Things to do in Cappadocia

Hot air balloon ride, Enjoy the horse riding,  Watching balloons go up and up, Explore the Cappadocian cave hotels, Shopping through the maze of rugs, The Turkish food palette, Explore the Pasabag and Open Air Museum, Beach Delight, Trekking, Ihlara Valley’s hike and many more.

From a relaxing night stay at the infamous cave hotels to a thrilling hike through the narrow valleys of Goreme, there's no end to the exquisite activities and things to do in Cappadocia. With its geographic diversity and rich traditional architecture, it stands out as an inviting Turkish destination for some of the most memorable and fun things you've ever witnessed or done. With Turkey travel packages you can explore several activities in Cappadocia, and joy rides all over the four of its major towns, namely Aksaray, Kayseri, Nevsehir, Nigde.

Tourists from all over the world visit Cappadocian valleys to enjoy horse riding expeditions on the famous Cappadocian Horses. Goreme's hot air balloon's point, museums and mausoleums of cultural significance are some of the once in a lifetime experiences in Cappadocia. Cappadocia stands true to its heritage status and gives its visitors a rich glimpse of Anatolian culture. Its rich Turkish food, beautiful valleys, and underground mazes of old cities validate the status further.

On top of it, Cappadocia’s merchandise, customized carpets, and traditional cuisines can be seen in every street and corner of the heritage town. Some of the free things to do in Cappadocia such as hiking up to the Uchisar Castle, Ihlara Valley, Pasabag, etc., or watching the naturally carved rock formations in the valley of Goreme are also some of the most sought after activities in the city.

Here are some of the best things to do in Cappadocia:

Among all the attractions offered, these are the most popular things to do in Cappadocia people choose to opt:

1. The Hot Air Balloon Ride: The early morning hot air balloon ride expeditions at Goreme Valley are the priority of all the tourists. The short journey is so famous that the site of Goreme has been declared UNESCO’s heritage site. For experiencing one of the best things to do in Cappadocia, you would be picked up from your respective hotel rooms as early as five o'clock in the morning and will be taken to the site till 5:45. However, the flying expedition comes with a price tag of $180 approx. The rising sun from a canyon-like view is something that cannot be missed while visiting Cappadocia.

2. Horse Riding by the Setting Sun: The horse riding with the setting Sun following you is another delightful thing to do in Cappadocia. The rides are offered in the Rose Valley of Cappadocian landscape with an extended margin of 2 to 10 kilometres. The horse riding sessions are readily available throughout the day, but the evening slot is preferred owing to the semi-arid climate of the valley. One can easily avail of a local horse riding facility, and with two hours of horse riding, you’d reach the top and catch a scenic glimpse of the fading evening Sun.

3. Watch Hot Air Balloons: The joy of taking an air ride in the Cappadocian Sky is an unfathomable experience. But the visual beauty of these balloons while taking off is also an incredible experience. And you can easily have your share in this by watching them go up and about. All you need to do is get up as early as 5:00 in the morning and get local transport on rent to reach the valley. Once reaching the road connecting the lower part of the valley, you can see the designed view. Within five minutes of walking further, you’d be drinking in the magical cluster of numerous balloons taking off.

4. Visit Pasabag and Open Air Museum: The Open Air Museum of Cappadocia is known for its rock carving and hiding places. There you can have a closer insight into the rich Cappadocian culture comprising both Turkish as well as Christian figures. The Museum is located in Goreme and can be reached directly via the main entrance of the valley. However, the real fun is travelling by Passabag Valley which is a bit off located.  The alternate route of Passabag is also a cost-effective way to reach the Museum as the entrance has a fixed entry fee while no such tax is collected when you travel via Pasabag. This journey via the alternate route of Pasabag is famous among adventure seekers as one of the most adventurous things to do in Turkey. It also gives you a broad glimpse of some of the legendary rock carvings of the Virgin Mary with Jesus, the elephant rock, etc. 

5. Go for Trekking in Cappadocia: There are several valley towns in the heartland city of Cappadocia with several trekking and hiking options and other things to do in Cappadocia. You can easily follow a road for the famous valleys such as Rose Valley, Munk Valley, and Devren Valley, leading to the best hiking sights. These valleys also have some of the significant tourist sightseeing spots such as Esentepe Hill, Red Valley Cavusin Village, etc. These valleys are easily accessible as well as free of cost.

6. Enjoy Turkish Musical Nights: Most of the Cave restaurants provide you with extravagant Turkish Musical Nights. The musical nights are a whole show of Turkish art and culture with traditional costume dance and colourful belly dancers from all over the country. There are some street shows at night as well, famous for glorifying the Cappadocian nightlife. You can also get a sneak peek into the traditional dance forms of the Cappadocian wedding culture as well.

7. Taste The Turkish Food Palette with a Cappadocian Twist: There are several staple dishes or ingredients found in Cappadocian cuisine. Therefore, here is a list of Cappadocian delicacies you must try in the native place itself:

• Cappadocian Pumpkins are a must in almost all your meals.
• Pottery Kebabs are another staple dish in Cappadocian Plates.
• Don’t miss the flatbread Pizzas from the streets of the Cappadocian food bazaar.
• Dibek is the traditional Cappadocian dish that tops the chart of your trial list of recipes and things to do in Cappadocia.

8. Visit Beaches in Cappadocia:  Beaches on the Aegean Coast are another natural delight to seek while travelling the Cappadocian town. One can easily take the road trip beginning from Izmir and ending at the Cappadocia town of Kayseri and enjoy the vast sea coast., The summer vacation at the Aegean coast is worth giving a shot. The Turkish beaches are known for chilly and serene weather and their Spa resorts. Several Cappadocian hotels are having direct correspondence with these beaches to help you make the most of these relaxation times.

9. Enjoy Cappadocian Cave Hotels: Out of all the things to do in Cappadocia, booking a private cave room tops the list of all the tourists’ to-do lists. These caves are now the recreational homes of tourists coming from all over the world. These caves are the aftermath of the erosion of volcanic sedimentary rocks and hold a more celebrated history. The abode you are sharing right now was once the hiding place of several Christian and Greek-Roman Sects and later the Turkish Islamic Groups.

10. Shopping through the Maze of Rugs: The rugs and craftsmanship of Goreme reek out of the essence of Turkish Handicraft. Several streets can be seen selling colourful and intricately woven rugs. On top of it, the major attraction is one single shop with 50,000 different sub-shops selling Cappadocian Handicrafts. The shop goes by the name of Galeri Ikman and is one of the friendliest galleries in the coexisting market. The shop shows the idea of brotherhood with several competitive shops running parallel with a healthy relationship under single patronage. The market hence is one of the most famous retail markets in the town and therefore shopping there tops the list of things to do in Cappadocia.