Cappadocia, a dream destination!
From its insane landscapes, to its incredible culture, food and people, Cappadocia exceeded and surpassed every expectation. I can confidently say that it was my favourite destination of 2019!
Here, we spent four days and four nights which was the perfect amount of time. I would suggest this as a minimum as it gives you plenty of opportunities to see the balloons fly, explore the vast landscapes and enjoy every moment!
How to get to Cappadocia:
As we were staying in Pamukkale before making our way to Cappadocia we took the cheapest route via overnight bus. Ten hours, it was long but a cost effective way to get there (€11 per person). They serve tea, coffee and have tv’s for each seat (although I wouldn’t rely on being able to watch them as they were turned off for the second half of the trip). There were also plenty of stops!
Other options for getting to or from Cappadocia are:
Flying: The closest airport to Cappadocia is Nevşehir. Flying here means that it’s only a 20 minute drive to Göreme centre.
Private transfer or taxi: Our accommodation in Pamukkale advised for a private transfer or taxi it would roughly cost €120+ to get to Cappadocia. Coming from Pamukkale considering you would be paying a similar amount for flights and it would take a lot more time I wouldn’t opt for this unless it’s your last option.
Transport within Göreme:
There are a few choices on how to travel within Göreme. The main two we relied on were taxis and walking. Due to the centre being quite small, walking is easy. Exploring further (which I would highly suggest) getting a taxi is the quickest and most affordable, unless you are planning on hiking!
Best time to visit:
We were here mid October and I can honestly say it was the best time! There were still tourists galore, as you can expect in any town that is currently a hot commodity but since it was off season it wasn’t overcrowded. The weather was also perfect, not too hot or cold! And not only did we experience going in a hot air balloon but we were lucky enough to see them fly every single morning!
Where to stay:
When in Cappadocia we wanted to have an authentic experience by staying in a cave.
Artemis Cave Suites ticked a lot of boxes and definitely didn’t disappoint! The rooms are stunning, have plenty of terrace options for sunrise and sunset and to top it all off their traditional buffet breakfast is TASTY AF!
We spent a little more on accommodation here than we normally would paying €50 per person, per night. In comparison to a lot of other European accommodation though this was quite the deal for a four star hotel in the centre of Göreme!
There are copious amounts of other accommodation options in Cappadocia and not just in Göreme. Here are a few that I’ve heard good things about:
– Koza Cave: A family run hotel with a small amount of rooms to ensure no overcrowding. I’ve heard amazing things about this hotel from the staff to exceptional service. You leave feeling like a part of the family! I definitely plan on stay here on my next visit!
– Sultan Cave Suites: A hotel that boasts panoramic views of Göreme, an instagrammers heaven with great reviews to boot!
– Museum Hotel: The name says it all. A hotel based around a museum experience, furnishings included! Also a heated pool, what else could you want?
What to do:
– Red Valley: We came here for sunset on our first night and the panoramic view is amazing! Get there with plenty of time to spare and grab a seat at Crazy Ali Panorama Cafe. With an apple tea in hand you really can’t go wrong. It also won’t cost very much to get there from Göreme centre. We paid 35 TL (€5.50 each way).
– Our second morning we jumped on our first hot air balloon flight! With Butterfly Balloons the cost for two was €360.00 (€20 off for paying cash). The ‘Butterfly Flight’ experience included a minimum one hour flight, pick up and drop off, insurance and 16 – 20 people per balloon. Even though its an expensive activity it hands down was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had! Our pick up was at 5:30am, with a light breakfast before the flight and champagne included after landing. If you have the opportunity I would highly suggest to book this in! It’s stunning watching the balloons from the ground but is a whole other experience to see it from the sky! Can’t say enough about this company as they were super professional and our talented pilot Mustafa was friendly and made us feel completely safe and comfortable.
– From the top of Uchisar Castle you can get an amazing view of the village and beyond to Göreme and the valleys! Pretty cheap as it was 9 TL per person for entry. A warning though, while there we noticed a few camels and miniature ponies outside the castle for tourists. Above all, please avoid riding these animals! We watched them for a while and they were not kept in good conditions.
