Top Things to Know Before Travelling to Cappadocia
Rising above the Anatolian Plains of central Turkey, the historic region of Cappadocia was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, drawing in thousands of tourists every year. Many take to the skies in hot air balloons as the sun rises, all the better to get a view of the rock formations whimsically referred to as "fairy chimneys." The large, cone-like formations were created over time by erosion of the relatively soft volcanic ash around them. Past cultures have dug into them to create dwellings, castles (like Uchisar) and even entire underground cities like Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, used as hiding places by early Christians.
A hot air balloon ride is a must-do in Cappadocia. Seeing the jagged rock valleys of Cappadocia with the colorful balloons in the background is every traveler and photographer’s dream. It’s no wonder that the region attracts more than 3 million visitors every year! Apart from Istanbul and Ankara, Cappadocia deserves a place in your next Turkey itinerary.
What is Cappadocia’s History?
Cappadocia is the old name of a region that covers 5 provinces of the Republic of Turkey today as Kayseri, Kirsehir, Nevsehir, Nigde, and Aksaray.
Cappadocia was first recorded in history after the Persians invasions which took place in the 6th Century BCE. Trilingual inscriptions of Emperors Darius I and Xerxes mention Cappadocia as Kaptatuka. The Persian name Katpatuka means” a land of good horses”.
Actually Cappadocia was inhabited as early as 1800 to 1200 BCE during the Hittite era, when Christians resided in this area to escape Roman prosecution. Caves were used for hiding and escaping persecution and they eventually transformed into something people lived in. In 334 BCE, Alexander the Great of Macedonia came here, and his general Seleucus I Nictor established the Seleucid Empire here. Around 190 BCE, it became a province of the Roman Empire. It remained in the Eastern Roman empire after the division in 395 A.D. In 1072, the Seljuks conquered the area, invaded by Tamerlaine in 1405, finally becoming Ottoman territory.
What can you see and do in Cappadocia?
There are a lot to see and do in Cappadocia :
1. You can visit one of the open air museums.
Thousands of years ago, nearby Mount Erciyes volcano erupted. Ash and lava fell across the landscape and hardened to form tufa rock. Over centuries to come, wind erosion slowly molded fairy chimneys that we see today. The locals realized they could carve into rocks and soon turned them into houses and churches over time. From then on, Cappadocia offered sanctuary to early Christians who decorated them with art and symbols. The churches also flourished under the guise of Saint Basil of Caesarea, one of three renowned Cappadocian Fathers who advanced early Christian theology.
The Goreme Open-Air Museum
The Goreme Open-Air Museum is considered to be one of the best places to visit in Cappadocia. This museum resembles a vast monastic complex composed of refectory monasteries placed side-by-side, each with its own church.
The Zelve Open-Air Museum
The Zelve Open-Air Museum once housed one of the largest communities in the region and is an amazing cave town, combed with dwellings, religious and secular chambers.
2. You can visit one or more underground cities:
The soft rock here, with its winding cave systems and series of natural caverns, meant Cappadocia became renowned for its underground cities in medieval times. There are around 200 cities in total in Cappadocia, with the most visited including Derinkuyu and Kaymakli.
Derinkuyu Underground City
Derinkuyu is the deepest excavated underground city in Cappadocia. At a depth of more than 250 feet with a capacity of up to 20,000 people, this multi-leveled city contained everything an entire population would need to survive a history riddled with invasions.
Kaymakli Underground City
Built under the hill known as the Citadel of Kaymakli, this was opened to visitors in 1964. the underground city consists of 8 floors below ground, four of these levels can be explored by visitors. The first floor of the underground city is the stable. The church on the 2nd floor has a single nave and two apses. The most important areas of the underground city are on the 3rd floor. Besides numerous storage places, wineries and kitchen, the block of andesite with relief-texture found on this floor is very interesting. The 4th floor is wineries.
3. Hiking in one of the valleys.
There are several valleys that ideal for a hiking:
Red Valley: The Sharp sandstone ridges glow a deep, vibrant red as the sun burns into the unique landscape in the last moments of the sunset each night.
