Top 10 Things to Do in Cappadocia, Turkey
Fairy Chimneys. Underground cities. A landscape like a moon's surface. Pottery kebab. Cave hotel.
Is your imagination fired up, yet?
Well, why not experience all of them yourself rather than just imagine them? Head out to Cappadocia, Turkey and you will have the holiday of your life.
This historical region in Central Anatolia is a wonderland that will feed your wanderlust.
Here, the kind of adventure you'll experience goes beyond feeling and seeing.
Holiday Packages
Hot air balloon in Cappadocia is a very popular activity
Top 10 Things to Do in Cappadocia, Turkey
1. Ride a Hot Air Balloon
Ride a hot air balloon and float over rock formations and magical landscapes you would otherwise have a hard time reaching if you were to do it the traditional way—on foot.
The best time to take a ride is early morning when you can catch the sunrise as it illuminates the wonders beneath you.
2. Take a Hike - The Fairy Chimneys
Take a hike to and through the Fairy Chimneys, a surreal landscape of towering rock formations.
Formed by ancient volcanic eruptions followed by soil erosions, they are Cappadocia's magical attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Make sure to visit with a guide or get lost in the extensive network.
3. Turkish Night Show
Book a Turkish night show and enjoy authentic cuisine while being entertained by Whirling Dervishes, belly dancers, folk dancers, and more.
Choose a traditional Turkish night held in a cave restaurant and it will be an under-worldly experience.
Make sure to join in the dancing once the dancers start inviting volunteers. It's the best way to immerse yourself in cultural fun.
4. Savor the Flavors of Pottery Kebab
Savor the flavors that the Pottery Kebab offers. Cooked for five hours, you can bet the mixture of meat, vegetables, and spices will take your taste buds to a satiating treat of flavors.
If there's one local cuisine you should try, this is it.
5. Go on a Horse Ride
Go on a horse ride and experience more than just the thrill of the activity. If you don't know it, Cappadocia comes from Katpatuka, an ancient Hittite word that means "land of beautiful horses” and its devotion to horse breeding dates back to 1400 BC.
This makes horseback riding a must-do in this destination.
Explore a unique landscape astride an Arab or native Anatolian horse.
Read More
6. Learn Traditional Cooking
Learn a thing or two about traditional cooking. Not exactly an activity that quickly comes to mind when you're on holiday but, in Cappadocia, it's the best way to experience the local food and culture.
What's great about the cooking classes here is that learning starts the moment you're picked up from wherever you're staying.
7. Sleep in a Cave
Sleep in a cave without the need to strip down to bare necessities.
Home to some of Turkey's best cave hotels, Cappadocia is where you can live like a cave dweller and connect to the internet at the same time.
Choose your cave wisely as some may lack windows.
8. Explore The Göreme Open Air Museum
Explore the Göreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO site that features a collection of monk cells, churches, and other structures cut out of rocks.
Make sure to check out the Dark Church and its walls of scenes from the New Testament that are colorful, intricate, and well-preserved.
Book Sightseeing and Activities
9. Explore the Kaymakli Underground City
Go underground and explore the Kaymakli Underground City where Cappadocia's first inhabitants were believed to have hidden during the harsh winters and to protect themselves from wild animals.
Cut out of the rocks is storage rooms, ventilation shafts, winery, and other features that will astound you of the hard work and tenacity of the people in the past. Remember, they only had crude tools to use and nothing else.
10. Take on the challenge of hiking trails
Take on the challenge of Cappadocia's hiking trails. It's undeniably the best way to experience the unique landscape.
The Rose Valley is one of the most recommended trails and will take you to cave churches, breathtaking viewing spots, and more visual treats.
Hot air balloon in Cappadocia is a very popular activity
Popular Tours