Top 5 things to do in Cappadocia
Cappadocia is the most magical place we have ever been. The unique landscape has completely blown our mind away. This beautiful region is like a country of its own. Cappadocia is located in central Turkey and it is famous for its fairy chimneys, distinctive underground cities, cave house and churches. Fairy chimneys are formed due to volcanic eruptions as lava turned into tuff rock. Over time, wind and rain shaped the rock into valleys of pointy fairy chimneys. Nature is amazing, isn’t it?
There are so many fascinating activities you can indulge in while travelling around Cappadocia. Don’t miss out any of the following Top 5 things to do in this wonderful place!
1. Enjoy the Spectacular Open Air Musuem
Basically, we can say that the whole region of Cappadocia is a museum itself. Göreme Open-Air Museum and Zelve Open-Air Museum are the two famous monasteries. Remember to visit Pigeon Valley, Love Valley, Pasabag and more. Your eyes will be busy capturing splendid view of stone houses, rock cut churches, fairy chimneys, mountains and the snowy peak of Erciyes Volcano. Some of the chimneys can be really gigantic and can be as tall as a skyscraper! Your experience will be much more interesting if you are able to think creatively about shapes of those rock formations. It could be animals, human parts, faces or anything. Apart from that, hiking in the valleys is a popular activity to experience Cappadocia. It feels totally different when you see the fairy chimneys up close compared to seeing it from above in a hot air balloon.
2. Hot Air Balloon Ride Across Valley of Fairy Chimneys
This got to be the activity you must experience in Cappadocia. It is a common bucket list item of any travel junkie. At dawn when the balloon slowly rises to the sky, you will see the best sunrise of your lifetime. The view is just spectacular – valley of fairy chimneys and sky dotted with hot air balloons. People also said that hot air balloon tour in Cappadocia is the best in the world because the landscape looks like Mars from above. During winter, although it is gloomy and freezing, the view becomes even more magical with snowcapped fairy chimneys. Regardless the season, the beauty of Cappadocia is difficult to resist. Plus, everyone gets a glass of champagne and certificate as a celebration after they finish the ride, which is super cool.
3. Wine-tasting in Wineries & Discover Hidden Wine Cellar
Cappadocia has one of the world’s oldest wine industries and the fertile volcanic soil here produces some good quality and unique wine grapes. This region produces roughly 12% of all Turkish wine! Wine-tasting tours are famous especially in Ürgüp. Enjoy some local Turkish wine with cheese, and the amazing view of vineyards.
We went out to explore the town at night and discovered a hidden gem near Ortahisar Castle. The owner has an underground cave wine cellar and a bar! Really in love with the setting and it is definitely a great place to hang out and spend some time together with friends or families.
4. Stay in a Cave Hotel
Tuff rock is soft, hence people in Cappadocia made it into homes and many of them became today’s boutique cave hotels. The hotels are built into the fairy chimney formations. Seriously, you can’t leave Cappadocia without staying at least a night in a cave hotel! It is pretty much a unique experience and we definitely recommend this. The feeling of staying in a cave hotel is like you are staying in a Flintstone’s house, which is really unforgettable.
From Instagram you get to see many pictures of people enjoying themselves in luxury cave hotels. You might think it will cost you a fortune to stay but nope, there is a wide range of cave hotels to cater to everyone with different budget.
So what is so special about a cave hotel? A cool tip you guys need to know is the tuff rock actually keeps a room cool in summer and warm in winter. These hotels are aesthetically pleasing. The lighting in room is generally yellow, dim and romantic, ideal for relaxation at the end of a long day exploring Cappadocia. Besides, those beautiful Turkish rugs really add pops of colour to the rooms. The atmosphere makes you feel as if you are living in a cave, except you get a super comfy modern looking bed which doesn’t fit into cave vibes but essential for a good night’s sleep.
5. Pottery Making & Crafts Scene
Want to buy some nice handicrafts from Turkey? Cappadocia is the best place! The Avanos district in Nevşehir is well-known as the centre of clay pottery and it has many workshops where you can learn to make one for yourself, guided by experts. It is so satisfying to just look at how they mold and shape the beautiful pottery. The interesting part is that they are making potteries using a foot-driven wheel, the traditional way. Tiring, huh?
From decorative wall arts, plates, bowls, ashtrays to vases, you will surely find it difficult to choose what you want. What we love the most is the colours that make all the potteries pop! Turkish really do it well. They are just so pretty!
Cappadocia is definitely a place we will go back again in the future. We have not conquer any hiking trail yet and there is still so much more to see. Some said you can spend a lifetime here and still discover new places everyday. Therefore, there is no reason for you to not fall in love with this insanely beautiful region. Don’t let Turkey stay in your bucket list for too long!
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All contents are ours and are based on unbiased opinion. We just want to share good stuff so don’t be shy to approach us for any travel related questions!
