Cappadocia Day Trips
Cappadocia is a fairy-tale land of numerous surprises, fantastic food and a list of places worth adding to your itinerary for Cappadocia day tours. This Turkish region is among the top bucket-listed places for travel enthusiasts and features a combination of heavenly landscapes, valleys on each side, stunning skylines, and ethereal vistas.Your Cappadocia day tour will be full of incredible sightseeing, starting from the breathtaking views from the Uchisar castle, the fascinating Kaymakli Underground City, and the earth pillars of Pasabaglari. Then you can enjoy a rejuvenating Turkish Hamam at the bazaar of Avanos town. There is a thrilling trek on the diverse hiking trail of the area, which can count in for a good adrenaline rush. Also, you should take advantage of the world-famous hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, where you will get to see the beautiful landscapes of the city offering a lifetime of experience.
People Also Ask About Day Tours in Cappadocia
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Which are the best places to visit while going for Cappadocia day tours?
1. The Uchisar Castle: Uchisar Castle, located on the highest point of Cappadocia, is on the top of Uchisar village on the Nevsehir-Goreme road and is just about 5 km away from Goreme. The castle used to be the point of defence for the Cappadocia region during the war times. The path to the castle is quite a climb, but the reward is the magnificent panoramic view of the town. Here you can spend some peaceful time between your Cappadocia day tours looking over the surrounding town, valleys, and the snow-clad Mount Erciyes in the winter.
The facade of the Uchisar Castle is quite arid and rustic looking, and inside there is a row of hollow rooms connected via halls, tunnels and narrow passages. You can also pick some traditional Cappadocian souvenirs on the way down after the castle tour.
Location: Tekelli, 50240 Uçhisar/Nev?ehir Merkez/Nev?ehir, Turkey
2. Avanos Town: Step into the commercial side of Cappadocia at Avanos for a lovely Turkish experience on one of your Cappadocia day tours. Avanos town is famous for its bazaar on the banks of Kizilirmak, the Red River. The place has something for everyone, and you can start your excursion from one of the local poetry shops. Here you will see a fascinating collection of wine jugs, cooking pots, and vases usually made from the red clay of the Red River. You can also try your hand at a traditional pottery wheel in these shops as an exclusive experience in Avanos. The traditional Turkish bath/ Hamam is an excellent option if you want to relax after a tiring Cappadocia day trip.
3. Love Valley: One of the rarest attractions, the Love Valley, is just near the Goreme town of Cappadocia. It is a rough 5km trek through the hilly terrain to reach the arid valley full of the famous fairy chimneys. You can start your adventure from Goreme town and reach the place for a beautiful sunset view after a 2-3 hour walking journey. Love Valley is also famous for its camping experience, thus offering you an adventurous chance of taking breathtaking pictures of the night view. If you want to try the famous hot air ballooning during a Cappadocia day trip, then Love valley is your site.
4. Pasabaglari: Formerly known as the Monk Valley, Pasabaglari is roughly 5 km from Avanos town on the road to Zelve. You can see the mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys between the picturesque vineyard with the mystical environment and scenic view of the valley and surrounding white cliffs. All the fairy chimneys were once inhabited by Christian clergymen or monks and will leave you amazed by their structure. There is a 1000-year-old carved church dedicated to St. Simeon built one of the fairy chimneys with three tops which is another unique thing to witness in Pasabaglari.
Location: Zelve Yolu, 50500 Çavu?in/Avanos/Nev?ehir, Turkey
5. Goreme Esentepe:One of the top attractions in Cappadocia is the panoramic view of Goreme Esentepe, located between Uchisar and Goreme. You will witness the fascinating topography formed by years of erosion, making the area look like a lunar landscape. Here you can take some time to shop for some local artefacts sold by native women or indulge in some local street food. The stunning viewpoint at Esentepe overlooking Goreme and Pigeon Valley will take your breath away, and you can spend the rest of the day admiring the atmosphere.
