With its unique landscape, superlative hiking, panoramic drinking spots, hot air balloons, and cave hotels, Cappadocia simply rocks. Here’s our complete guide to spending 3 or 4 days in Cappadocia.
Our Cappadocia itinerary is an intoxicating cocktail of sights and experiences.
Dramatic canyons form the playground to a mix of excellent activities from hot air balloon rides over sublime landscapes to beautiful valley hikes.
We loved visiting Cappadocia on our Turkey itinerary for the simple fact that it lived up to its online promises. While it’s very touristy, the experiences are truly amazing.
Working out how many days to spend in Cappadocia is tricky. You could see the highlights in two days and get a bit more under the skin of the place in three. But if you want to explore the area more comprehensively, and allow time for an excellent day trip, we suggest spending 4 days in Cappadocia.
Here’s how to see this iconic destination on a 4-day itinerary. For more, read our guide to the best things to do in Cappadocia.
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DAY 1 – EXPLORE THE CAPPADOCIA VALLEYS
Begin this 3 or 4 days in Cappadocia by capturing many of the highlights. Take a Hot Air Balloon ride, hike two glorious valleys, and watch the sun go down on canyons of rippling rock.
HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE
Organise your hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia for your first day in case it’s canceled due to poor weather. All tour guides will pick you up from your hotel around 4:30 am and drop you back after the experience.
The feeling of slowly drifting over the sculpted canyons of the Cappadocian landscape in the early morning light is one you won’t forget in a hurry. It’s a definite highlight on any Cappadocia itinerary.
PIGEON VALLEY & UÇHISAR CASTLE
After recovering from the thrill of the balloon ride and while the temperature is still cool, set off on a hike through two of the valleys of Cappadocia.
Start with the narrow canyon walls of Pigeon Valley, before rising up to the panoramic views at Uçhisar Castle. As the highest point in the area, the views are stunning and it was one of our favorite experiences in Cappadocia.
LOVE VALLEY
Leaving Uçhisar Castle descend to the phallic rock formations of Love Valley, one of the most iconic in Cappadocia. Our walk through Pigeon & Love Valley took us around 4 hours, 30 minutes of scenic bliss. All the details including maps are on our hiking in Cappadocia guide.
PANORAMA POINT
As the sunset approaches, drive up to Panorama Point – a stunning location to watch the colour fade from the Red Valley.
Crazy Ali’s Café has couches and swinging chairs literally on the edge of the canyon walls. It’s the perfect place to wind down your first day in Cappadocia.
Back in Göreme, try dinner at Köy Evi Restaurant serving the traditional clay pot kebabs, which are a great lesson in the wonderfully fragrant spices of the Middle East.
DAY 2 – IHLARA VALLEY & KAYMAKLI
On your second day in Cappadocia, watch the balloons from below before exploring an intriguing valley and an underground city.
SUNSET POINT
This morning, wake up at dawn and walk to sunset point; a few hundred metres from the centre of Göreme. As the sun rises over the valley walls and the sky fills with hot air balloons, it’s a truly memorable way to wake up. Sunset Point is the spot to be if you want the Instagram shot in front of the masses of balloons.
IHLARA VALLEY
After breakfast, drive to Ihlara Village, about 1-hour southwest of Göreme. Ihlara Village is the starting point for a hike up the beautiful narrow canyon of Ihlara Valley. It’s a simple walk that follows a path along the valley floor beside the river. Rock-carved churches provide a few interesting places to inspect.
All the details are on our hiking in Cappadocia guide.
KAYMAKLI UNDERGROUND CITY
On the way back from Ihlara, stop off at Kaymakli Underground City. The construction of this cave city began in the 7th or 8th centuries BCE. Today the city descends 8 levels into the earth and has stables, a church and storage rooms connected by over a hundred tunnels. You can read more about it on our guide to the top attractions in Cappadocia.
PAÅžABAÄžI
After returning to Göreme, head to Paşabağı. It contains a collection of some of the most striking fairy chimneys and mushroom-topped formations in Cappadocia.
It’s compact and close to the highway so it can get inundated with bus groups. But it only takes 30 minutes to see everything and it’s a worthy addition to your Cappadocia itinerary.
