Cappadocia vacation in Turkey: 8 things you want to know about this fascinating region

Vacation in Cappadocia Türkiye: When dreams learn to fly

Imagine there was a place that combined the films "Up" and "When Dreams Fly" - then there would be a new wonderful film called Cappadocia. Cappadocia is an area in Turkey that includes the provinces of Nevşehir, Niğde, Aksaray, Kırşehir and Kayseri. One of the most famous places is Goreme, where we also spent our Cappadocia vacation. In this article I will give you tips & tricks on how to best plan your trip to Cappadocia.

Arrival: Our flight to Kayseri

How quickly a single thought can suddenly become reality became clear to me after our flights to Kayseri were actually booked and there was, so to speak, no turning back from traveling to the place I had dreamed of for so long. But let's start at the very beginning: I'm sure you're familiar with the many dreamy pictures on Instagram of countless hot air balloons floating in the sky or just taking off? No, this isn't about the sequel to the Disney film "Up," but about the fairytale region of Cappadocia in Central Anatolia, Turkey. I'm very grateful to Instagram for discoveries like these, because to be honest, I'd never even heard of this place before.

Cappadocia in Turkey: stronghold of Turkish telenovelas and photo shoots

You can grumble about Instagram as you like, but I think it's wonderful that the app gives us an insight into so many beautiful countries and places in the world away from the "usual suspects" such as the Grand Canyon or Paris, Rome and Co. Not that these places are worse or more boring, they are and remain worth seeing, but meanwhile my heart also beats for less known areas. Although Cappadocia is anything but unknown in Turkey, almost all of the country's telenovelas are filmed there, weddings are celebrated and magazine shoots are regularly held there. In Germany, however, not too many people know Cappadocia, so I hope that with my blog post I can bring you closer to this fairytale place and share my experiences with you.

1. Goreme in Cappadocia: Unique Landscape & Underground Cities

Cappadocia, also known as Göreme-Cappadocia, lies at the heart of an area of ​​formerly intense volcanic activity, which significantly contributed to the surreal landscape it presents today. Since 1985, the region has been officially protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, both culturally and naturally, due to its rich cultural history and unique landscape .

Millions of years ago, tuff ash was deposited in this region, ejected into the air by numerous volcanic eruptions. Over many years, geological processes created fascinating valleys with the world's only fairy chimneys. As early as 7500 BC, there were settlements of various rulers and peoples, whose presence changed repeatedly over time. Cappadocia is considered one of the most important early Christian centers in the world. Christians lived here until the 20th century, and even today there are 3000 churches carved into the rock formations, which were hollowed out by persecuted Christians and the people who lived in the area at that time, providing them with hiding places and refuge.

Besides the cave churches, the typical cave dwellings also arose in this way, some of which are even underground and extend up to ten stories below ground. These caves are now among the most popular and astonishing sights in the region. The most famous underground cities are Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, located in the town of the same name in Nevşehir Province, 29 kilometers south of the provincial capital.

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2. Organization: How do I plan my Cappadocia vacation in Turkey?

From package holidays and bus tours to independent travel, everything is possible for a wonderful holiday in Cappadocia. The tours usually last at least seven days and offer many sights in a relatively short time. They are also often offered in combination with a subsequent beach holiday. However, we opted for an independent trip , which we planned ourselves, because we were primarily interested in Göreme and unfortunately didn't have much time for a longer trip. We also generally prefer independent travel, as it allows us much more flexibility and a more relaxed pace. This way, we can tailor our trip to our liking and stay longer in the places we enjoy most.

3. Cappadocia Airport: Kayseri, Nevsehir and Antalya

Before we could start looking for a hotel, we first had to find the right flight and, above all, the airport. The best way to get to the Cappadocia area is via these three airports:

Nevsehir Airport Cappadocia

The small regional airport in Nevsehir is only a half-hour drive from Göreme and is generally only served by flights from Istanbul and Ankara. A wonderful advantage here is its proximity to major tourist attractions.

Kayseri Airport Cappadocia

This relatively small airport is located in the metropolis of Kayseri and is about an hour's drive from Cappadocia . It also has excellent connections to Istanbul and Ankara, and there are a few international flights as well. We chose this airport because our hotel only offered transfers for domestic flights, but more on that later.

Antalya airport Cappadocia

The typical Cappadocia tours usually start in Antalya. From there it goes via Konya to Cappadocia. However, this airport is only suitable if you are traveling with a tour group or want to do a whole road trip, as the drive from Antalya to Cappadocia takes several hours. If you really only want to travel to Cappadocia, I recommend the first two airports mentioned.

4. Flights to Cappadocia from Germany

Kayseri and Nevsehir airports are only served by direct flights from a few German cities (e.g., Stuttgart). However, you'll have more flight options with a layover in Istanbul or Ankara. We ultimately opted for a short stay in Istanbul, as we'd never been there before and had wanted to visit for a long time. You can search for suitable flights on Skyscanner or Kayak.