Location: Ayd?nl? orta mahalle, Adnan Menderes Cd. no:33, 50180 Göreme/Nev?ehir Merkez/Nev?ehir, Turkey
6. Kaymakli Underground City: If you are looking for something extremely intriguing, you can visit the Kaymakli Underground City near Nev?ehir town and take a peek through the window into the past. This underground city was a shelter for the villagers during the Arab-Byzantine war. Walking further, you will notice the large round boulders used to save the residents from potential attacks. You will walk by the stables, storage rooms, churches and communal kitchens, which is one of the best things to see on Cappadocia day tours.
7. Ihlara Valley: This natural valley of Cappadocia is a must-visit if you love history and unique architecture. You will reach here via a trek starting from the Ihlara village followed by 300 steps leading to the Ihara Valley. The area was a popular spot for hermits and sages who carved many churches and monasteries on the white cliffs. You can see the three best churches, Kokar Kilise (Fragrant Church), Y?lanl? Kilise (Snake Church), and Kirk Dam Alt? Kilise (St. George Church) and later enjoy a nice riverside lunch.
8. Selime Monastery: Visit the Selime Monastery to see the most prominent religious structure located 28 kilometres from Aksaray, at the end of the Ihara Valley. There is a cathedral-sized church carved in the tuff, and you will see the original frescoes inside, along with some signs of early Hittite, Persian, Roman, and Early Christian civilisations around the church. You can plan a day tour from Goreme or take a 2-hour trek from Ilhara village to witness the time-worn frescoes of Selime Monastery.
Location: 68500 Yaprakhisar/Güzelyurt/Aksaray, Turkey
9. Belisirma: Another great excursion in the Ihara valley is to visit the Belisirma village, which is famous for its cute little houses as seen from a distance. You will walk to the Ala Church and Bezirhane (Linseed Oil Factory), where you can enjoy the breathtaking view of Ihara Valley. The highlight of your tour to Belisirma village will be the lip-smacking local food in one of the restaurants right by the waters. You can enjoy the bustle there or continue your walk to explore the village afterwards and watch the local workers in their day-to-day lives, which is a great experience to get a closer look into the rural culture of Cappadocia.
10. Pigeon Valley: Take a hiking trail from Goreme to Uchisar and reach the Pigeon Valley. Along the way, you will find caves, ancient paintings, earth pillars and the famous pigeon houses. You actually will get to see a lot of pigeons here who live in the pigeon holes created by the locals to domesticate them. There is another spectacular view of fairy chimneys here, along with some houses inhabited by the local villages along the trail. If you continue to walk, you might even get a surprising sight of a tea garden out of nowhere that offers a nice cosy supper to visitors around the pigeon valley.
Location: Göreme No:24, 50180 Nev?ehir Merkez/Nev?ehir, Turkey -
What is Cappadocia famous for?
Cappadocia is famous for its valleys, hill and rock formations and the spectacular landscapes formed by the volcanic erosions. Many Cappadocia Day Tours include a hot balloon ride over famous valleys like the love valley, Ihara valley, Pasabagalir and the unique pigeon valley. If you are looking for some local experience, then you can hit Avanos town or Belisirma village or get some goosebumps at the historical Kaymakli Underground City, an experience to know about the history of Cappadocia.
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What are the adventurous activities to do in Cappadocia?
1. Horseback Riding in Cappadocia
a. Enjoy horseback riding in Cappadocia, starting from sleepy Çavu?in village, passing through Rose Valley and Red Valley, then head on up to Sunset Point to click dramatic pictures.
b. Göreme is one of the famous locations in Cappadocia to try horseback riding.
c. Timings- Early morning (Sunrise) or Evening (Sunset)
d. Price - From USD 35.34, Lira 659.23
2. Ride Atv in Cappadocia
a. Admire the unique rock formation of the volcanic landscapes of Cappadocia via an Atv tour.
b. Book an Atv from Cappadocia for an off-road drive and see the valleys from a different perspective.
c. Price- Lira 589.92, 31.62 USD
3. Jeep Safari in Cappadocia
a. Take an adventurous Jeep safari to enjoy the panoramic views of the historic Ibrahimpasa village, rose valley, and pigeon valley.
b. Jeep safari in Cappadocia is available all day starting from 10:00 am.
c. Price- From USD 31.62, Lira 589.92
4. Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride
a. Join the Cappadocia hot balloon ride, where you will glide above the volcanic fairy chimneys for an exquisite experience.
b. The Cappadocia hot balloon ride usually starts early in the morning.
c. You can take the hot balloon ride from Göreme village.
d. Price- From USD 105.41, Lira 1966.39 -
How much does a hot air balloon ride cost in Cappadocia?
