If a trip to Turkey is in your future, you may be considering Cappadocia as one of your destinations. Cappadocia is most known for the fairytale pictures with hundreds of hot air balloons filling the sky with a sunrise in the background. Let me tell you, this view and experience does not disappoint! But there is more to Cappadocia than hot air balloon rides. Keep reading for my Cappadocia itinerary and travel tips for this historic city.
How many days in Cappadocia?
Personally, for my trip, I spent two full days and three nights in Cappadocia and felt that it was enough time in the city. I recommend two to three days to explore the sights and experience the views with the hot air balloons.
Arriving to Cappadocia
If you are flying to Cappadocia, there are two airports that you can fly into. There is Kayseri Airport (ASR) and Nevşehir (NAV) airport. Kayseri Airport has more flight options. It is located about an hour and fifteen minutes from the city center of Cappadocia. To get from Nevşehir Airport to Cappadocia, the car ride takes about forty minutes.
The main sights in Cappadocia are spread out, so it is not a walkable city. Most tourists decide to rent a car during their visit, but I managed to stay without a car rental. My hotel was located right in the city center and offered an airport shuttle. Then, when I saw the historic sights, I booked a tour that included transportation and picked me up from my hotel. It was very convenient, so it is possible to explore with or without a car rental.
What to do in Cappadocia
hot air balloon views at sunrise
Of course, a trip to Cappadocia is not complete without waking up early in the morning for sunrise and seeing literally hundreds of hot air balloons fill the sky. It is such a surreal experience! If you have never ridden in a hot air balloon before, this is a memorable place to check off your bucket list item! I had ridden in a hot air balloon before, so I opted out of the excursion during my stay in Cappadocia. The prices for hot air balloon rides range per company, and the cost varies depending on what season you are visiting in.
Turkish breakfast
When visiting Turkey, you should order a traditional Turkish breakfast. The savory meal will fill up your table as the food keeps coming. When we ordered a Turkish breakfast, we received bread with spreads (homemade peanut butter, nutella, jam, and a sundried tomato spread), olives, fruit, slices of cucumber, eggs, coffee, tea, and a cake pastry.
historical sights
There are plenty of historical sights to see while in Cappadocia. My Airbnb offered day tours that we booked, but there are several tour companies that you can book through. We booked a day-long tour for 55 euros per person. The tour included several historical stops and experiences, lunch at a restaurant, and transportation on a shuttle bus. The tours are offered in several languages.
Our tour visited Town Underground City, Uçhisar Castle, Rock Pigeon Valley, Devrent (Imagination) Valley, and Zelve Open Air Museum. We also stopped for a pottery workshop to see the process of their craftmanship with the intricate pottery. We were surprised with a leather fashion show as well. Turkey is known for leather and fur products, so our tour stopped to see a leather fashion show and peruse the store. It was a unique and fun experience. My husband and I ended up getting roped into being in the fashion show. We ended up strutting our stuff down the runway in leather jackets to the song “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5. The stop felt like a tourist trap, but we often think back and laugh about the funny memory.
These are just some of the sights in Cappadocia! Others include Kaymaklı Underground City, Selime Monastery, Onyx Stone, and Belisırma Village. I won’t spoil all the impressive history that the city holds as you will be educated on your tours. Just know there are several unique locations that draw in tourists from all over the world.
Accommodations
Whether you are looking for a classic cave hotel, a cozy Airbnb, or a hostel, there are many accommodation options for all the tourists!
Personally, I booked a stay at Nomads Cave Hotel and Rooftop through Airbnb. This Airbnb is centrally located, offers the cave hotel experience, has a stunning rooftop perfect for viewing the hot air balloons at sunrise, and has friendly and hospitable staff. I really recommend picking a spot where you can get good views of the hot air balloons. It was amazing setting an alarm for sunrise, and walking up a flight of stairs and being blown away by the view. The Nomads Cave Hotel and Rooftop also has a rooftop restaurant and bar. We received a free Turkish breakfast during our stay. The staff was always reachable and very helpful with setting up airport transfers and our tour. I recommend looking into this option for your accommodation!
Conclusion
Cappadocia is an iconic destination with the hot air balloons and history. You really will feel like you are in a fairytale when the hot air balloons are flying over the rock formations and open land. It was the best way to start the morning with the view and seeing so many other people waking up at sunrise to take in this special moment and experience.
Cheers to squeezing extra special moments into each day and making connections around the world! Thanks for stopping by! To read my other blog posts, check out the destinations tab on my website.