Cappadocia – Top 10 things to do in an Insta-perfect world
From a beautiful dawn full of balloons, to picturesque landscapes, love valleys, fairy chimneys, plenty of activities to check many off your bucket list, mysterious churches hidden in caves, delicious open fire cooked food and a beautiful sunset, no wonder why Cappadocia has been renowned as tan insta-perfect, magical place.
Cappadocia is a very large region reaching over 300km, it is in fact Goreme the very touristy part that you want to go to. The landscape is some what like a scene from a sci-fi movie. It has formed over billion of years from the lava of a super volcano which has formed the fairy chimneys we find today. Men has dug the caves to make their homes, churches and anything they need to have their community in this area.
Getting there is easy. A 1 hour internal flight with Turkish Airlines can get you to any of the closest two domestic airports of Kayseri or Nevsehir.
Here is a list of the things you can do in this magical village in Turkey.
1. Check Hot Air Ballooning off your bucket list
If you ever wondered of riding a hot air balloon then Cappadocia is the perfect place to do so. With its gorgeous landscapes and pretty sun rise, it is a magical ride which you will cherish forever. Mind you, on windy days don’t be surprised if the rides to get cancelled. Getting it rescheduled might be hard due to them being always fully booked (make sure you pre book in advance) however a refund is given. Balloons have strict flight times in the mornings only.
2. Stay in cave hotel and witness the sunrise
Cave hotels are the most popular, they have fairy chimneys and rooms are in the landscape itself. Most cave hotels have beautiful set up terraces on their roofs where you can wake up at the crack of dawn, around 5.15am and witness the magical skies full of balloons.
3. Witness the sunset
The sunsets is one of the most magnificent views you will witness in this place. You can watch the sunset from Aydin Kiragi, which is a view point in the middle of Goreme or opt to go to the Panoramic view point over Rose valley which is around a 15 minute drive by car, you can find this on Google Maps as kizilvadi foto noktasi.
4. Visit Open Air Museum
The open air museum is the best way to figure get close to Goreme’s history. With its cave churches full of Christian paintings dating back to the 10th century, this place has become a UNESCO world heritage site. With the same ticket you can enter the biggest church opposite the museum, Tokali Church.
5. Indulge in Turkish Cuisine
The local way of cooking in Cappadocia is over open wood flame, and the taste… mmm simply delicious and tender. We loved Koy Evi Restaurant cooking. No menu, simply choose from the dishes over the flames, usually beef, chicken or lamb.
6. Trek, Trek and get Trekking
The best way to explore the surrounding valleys is by trekking though them. It is simply an experience like no other. We trekked the Rose Valley, from which we witnessed the red valley. Make sure to put on your trekking shoes as the terrain trekking down can get slippery.
7. Downhill biking or cycling
For those who love downhill biking Cappadocia is perfect with its valleys or perhaps simple cycle your way through the beautiful landscapes.
8. Horse Riding
Cappadocia comes from the ancient word ‘Katpatuka’, meaning “land of beautiful horses”. A popular activity in this gorgeous place is horse riding, definitely makes an insta perfect photo.
9. ATV trips
If you are not into walking, 1 hour or 2 hour quad bike trips are also a thing in Goreme. They get you to the surroundings of the valley’s. They can’t enter the valleys to preserve the sites. But they stop you in places to see the surrounding views.
10. Hop on a tour to visit the surroundings
This day trip from Goreme takes you beyond Goreme. Starting from the impressive Derinkuyu Underground City a multi-level city believed to have the capacity to shelter at least 20,000 people. Ihlara Valley famous for its beautiful river and trekking there. The tour takes you to Selime Monastery, a big monastery carved into rock. Onyx gemstone demonstration is also done and ends at the famous Pigeon Valley Vista point to see the views.
While Cappadocia is a magical place, it is tiny and 3 days can be enough to see and do everything there is. This insta-perfect village, is literally insta-perfect in a touristy way. Be ready to see tourists walking on rocks in high heals, full make up at 5am and beautiful dresses flowing in the valleys and anything your mind can imagine to capture the perfect photo.