DAY 3 – THE VALLEYS & CHURCHES OF GÖREME
On the 3rd day of your Cappadocia itinerary, get up close to the most impressive valleys and delve into churches carved into the rock.
RED & ROSE VALLEY
Clock in another early morning to start a hike through the Red and Rose Valleys while the balloons are still drifting overhead. There are several excellent viewpoints perched over oceans of rippling red, rose and white rock.
The only downside is the challenge of finding the trailheads and following the paths, which in spite of a profusion of signs, is not particularly easy. The walk took us about 5 hours and all the details are on our hiking in Cappadocia guide.
GÖREME OPEN AIR MUSEUM
In the late afternoon, drive to the Göreme Open Air Museum. This museum surrounds an area of many of the best-preserved frescoed churches in Cappadocia. Three of the churches are included in the entrance fee, however, the best is Karanik Kilise which has an additional charge well worth paying.
SUNSET POINT
After the museum, head back to Sunset Point to watch the sun set over Cappadocia. There’s a stall selling beer with benches spread out across the top and it’s a beautiful spot to enjoy a sundowner and a magical experience in Cappadocia. For dinner, walk back into Göreme and try My Mother’s Café. It’s honest, hearty Turkish cooking without too much fuss.
DAY 4 – VILLAGE LIFE IN CAPPADOCIA
On your final day in Cappadocia, explore a less visited and very local area with towns untouched by tourism and interesting out-of-the-way valleys.
MUSTAFAPAÅžA
Drive to the small village of Mustafapaşa, just 10 minutes south of Göreme. It’s halfway between a rural village and a town coming to terms with tourism. Tractors roam the streets where a few tourist shops, cafes and hotels have slowly started to pop up. It’s an interesting village to stroll around and there are a few carpet sellers who will be happy to chat to you.
CEMIL
Cemil is completely untouched by tourism. It looks like it’s been untouched by everything for a few hundred years. The town is crumbling down the side of a valley with chickens and cows lining the roads. There’s not even a chance of a cup of tea, but it’s a very photogenic place. Cemil is another 10 minutes past Mustafapaşa.
Read Next — The best ancient ruins in Turkey
SOÄžANLI
About an hour from Göreme, Soğanlı is a town that has been occupied since Roman times. It was a centre for Christianity in the Byzantine Empire. Check out the pretty Tahtali Church, before making your way to the second valley which has several carved churches. The best are Snake Church, Domed Church and Hidden Church. At the end of the valley, have lunch in the café set up by the river before returning to Göreme.
GORKUNDERE VALLEY & ZEMI VALLEY
After returning to Göreme, have a late afternoon stroll around the Gorkundere Valley. It’s a shorter valley than some of the others in the area but it has some very impressive phallic rock formations that make great photo opportunities. Nearby, in Zemi Valley, it’s worth visiting El Nazar Kilise – a 10th-century church carved from a single piece of rock. The frescoes inside are very impressive.
For dinner try Organic Cave Kitchen (Isali Mahallesi Ali Cavus Caddesi No 15) for very tasty food on their outdoor deck.
Read Next — What to do in Istanbul
HOW MANY DAYS IN CAPPADOCIA?
Cappadocia is a beautiful region that we loved visiting on our Turkey itinerary. You need at least 2 days to see the main highlights of Cappadocia, allowing for 2 mornings to take the balloon ride in case there are cancellations for weather. Staying for longer will allow you to get a lot more out of Cappadocia.
We’ve constructed this Cappadocia itinerary so that the experiences we think shouldn’t be missed are at the front. Therefore, if you need to amend this itinerary, simply do as many days as you can fit in.
2 DAYS IN CAPPADOCIA
This is a great introduction to Cappadocia and in our opinion is the minimum amount of time you should spend here. This will allow you to do a balloon ride and get a taste for the surreal landscape.
3 DAYS IN CAPPADOCIA
Adding the 3rd day to this itinerary will allow you to get a little further out of Göreme and see another beautiful valley which has a very different feel. It also means you can see the impressive underground city.
4 DAYS IN CAPPADOCIA
Spending 4 days in Cappadocia will allow you to explore a more local and much less visited side of the area, including the historic cave churches in the Soğanlı Valley.
