not in the best condition so I would consider that a safety risk.
Private driver
Hiring a private driver is one of the best options if you value convenience. However, it can get quite expensive unless you are a large group (more than 5).
👉 If you are interested in a private transfer service, Welcome Pickups is a very reliable option. Not only are they very highly rated, but also provide 24/7 customer support, and most importantly English speaking drivers.
Otherwise, we would also consider joining an organized tour. Through the Green, Red, and Yellow tours, you have several options for which sites you can visit. If you join a tour, make sure to check out the tipping etiquette in Turkey.
walking
If you are on a budget, you can certainly do a big chunk of the Cappadocia activities by walking. For the activities that are further, you can always join an organized tour. You can reach many of the main hikes in Gorëme within 20-30 minutes of walking, including the Gorëme open-air museum.
do you need a rental car?
As previously mentioned, we highly recommend renting a car to properly explore the area of Cappadocia. It is important to realize that Cappadocia is a region, not a city. Therefore, to explore all the places it has to offer, you will be visiting several of the cities, some of which may be located 30-40 minutes away. The convenience of having a reliable rental car and exploring at our own pace made our trip that much better.
We rented our car from DiscoverCars and really recommend it. In the end, we rented cars twice from them during our stay in Turkey and had no issues. The rental, the cars, and the return of the vehicle all went smoothly. What we liked a lot about DiscoverCars is that they provided the most affordable rates, and also gave you the option of pre-purchasing an excellent insurance coverage for a very reasonable rate.
Car Insruance: For our rentals, we paid around 9 CAD/day of rental for the additional insurance and it provided us with complete peace of mind. Knowing that an international and reliable company was there if ever we encountered any issues was a lot more reassuring than going with an individual car shop. We had also searched online and saw several stories about fellow travellers who rented from individual agencies and ran into issues of being charged after they returned the car.
Finally, another thing to consider is that Gorëme is around a 1-hour drive away from the airport, whether Kayseri (ASR) or Nevsehir (NAV). This means that you will need to pay for a taxi or private transport to bring you to the city, and then back to the airport at the end of the trip. So by renting a car, you will also save the cost of those transfers.
Note: We were not required to have an international driver’s license to rent a car in Cappadocia and Antalya.
Also, the driving is on the right side like in North America.
🚗 Car Rental booking
We have used Discovercars countless times and have always had positive experiences. We used them also for Cappadocia as well as visiting Antalya/Kas.
How do you get to Cappadocia without a car?
If you are not renting a car, there are a couple of other options to get to Gorëme from the airport.
The easiest but most expensive option is by private transportation. We used and highly recommend Welcome Pickups.
The second option is by taxi or Uber. We did end up using Uber when landing at Kayseri airport to take us to our nearby hotel. The process went smoothly and the price was very reasonable, which was unlike our experience with Uber in Istanbul.
On average, a taxi to go from Kayseri to Gorëme should cost around 30€ per vehicle and take 40-60 minutes.
The final option is a shuttle bus. These buses can hold up to around 16 people and will drive all the guests to their individual hotels. It costs around 10€ per person for the ride. The drawback of this option is that you have to wait for everyone to arrive before the bus leaves. Then you also have to wait to drop off the other guests at their hotels before arriving at yours. Therefore although the drive may take 40-60 minutes, you may need to add another half an hour or so for the extra stops.
Is cappadocia walkable?
Cappadocia is very walkable and also safe. Upon arriving in Gorëme, you can easily walk to all the restaurants, ATMs, hotels, and stores. When we were there, although we rented a car, whenever we went out to restaurants in Gorëme, we walked instead of driving.
You can walk to most of the main sites in the centre of Gorëme within 10-15 minutes. Keep in mind that there are a lot of cobblestone streets and that sidewalks are often not available.
Where To Stay In Cappadocia
Cappadocia is an entire region comprising several cities. The main one you will hear the most about is Gorëme. This is because it is the most touristic town and also closest to the main attractions. When choosing where to stay, consider if you are renting a car, whether you prioritize a more touristic or local ambiance, and price point.
If this is your first time visiting Cappadocia and will not be renting a car, then for sure try to find your accommodation in Gorëme. Here you will have the most options of hotels at all price points, and many restaurants within walking distance. The Gorëme open-air museum, as well as most tours, is also within walking distance from the city centre.
🛑 For a full post breakdown of each town, their features and highlights, and the best hotels in each town to fulfill your specific criteria, then check out our Best cave hotels in Cappadocia post.
⬇️ Gorëme Hotel recommendations:
- Budget recommendation: Wonder of Cappadocia Hotel
- Mid-range recommendation: Caftan Cave Suites
- Luxury recommendation: Sultan Cave Suites
If you are willing to go slightly off the tourist trail and have a rental car, we would recommend staying in Ürgüp or Üchisar. In both those towns, you will have a more authentic and local experience, and significantly better dining options, all the while being only a 10-minute drive from the main attractions.