The Rose Valley：The hiking trail winds through an incredibly unique area with sharp ridges, tinted in pink especially during sunset.
The Meskendir valley: it is a short trail in Goreme that leads you past numerous cave dwellings and historic sites as well as through multiple tunnels.
Love Valley: it is set just outside of Goreme and you can hike all the way through Love Valley to Uchisar Castle, passing by the rock formations up close on a trail with likely nobody else. It is a relatively flat, peaceful walk through to Uchisar taking 1-2 hours.
The Ihlara Valley: it is an incredible gorge with a stunning river running right down the heart of the valley for 16km within the volcanic rock.
Pigeon Valley (also known as Guvercinlik Valley): it is among the most popular hiking trails in Cappadocia, especially because it stretches between Goreme to Uchisar. Along the route you will find cave dwellings, ancient paintings, earth pillars and pigeons.
4. Take a hot air balloon flight
Cappadocia is one of the most popular places for hot air balloon flights in the world, and it’s because of its unique landscape and perfect weather conditions all year round.
5. Take a cooking class
Cappadocia has been home for many different cultures and civilizations in history and as a result of that, naturally, it has one of the richest culinary culture in Anatolia. Learn how to make Turkish treats like 'borek' pastries, stuffed eggplant and sweet baklava in a cooking class.
Why are balloons so popular in Cappadocia?
Cappadocia is one of those places that must be explored from above because of its unique landscape. Besides, It with endowed with perfect weather all year round .There are roughly about 260 flying days in a year in Cappadocia!
What are the prices of Cappadocia hot air balloon rides?
In Görome you can book a balloon flight on every street corner. A balloon flight costs between $150 and $300 US dollar per person, depending on the number of people in the basket. Private flights in a balloon of your own, of course, cost way more than that. Make sure you check on Tripadvisor first if they have good reviews.
What are the best times for hot air balloon flights in Cappadocia?
In Cappadocia, the best period to fly is September, October and November. If you have booked your balloon flight for any day in these months, there is an 85% chance that the weather conditions will allow your flight.
Why do some flights get canceled in Cappadocia?
Since ballooning is a weather-dependent activity, there is a possibility your hot air balloon flight will be canceled last minute. Our recommendation is to stay at least three nights in Cappadocia. Hot air balloon flights rarely get cancelled for three consecutive days in Cappadocia. If your hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia is cancelled, the agency you book through, assuming that it’s a legitimate agency, will offer you the option to re-book your tour on a different day for no extra fees.
Where to stay in Cappadocia
Goreme town is the most popular and best area for tourists visiting Cappadocia. Most of the launch spots are very near the best hotels in Goreme Cappadocia. It is the liveliest area of Cappadocia with restaurants, bars, and shops. And more importantly, it is the area closest to the fairy chimneys, which is most likely the reason you are visiting Cappadocia in the first place.
Another popular place to stay in Cappadocia is Uçhisar. This village sits at the highest point in Cappadocia, offering amazing views over the fairy chimneys and surrounding landscapes. Besides fantastic views, Uçhisar Castle is a popular attraction in the area, and this is where you will find a lot of luxury resorts and cave hotels that are famous in this region.
If you want to stay in a quieter area , you should choose Çavuşin. It is located in the national park and adjacent to several hot air balloon launch sites.
For luxury accommodations, you should go to Ürgüp. It is one of the most upscale areas of Cappadocia, with many luxury accommodations to choose from, including a high concentration of cave hotels.
How can I get to Cappadocia?
There are two major airports in the vicinity: the Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) in Kayseri (approximately a one-hour drive from the centre of Cappadocia) and the Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) in the town of Gülşehir (a 40-minute drive from Cappadocia). If you’re coming from Istanbul, the flight will take you an hour. Daily flights from Istanbul Airport are available so you only have to choose if you’ll land at Erkilet or Nevşehir Airport.
The town of Göreme is the main visitor center for visitors to the park, though Nevsehir, Avanos, and Urgüp also have tourist facilities. These towns can be reached via bus from Kayseri and Nevsehir airport. Long-distance buses also run from Istanbul and Ankara to the Cappadocia region. It takes you 11 hours from Istanbul and 3 hours from Ankara.