Your hot balloon ride on a Cappadocia day trip will cost you around $ 105 or ? 1966 for an economy class ride.
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How many days are enough to spend in Cappadocia?
All the detailed Cappadocia Day Tours must be for a minimum of 2-3 days to spend the most satisfying time in Cappadocia. During this time you can explore significant landmarks of the city, along with hot air balloon rides and other outdoor activities.
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What is the best time to visit Cappadocia?
You can pick the spring season from April to May and September to October for a beautiful Cappadocia day trip. Winter and summers are extremely cold and hot in Cappadocia, so it is best to avoid planning during that period.
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Cappadocia Top Attractions
Places To Visit In Cappadocia
Located in the Anatolian part of Turkey, the Cappadocia region is famous for its showcase of the ancient civilizations from thousands of years ago that are seen in carved houses and churches within the earth pillars. These cave dwellings are constructed on the foot of the mountains by cutting through rocks and stones. These cave houses are fundamentally old houses that were carved by people who lived here ages ago and which served as living and work spaces as well as religious buildings such as monasteries and churches. It is said that about 30 million years ago there were three volcanic eruptions from the Erciyes, Hasan, and Melendiz Daðlari and the volcanic tufa that was accumulated led people from ancient times to build dwellings into them. These were very soft materials and thus building into them was easy. Moreover, they made for comfortable housing which was warm in winter, and cool in summer, and also served as a good hideout in wartimes. Today you can find several of these dwellings with murals from the Hittite Empire and the Neo-Hittite period. You can also witness some high standards of building techniques with several military tunnels as well as artistic features such as religious paintings on the walls.
The famous Pigeon Valley in Cappadocia is best known for its hiking trail that can start in either Uchisar Town or Goreme Town. The trail takes you through thick forests of trees, and several caves, and as you descend into the valley also gives you great views of the town and the Uchisar Castle. You can also spot a number of brilliant paintings on the walls of the caves that you pass that were created by the people who lived here during the Byzantine period. As is evident from its name, the Pigeon valley used to have a large number of pigeon holes built into the walls for the domestication of pigeons. They were not only used by the dwellers here for their meat and manure, but also for message delivery, and sacrifices. The trail is extremely picturesque with its ever changing landscape and cliffs and sudden stretches of dense greenery alongside others with bare treeless sections. Throughout the trail, you will be greeted with scattered cave dwellings as well as chimneys and earth pillars. At one end of the valley, you will find some cafes where you can relax and enjoy a refreshing bite before heading on.
The Göreme open air Museum is situated in the ancient, historical district called Göreme, in Nevsehir province of the Cappadocia region of central Turkey. These are rock-cut monasteries with beautiful frescoed walls and ceilings built by the Cappadocians in the early 10th century. The entire location of Cappadocia is a geographical wonder owing to the volcanic eruption of Mount Erciyes, several million years ago in the history of earth. Small peaks were formed from the volcanic lava which were later weathered to form chimney like structures abounding the province. These later came to be known as the "fairy chimneys" in Göreme. Although, historical evidence shows that the first human settlement in Göreme began in 1800 BC, the modern day rock-cut churches were being built since the tenth century by the local communities. These people saw the possibility of carving monasteries, houses and sheltered spaces in the soft rock peaks. Thus they sculpted several storeyed churches and monasteries, which is referred to as the Göreme Open Air Museum, and has been a part of the UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985. There are 11 communal halls attached to each church and the church benches are carved out of rocks too. These beautifully decorated, frescoed churches, houses and pigeon homes, carved out of the soft lava rock, attract many tourists to the heart of Turkey. Some of the famous churches here are - Karanlik Kilise, Tokali Kilise where the relics of ancient Byzantine art can be viewed. Although the weather, time and cave occupants had impacted the churches, yet they have stood the test of time. The frescoes are remnants of the art of the ninth century cave dwellers who sought refuge here to lead lives of austerity.
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