Read Next — Our 2-week Turkey itinerary
WHERE TO STAY IN CAPPADOCIA?
Cappadocia is a large area, but we suggest you stay in Göreme. It’s a unique place with buildings carved into the rock and rooftop terraces overlooking the fairy chimneys and surrounding valleys. Moreover, many of the best hiking trailheads are nearby, sunset and sunrise viewpoints are easily accessible, and the town has plenty of facilities and restaurants. While its sole purpose is tourism, it actually maintains something of a local feel without too much annoying selling.
Here are some recommendations from us.
GÖREME
ARTEMIS CAVE SUITES
Tucked under Sunset Point, Artemis Cave Suites is an upmarket hotel with an outdoor terrace and excellent views over town. The rooms are comfortable and maximise the cave vibe.
UCHISAR
HOTEL TASKONAKLAR
Set in one of the most scenic valleys of Cappadocia, Hotel Taskonaklar is a magical stay with outdoor hot tubs overlooking the view. The staff are very helpful and it’s only a short drive to Göreme.
GÖREME
SULTAN CAVE SUITES
Perfectly located high on a hill with one of the best vantage points for the morning hot air balloon show, Sultan Cave Suites is both quirky and luxurious with traditional stylings from around Turkey.
GÖREME
ARTEMIS CAVE SUITES
Tucked under Sunset Point, Artemis Cave Suites is an upmarket hotel with an outdoor terrace and excellent views over town. The rooms are comfortable and maximise the cave vibe.
HOW TO GET TO CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY
Cappadocia is in central Turkey with two airports nearby. One at Nevşehir (40 mins drive to Göreme) and the other at Kayseri (60 minutes’ drive to Göreme). Both have flights from several popular locations in Turkey.
ISTANBUL TO CAPPADOCIA
The quickest and easiest way to get from Istanbul to Cappadocia is to fly. There are several flights daily from Istanbul to NevÅŸehir and Kayseri Airports.
There is also a bus which runs from Istanbul to Cappadocia which takes between 10 to 12 hours. The bus runs overnight and costs around ₺90 so it’s a very cost-effective option.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS TO GÖREME
If you’re not hiring your own car to explore Cappadocia, private or shared transfers are available from both airports to Göreme in air-conditioned minivans. Your hotel will be able to organise transfers for you, or you could book a shared airport transfer or private airport transfer in advance.
HIRING A CAR IN CAPPADOCIA
We recommend booking your hire car through rentalcars.com who compare prices across most of the dependable car rental companies. Both airports have car hire facilities although Kayseri has more choices.
Driving in Turkey is also not as hard as many people think and it’s a great way to see the country. Read our tips for driving in Turkey to help plan your road trip.
CAPPADOCIA ITINERARY MAP
To help you plan your Cappadocia itinerary, all the excellent things to do we have listed in this guide can be found on the below map. To save the map, make sure you are logged in to your Google account, then click on the star to the right of the title. This will save the map to your Google account.
How to use this map / Click on the top left of the map to display the list of locations, then click on the locations to display further information. Click on the top right corner of the map to open a larger version in a new tab or the star to save to your Google Maps. Â
BEST TIME TO VISIT CAPPADOCIA
The best time to visit Cappadocia is the shoulder seasons from April to June, and from September to October.
Cappadocia sits on a plateau over 1,000 metres high, so in winter the temperature can drop to around 0°C and in summer it’s often upwards of 30°C.
Rainfall is higher in Spring than in Autumn, and being a little windier, this makes balloon riding a bit more susceptible to cancellations. The upside is the landscape is greener, flowers more abundant and the days longer.
We travelled during Ramadan which meant the valleys were much less busy as locals don’t take holiday during this time. We also had no problems booking hotels late (so we could keep some flexibility) or getting into good restaurants with the best viewpoints.
PLANNING YOUR TURKEY TRIP
Turkey is a fascinating destination with ancient ruins, magical landscapes and one of our favourite cities in the world. Here are more of our guides about this wonderful country.
If you found this guide useful, we’d love it if you could follow us on Instagram.
