Cappadocia - Turkey
Cappadocia - Central Turkey
It’s said there is nowhere like Cappadocia. The volcanic landscape makes you feel like you’re on another planet. A city built out of rock formations. Worth the effort to get to, and an Instagram sensation you can easily make a reality!
2h ahead of the UK, the currency is the Turkish Lira. Turkish, English, and Cappadocian Greek are the languages.
There are no direct flights to Cappadocia from the UK; you will fly via Istanbul. Flight time is 4 hrs with an additional hour to Cappadocia. Spend a minimum of 3 nights in Cappadocia. Combine with 3/4 nights in Istanbul, or longer in one of Turkey’s beach destinations like Bodrum or Antalya. Or why not combine all three!
Most accommodations are traditional cave hotels, so each room is unique. Göreme is the main town, with numerous hotels and restaurants, and is considered the primary location to view the hot air balloons. It might feel off the beaten track, but Cappadocia is safe and well geared for tourists.
Shoulder seasons are perfect (May/June and September/October), the weather is pleasant, it’s not quite as busy, and it won’t hit your wallet as hard.
Hot air balloon - balloons only fly at sunrise, so it’s an early start. You will be picked up and dropped off, and breakfast is included (with Champagne!)
The Turkish Aviation Authority decides daily whether it’s safe to fly. Flights are 280- 300 days a year. If you’re lucky, you could fly in the snow, but for me, the most memorable thing from a balloon ride is the sun coming up one side whilst the moon is going down the other.
Things to do - sunset horse riding or ATV (bring a cover-up, it’s dusty!), mountain biking, watch the sunset at Lovers Hill, a photoshoot - flying dress, carpet shop, vintage car, etc!
Visit and hike - Derinkuyu underground city, Love Valley + Pigeon Valley + Uchisar Castle hike, Red Valley hike (sunset), Rose Valley, Ihlara Valley/gorge, and the Open Air Museum.
Food and drink - rooftop breakfast, visit a winery - Turasan or Argos, and dinner at Revithia.
If this is a trip you’d love to take, you can complete our booking form here. Let us know what you’d like to include, and we will put your itinerary together for you, recommend and book the best stays, and everything in between. If you prefer, our contact details are here
We look forward to booking an incredible trip for you!
Images: azacave.com, @therevithia