You can find tips and tricks on how to find the best flight for you in my article: Best flight search engine in 2021.

Flight prices for national flights vary, but are mostly between €50 and €100 per person. Most of the flight connections go to Kayseri via Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport and Ankara Esenboga Airport. The flight prices from Germany to Istanbul are between €100 and €200, depending on the booking period and the time of year.

5. Airport transfer in Cappadocia

You also have several options for the airport transfer to your booked hotel: from a collective transfer to a private transfer to a taxi. We opted for the collective transfer because of the low price.

Shared transfer from Kayseri to Göreme

Shared transfer is one of the best ways to get to Cappadocia from the airport. A shared transfer is often offered by the hotel when booking. We went with a shared transfer and paid 30 Turkish Lira per person each way. The journey took exactly one hour and since the other travelers got off very close to our hotel, there were no delays. However, we were only offered this transfer at the price quoted for pick-up on a domestic flight. Originally we only wanted to travel to Cappadocia but combined with the curiosity about Istanbul and the transfer offered, we thought it would be a good idea to combine Cappadocia with Istanbul. And that was it 🙂

Private transfer in Cappadocia

We have not had any experience with the private transfer ourselves, but there is also the possibility of organizing a private transfer, where you pay per route and it should not be significantly more expensive than going with a shared transfer.

Taxi in Cappadocia

Taking a taxi to Cappadocia is not recommended, as it is simply much more expensive compared to a shared transfer or private transfer.

Public transport in Cappadocia

There is also public transport from the bus station "Otogar" (Turkish for bus station) in Kayseri. The buses run every hour and a bus ticket costs about 15 lira per person. Also from Nevsehir there are bus connections to Cappadocia. From both airports, however, the journey by public bus is much longer than with a shared or private transfer.

Rent a car in Cappadocia

You can rent a car in advance or at the airports and individual holiday resorts. In itself, getting to Cappadocia from Kayseri or Nevsehir is very easy, since the resorts are connected by a convenient expressway. However, we were very happy not to have a rental car for once, because we explored almost everything on foot and the traffic should not be underestimated. Most of the dangers in road traffic lurk in Turkey. For us it was definitely more relaxing not to have a rental car.

6. Cave hotels in Cappadocia

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If you're ever in Cappadocia, I highly recommend staying in a cave hotel . It will definitely make your vacation a unique experience, I promise! I mean, when do you ever get the chance to stay in a cave hotel? Probably not very often 😉 This unique experience alone makes choosing a traditional cave hotel worthwhile.

Kelebek Special Cave Hotel in Goreme

We stayed at the Kelebek Special Cave Hotel , one of the oldest cave hotels in Göreme, and were more than happy with our choice. Our cave suite spanned two floors, and yes, we felt a bit like Wilma and Fred Flintstone 😀

The hotel is centrally located in Göreme , yet very quiet and not overcrowded with tourists solely focused on taking photos and videos. Although the hotel was quite full during our stay, it never felt hectic, and the atmosphere at the Kelebek Hotel was always relaxed and very pleasant. Right from the start, we were offered the opportunity to watch the hot air balloons from the terrace of the neighboring partner hotel, Sultan Cave Suites , as it offers some of the best views.

The biggest VIP at the Sultan Cave Suites is definitely Izmir, the pretty cocker spaniel lady and now a professional dog model who can pose and act on command. A true professional! The neighboring hotel made a very nice impression on us, even if the morning hustle and bustle on the terrace would probably be a bit too much for us as hotel guests. Do you know the gorgeous breakfast pictures on Instagram?

I don't know about you, but I thought that people really do have breakfast there 😀 but as it turns out, I was completely wrong! A "fake breakfast" is set up especially for the photos, which I personally found a bit irritating... Therefore, we were glad to have the opportunity to take pictures in the Sultan Cave Suites, but we preferred to be able to enjoy the peace and quiet in our hotel.

Mithra Cave Hotel in Goreme

Another hotel we really liked was the Mithra Cave Hotel , which, in addition to the public terrace for hotel guests, also offers a private terrace with truly breathtaking 360° views. They also have a cute hotel dog named Findik. During our walks, we passed several other inviting cave hotels, but overall, we were very happy with our choice.

Only the paralyzed pool disappointed us a bit, because in the end we mainly chose the Kelebek because of the pool and the temperatures were still very pleasant when we were there. (Very few hotels in Goreme or Uchisar have a pool.) However, the dilapidated pool was more like a pond and simply didn't fit in with the rest of the well-kept building. However, since we were out and about a lot anyway, in the end we could do without a pool.

Hotel addresses in Goreme / Nevsehir

Butterfly Special Cave Hotel
Aydinli Mahallesi, Yavuz Sokak No:1 50180 Goreme/Nevsehir / TURKEY

Sultan Cave Suites
Aydinli Mah. Aydinli Sok. No:40 50180, Goreme, Nevsehir / TURKEY

Mithra Cave Suites
Aydınlı Mahallesi Akgül Sk. No:10 GÖREME/ TURKEY

7. Hot Air Balloon Ride over Cappadocia: Where can I book a balloon ride and how much does it cost?

Hot air balloons have always fascinated me. However, now I prefer my feet on the ground. We didn't do a balloon ride ourselves, but since you're probably wondering whether and how you can integrate a balloon ride into your Cappadocia vacation, I've put together the most important information for you:

How and where can I book a balloon ride?