– Check out your hotel terrace for sunrise. Depending on the trajectory of where the balloons will fly, spend a sunrise sitting at your hotel terrace. If you’re lucky enough you may get a balloon fly directly overhead!
– Wanting to get some rad photos with floor to walls covered in beautiful carpets? Then a Galerie Ikman photo shoot will be right up your alley! For the photoshoot there are two options, the first is using your own gear (50 TL per person). The other is a drone shoot with a professional photographer (250 TL for a couple). Suley, the photographer for our drone shoot was super friendly and his attention to detail was unparalleled! Definitely a recommendation even for a shy person. He makes you feel super comfortable and the photos are unlike anything else you’ll have on your mantel piece!
– Lovers hill has a great 360 degree view of Göreme which reaches Uchisar and the Red Valley. We did a sunset and sunrise, both spectacular in their own ways. Sunrise here took my breath away as you could see every single balloon in the sky, one of my favourite mornings of all time!
– Göreme and Zelve Open Air Museums: These museums are a great place to get your daily dose of history! Guided tours are available online as well as a self guided audio tour at the ticket office on arrival. We enjoyed seeing and learning about the history at both sites! Göreme had a lot more interior creations to marvel at whereas Zelve had a much larger location, was less crowded and exhibited some grand exterior architecture. Göreme entrance fee in October 2019 was 40 TL and Zelve was 18 TL.
– You’ll find a few places in Göreme will make you feel like you have stepped onto the moon but Devrent Valley takes the cake. With its lunar scenery and shaped rock formations it’s a must-see and explore!
– Turns out the fairy chimneys shaped like penises are a hot commodity for tourists in Cappadocia so Love Valley was a must-do. Definitely an interesting place no matter what time you go. We opted for sunset (romantic or just weird?) and with only a 10-15 minute drive and 25 TL per way from Göreme we thought it was worth the fuss. In all honestly, in contrast to other spots in Cappadocia it wasn’t my favourite sunset view but was an interesting one!
– Give mountain biking or hiking different parts of the valley a go! We didn’t manage to tick this off our list while we were in Cappadocia but saw plenty of people trying it out. A great way to see the landscape from a different perspective and maybe to get to those a little less well known places too.
To eat and drink:
– One way restaurant and cafe: Dinner here was affordable and had a great chill area with beanbags to have a drink or shisha. 130 TL got us drinks, water, two main meals and a starter. Definitely try the cheese Turkish pancake – YUM!
– Viewpoint Bar and Cafe: Perfect to admire the town after dark and enjoy some shisha and drinks.
– Cancan Cafe and Restaurant: We went here as I’d seen the reviews online. It didn’t disappoint with plenty of starters (at no extra charge), great food and friendly staff!
– Fat Boys Restaurant & Cafe: Again, a great dinner spot! Fat Boys has a great vibe, friendly staff and a great range of authentic Turkish dishes – with a side of Australian marmite on toast.
– Cafe Safak: For the coffee lovers!
Hints and tips:
– Start early! By earlier rather than later you will be able to see the main attractions without all the chaos and waiting in lines!
– For the hot air balloons to fly there are a few weather elements that need to be aligned. Keep this in mind when planning your trip to make sure you allow for the conditions. We booked for four days and were in luck every morning to see them but I’ve heard stories of others who have only been able to see them once in that space of time.
– If you’re planning on doing a balloon flight make sure to book this well in advance before arriving in Cappadocia. Depending on the time of year they can book up fast!
– If you don’t have a car or aren’t hiring one and want to tick a few places off your list in one go look into booking a taxi for a half or full day. Your accommodation can organise it and the driver will wait for you at each place while you explore. Some of hot spots don’t have taxi stands so it does make it super handy! We were quoted 600 TL for a half day.
– If you have a free morning hire a car so you can head to one of the valleys for sunrise. Just make sure before you leave to check where the best spot will be for that day!
– Even though some of the English was limited we found the Turkish people very polite and super helpful! Whenever we needed something or had any questions they went out of their way to make sure we were well looked after so don’t be scared to have a chat!
So, a few months down the track and still in awe of this place and it’s people. Not only do the balloons create an unforgettable ambience but coupled with the unique landscape you have the perfect recipe for a remarkable experience.