Cappadocia (Kapadokya in Turkish) is a region located in central Turkey . It houses the provinces of Kayseri, Nevşehir, Aksaray and Niğde. It is famous for its geological formations (especially its fairy chimneys), cave churches, underground cities and for being an ideal place to fly in a balloon . In this post I want to show you the 10 essential things to do and see in Cappadocia, Turkey .
Since I discovered this place, I knew that the day I stepped foot in Turkey would not only be to visit the beautiful city of Istanbul , but that I would not leave the country without taking a trip to Cappadocia . I had dreamed of visiting Cappadocia and it exceeded my expectations. Cappadocia is a magical place and it is difficult to describe in words how special it is. You have to go and experience it in the first person.10 Interesting facts about Cappadocia you might want to know before visiting
ESSENTIAL THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY
Before starting with the list of the essential places to visit in Cappadocia, I wanted to recommend that you stay in Göreme, since most of these places will be very close to you.
1. Valley of Roses and Red Valley, Cappadocia
Some of the most beautiful landscapes I saw in Cappadocia was visiting the Valley of the Roses and the Red Valley (Rose and Red Valleys). They are located next to each other, so I recommend planning the visit to both places the same morning or afternoon. The best way to explore the valleys is on foot. There are several treks that you can follow, of different duration. You will see that they are signposted but my advice is to get a map of the valleys before you go.
You can spend as much time as you want to go through the valleys, but at least I would say that about 3 hours is not bad. It depends on how long you have and what you want to ride. Inside the valleys there is a cafeteria where they serve juices and little else. There are also services.
To get to the Valleys of Roses and Red you have to go towards Göreme Open Air Museum. Once you pass the Tourist Hotel & Resort Cappadocia you will see a path on your left. Keep going straight on that road until you see a parking lot next to a stall. There you can leave your car / ATV / motorcycle, since inside the valley they cannot be entered. At the stall you can buy drinks.
2. Pasabag or Valley of the Monks, an essential place to see in Cappadocia
Another place that left me speechless on our trip to Cappadocia (Tuquía) was Pasabag , also known as the Valley of the Monks . You will see numerous earth pillars and some of the tallest fairy chimneys . They usually end in the shape of a cone and some of them are joined together. There is also a chapel dedicated to Saint Simeon. Be sure to enter the caves dug into the chimneys, where monks used to hide .
To get to Pasabag from Göreme , take the road towards Avanos. Once you pass the small town of Çavuşin, keep an eye out for the signs, as you will see a sign pointing the way to Pasabag on your right.
3. Love Valley, Capadocia
Another place that I recommend visiting in Cappadocia is the Valley of Love ( Love Valley ). I don\'t know if the name of this valley is due to the fact that its formations seem huge p ... or at least that\'s what everyone says. Well, you better visit it and tell me what you think. 😉
To get to Love Valley from Göreme , you also have to take the road to Avanos. Before reaching Çavuşin take the detour to the left. Apart from touring the valley, you can go up to a viewpoint if you follow the road up.
4. Uçhisar Castle
About a 10-minute drive from Göreme is the town of Uçhisar. Of this town, what stands out the most is the Castle of Uçhisar . It prowls its dovecotes, churches and tunnels. You can also climb to the top of the castle, which is the highest point in all of Cappadocia . From there you can get to see Mount Erciyes .
If you do not have your own vehicle, there are buses that connect Göreme and Uçhisar . If that day you woke up with a lot of energy, you can also walk from Göreme, through the Valley of the Doves. They are about 5km.
5. Open Air Museum Göreme, Capadocia
One place to see in Cappadocia is necessarily the Göreme Open Air Museum . It has several monasteries located next to each other. There are numerous chapels whose walls are covered with frescoes . They seemed accurate on the inside. It is a highly recommended visit if you want to learn more about the day-to-day life of those who inhabited these monasteries.
6. Valle de Devrent
We didn\'t get to visit the Devrent Valley due to lack of time but I really wanted to. This valley is also known as the Valley of Imagination . This name is due to the fact that many of its rocks have very curious shapes that are reminiscent of different objects or animals. Strolling through the valley commenting on what each formation reminds you of is one of the most fun plans to do in Cappadocia .
7. Flying in a balloon in Cappadocia, an essential thing to do in Cappadocia
One of the most magical experiences you can have in Cappadocia is flying over the region in one of the many hot air balloons that take off at sunrise. Something you should know when planning your trip to Cappadocia is that not every morning you can fly in a balloon. In principle the flights are offered every morning but some days the flights are canceled due to weather conditions.
Because of this, I recommend that you book your balloon flight in Cappadocia on the first day of your visit . In this way, if it is canceled, you have more days and, therefore, opportunities to be able to fly another day. We were not very lucky and we were left without flying in a balloon. We have to go back!
8. Watch the sunrise from a terrace or viewpoint
Although we could not fly in a balloon in Cappadocia, the first morning we were lucky to see dozens of flights going up into the sky while the sun said good morning to us. Flying in a balloon in Cappadocia has to be magical but watching the sunrise with all the balloons in the sky from the mainland was also an experience full of magic .
9. Visit an underground city
Cappadocia has numerous underground cities . Two of the best known are Kaymakli and Derinkuyu . The cities began to be excavated in the times of the Hittites and for several centuries they were the home of different towns that were hiding from the armies.
Kaymakli is the largest city in terms of breadth and Derinkuyu the deepest (85 meters deep). Both underground cities are south of Göreme, Kaymakli 25 km and Derinkuyu about 40 km .
We couldn\'t visit any but it will be something that I will do for sure when I return to Cappadocia. What I have read is that it is highly recommended to visit with a guide to get to know well what life was like in these underground cities of Cappadocia.
10. Enjoy a sunset in Cappadocia
Cappadocia has many great places to watch the sunset . One of the best known for this, as its name suggests, is Sunset Point, located next to the Valley of the Roses. Another place to watch the sunset is from Red Valley Panorama Lookout , near Ortahisar.
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