You can book a balloon ride in advance online with countless tour operators or ask directly at your hotel in Göreme. The hotels often cooperate with the organizers of the hot air balloon rides.

How much does a balloon ride in Cappadocia cost?

The price depends on how many people you want to share the basket with 🙂 and how long you want to be in the hot air balloon. A maximum of 20 people are allowed to fly. The standard price is €45 per person for 60-160 minutes. However, the trip should be reserved at least one to two weeks in advance.

What time do the flights depart from Goreme?

In this case, the early bird catches the worm, i mean the hot air balloon. The balloon rides usually start near Uçhisar at night. Only in winter do the balloons take off later. A bus will pick you up from the hotel between 4.00 and 4.30 in the morning. After all, you don't want to miss the sunrise either 😉 But the balloons also start so early in the morning because the air is colder than during the day and thus the thermals that occur during the day are avoided.

Is it safe to fly in a hot air balloon?

If you have any concerns, I can put your mind at ease: Most agencies that arrange hot air balloon rides are absolute professionals, know the balloonists, and have been offering flights for generations. Kapadokya Balloons in Göreme, for example, is the oldest ballooning agency in Turkey and boasts the highest passenger numbers in the country. Thanks to their extensive experience in the region, they know the best launch sites for successful and beautiful balloon flights. On this page , you can see a detailed comparison of the various providers.

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8. Eating out: Restaurants in Goreme Cappadocia

I can tell you one thing: You definitely won't starve in Göreme! On the contrary: I would have liked to have extended our Cappadocia vacation just because of the restaurants. There really is a wide range of wonderful cafes and restaurants. My fears that the food could be very meaty were unfounded. Of course, mostly meat dishes are served, but you can find delicious vegetarian alternatives almost everywhere. Fruit, vegetables and fresh herbs are an integral part of the kitchen in Goreme.

On our first evening, we went to Büyük Adana Kebap Göreme and were absolutely blown away by the quality and the generous portions! If you're picturing a greasy kebab shop when you think of kebabs, you're way off. Büyük Adana is a tastefully decorated restaurant with a large outdoor terrace right in the heart of Göreme. Although there are officially no vegetarian options on the menu, the owner immediately suggested putting together something vegetarian for us. The food was freshly prepared and tasted absolutely fantastic! We had a huge appetizer platter with traditional flatbread straight from the oven, antipasti, tomatoes, yogurt dip, coriander, parsley, carrots, salad, and much more. We were actually already full after the extensive appetizer, but the main course was so incredibly delicious that we, of course, finished everything.

Romantic cave restaurants in Goreme

On our second day, we visited the romantic Inci Cave Restaurant , which also blew us away with its delicious food and magical atmosphere. Located just a few meters from the Kelebek Special Cave Hotel, Inci's rustic ambiance makes it feel like something out of a fairy tale. Attentive, welcoming staff, a clear menu, and top-quality food perfectly complement the beautiful location and authentic interior. The Turkish rice at the restaurant is a true culinary delight.

Turkish Ravioli: Our favorite restaurant in Goreme

On our third evening, we tried "Turkish Ravioli ," a relatively new restaurant that had only been open for a few months. "Turkish Ravioli" refers to delicious Turkish dumplings filled with meat or cheese, served classically with garlic yogurt and a butter and paprika sauce. The restaurant, with its spacious terrace and good wine list, is truly something special. The manti, as Turkish ravioli are actually called, are still made by hand here according to a family recipe and taste absolutely heavenly!

Restaurant addresses

Buyuk Adana Kebap Goreme
Orta Mahalle, Belediye Cd. No:2, 50180 Goreme Belediyesi/Nevsehir Merkez/Nevsehir, Turkey

Inci Cave Restaurant
Orta Mahalle, Cami Sk. No:22, 50180 Göreme Belediyesi/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey

Turkish ravioli
Aydınlı Sk., 50180 Goreme Belediyesi/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey

That was not all

GIANT PENISES!!!! Do I still have your attention 😀 ? No joke, in my next blog post, "Cappadocia in 4 Days," from the Cappadocia series, you can expect, among other things, a valley full of clearly ambiguous rock formations, a list of the most beautiful sights that you shouldn't miss, and my personal Cappadocia highlights.

In order to sweeten the time until then, you will find a few more (completely adult) impressions of our Cappadocia trip in the picture gallery. Have fun with it and see you soon 🙂

Helpful links and blog articles:
https://www.captivatingcappadocia.com/
https://www.travelontoast.de/kappadokien-ballonfahrt/
https://ohtheplaces.de/5-tage-in-goereme-kappadokien/

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