⬇️ Ürgüp hotel recommendations:
- Budget recommendation: Demisos Cave Hotel
- Mid-range recommendation: Tale Cave Inn
- Luxury recommendation: Taru Cave Suites
⬇️ Uchisar hotel recommendations:
- Budget recommendation: Caldera Cave Hotel & Restaurant
- Mid-range recommendation: Dream of Cappadocia Hotel
- Luxury recommendation: Karlik Cave Suites Cappadocia
We had stayed in Gorëme and although the hotels were enjoyable, the environment and restaurants were too much geared for tourists. Check out some of the hotels we would highly recommend. These were picked to provide you with an authentic cave hotel experience, and also be able to enjoy a beautiful view of the hot air balloons on the rooftop terrace.
Check out other top recommended accommodations in Cappadocia:
Visiting Cappadocia: FAQs
Now that we’ve determined that Cappadocia is worth visiting, here we answer some of the frequently asked questions to help you organize your next trip!
How many days should you spend in Cappadocia?
We would recommend a stay of at least 3 days but preferably 5 days. During our 2 weeks in Turkey, we ended up staying 5 days and had more than enough activities to do. What’s also important to consider is that if you want to do the hot air balloons, there is always a chance that it gets cancelled and rescheduled due to weather conditions.
For that reason, if you are there for 3 days, you have the time buffer for one cancellation, but if you are there for 5 days, you can likely manage 2-3 cancellations. Any shorter the stay and you have a high chance of missing out on the activity.
With the combination of a Hot air balloon (one day on the balloon and another day watching it from the ground), 1-2 hikes, the underground cities, and 2 open-air museums, you certainly have enough to fill up your stay! And since the hot air balloon ride is one of the main attractions that make Cappadocia truly unique, we believe it merits the extended stay.
which airport for visiting Cappadocia?
There are two available airports near the main town of Gorëme: Nevsehir Airport (NAV) and Kayseri Airport (ASR).
Although Nevsehir is slightly closer to Gorëme, Kayseri airport is actually more convenient. The reason for this is that more domestic and international flights arrive at Kayseri, and if ever you are continuing your journey down south to Antalya, Kayseri has far more flights that depart. From our comparison, Kayseri had around 10 flights per day to Antalya whereas Nevsehir had only 2-3. The same applies when flying from Istanbul to Cappadocia.
Therefore you will likely arrive in Cappadocia from Kayseri Airport (ASR) but do take a look at Nevsehir as well to compare pricing and itinerary.
what is so special about cappadocia?
Cappadocia is known for its otherworldly landscapes, fairy chimneys, ancient cave dwellings, underground cities, and of course, the hot air balloons.
Cappadocia not only provides some incredibly picturesque stops but also open-air museums where you can truly learn the history and envision the lives of those ancient civilizations. If you are heading to Turkey, Cappadocia is definitely worth the visit.
What is the best month to visit Cappadocia?
The best month to visit Cappadocia is from May to early June, and then late September to October.
These are the months when you will have the most comfortable weather, not too hot, and have the highest chance of doing the hot air balloon rides. So to ensure that your Cappadocia trip is worth it, try to time it for these ideal months!
Is cappadocia very touristy?
Over the past decade, Cappadocia has become more and more touristy. This, I would say is one of the main drawbacks of Cappadocia. Especially in the town of Gorëme, the streets are lined with neon lights, shops selling knockoff brands, and most services are geared towards tourists.
What was surprising to us was the sheer number of shops renting out fancy ballgown dresses, vintage cars, and artificially decorated viewpoints for people to get the perfect Instagram photo. We felt that all of this together detracted from the natural beauty and culture of Cappadocia.
Despite these drawbacks, we would say Cappadocia is still certainly worth it to visit. However, to optimize your experience, we would recommend that you stay in the neighbouring towns of Üchisar or Ürgüp instead of Gorëme. These neighbouring towns are far more local, have better food, and are a lot more peaceful.
Using WISE card in Turkey
When taking cash out of an ATM while abroad, you will most likely be charged both a foreign exchange fee and a foreign transaction fee by that country’s ATM. With my Canadian card, this can easily be 3-4$ + 2.75% + a markup on the exchange rate charged by my bank, and then another 3-5$ charged by the foreign ATM.
This can be really costly. For this reason, we recommend using WISE card which has only minimal fees and just about no foreign currency exchange markup. This helps me save at least 5-7$ every time I take out money from an ATM. If you want to see our full review of the card showing exactly how WISE can help you save, check out our WISE Travel card review post.
Conclusion: is cappadocia worth it?
So with all this said, do we recommend visiting Cappadocia?
After 2 weeks in Turkey and 5 days in Cappadocia, we can confidently say that Cappadocia is worth it! Despite being a bit over-touristic, the richness of culture, history, and natural beauty far outweigh its drawbacks. For more information about visiting Cappadocia or the rest of Turkey, check out our other guides.
And if ever you notice that the information in this post is not up to date, please let us know. Our goal is to provide the most current, detailed, and guided information to help you successfully plan your next trip!
Next up! We head south to experience Kas and the amazing Turkish Riviera, then spend 3 amazing days in Istanbul where we did one of the best food tours! If you want an overview of how much we spent on our 16 days trip in Turkey, check out this post!
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