Our curated guide to the best things to do in Cappadocia
Our complete 2-week Turkey itinerary
How to book your Hot Air Balloon in Cappadocia
20 amazing things to do in Istanbul
3 of the best trail for hiking in Cappadocia
Most interesting ancient ruins in Turkey
Driving in Turkey – All you need to know for your next road trip
Uncovering Istanbul’s might past & uncertain future
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What a thoroughly comprehensive guide! Lots of good tips in here and helpful info! We hope to visit one day! #FarawayFiles
Thanks a lot. It really is a fantastic destination. Apart from the magical balloon rides, the scenery and hiking opportunities are spectacular.
I love everything about this trip! The scenery is breath-taking and unlike any where I have been before. Thanks for such a great itinerary! xx
Hi Maria, Thanks for stopping by! The scenery is indeed breathtaking, we couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces the whole time we were there!
I am not too impressed by the landscape, but all the balloons going up looks incredible!! #farawayfiles
Yes seeing so many balloons in the sky at the same time certainly was a magical sight to see.
This is somewhere I have always wanted to visit, and such a great starting point to break down the options. I am amazed at just how cheap it was too for something so magical. You’ve got me wondering if I can turn the dream into reality sooner rather than later… #farawayfiles
Hi Cathy – Everything in Turkey is fairly cheap at the moment because of the weaker Lira so it’s a great time to go, and this was our favourite area to visit. So much diversity and fun activities.
A really impressive itinerary, Paul, with lots of excellent activities to showcase such a fascinating area. And a great tip about the balloon trip – I’m sure they’re so much more expensive on African safaris so it would be a great place to do here. We love hiking too although with two boys in tow, I’m not sure we’d be able to do such long ones as these, but definitely saving for future reference – I’m really keen to get to Cappadocia one day. Great to have you join us on #FarawayFiles
Thanks for the lovely comments, Clare. It’s a great place for hiking and because the whole area is actually quite small and the valleys narrow, you could easily make the walks much shorter. They also have a lot of quad bikes tours which your boys might get a kick out of!
You have so many incredible photos of the area! I have been to Turkey but not to Cappadocia. Need to visit back the country for sure. I find the prices break down very useful. I like to have an idea of what others have spent on a trip to determine if it is something I can afford (or when I would be able to afford it). #FarawayFiles
Thanks a lot, Ruth. It’s a very photogenic area, so it makes taking photos quite easy! Glad you found the article useful, hopefully, you can get back to Turkey sometime soon.
This looks absolutely amazing! I have zero desire to ride in a hot air balloon, but I would love to see them overhead! I hope to make it to Turkey one day and it looks like a very affordable trip if you don’t count airfare… #farawayfiles
Thanks Hilary, it certainly was amazing. I didn’t have much of a desire to go in a hot air balloon either, but I was glad it did, it was an incredible experience. You do actually get a better view of all the balloons from the ground, so that’s a great option as well. Thanks for stopping by.
What a comprehensive guide to Cappadocia. It looks like an amazing place and perfect for a hot air balloon ride. Would love to visit #FarawayFiles
Thanks for stopping by Nicky! We highly recommend Cappadocia, it was a beautiful spot to spend a couple of days – either being active or just sitting back admiring the scenery. Hope you make it there soon!
Thanks for the itinerary about Cappadocia. Lovely picture. Would love to visit someday 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Velysia. Hope you get to visit Cappadocia sometime soon, it’s a fantastic place.
I have been wanderlusting over Morocco, but may have just kicked it to the curb after this Cappadocia post. I’ve seen the balloon pics before, but I really hadn’t processed how surreal and beautiful the landscape is here! How absolutely stunning. Thank you so much for sharing with #FarawayFiles. Cheers from Copenhagen!
Hi Erin, Thanks for your comments and I’m so glad it inspired you a little. It really is a fantastic experience, the balloons, the landscape the hiking, very cool destination. You’ll enjoy it whenever you make it I’m sure.
I assume you highly recommend renting a car rather than trying to get around with public transporation/taxis/tours(i.e., Green, Red, etc..)? We are going in mid-April and flying in from Istanbul.
Hi Gale, it depends a bit how long you are going for. If you are just in Goreme for a couple of days there’s plenty of things to do in the valley that are just a short taxi ride away, or that you can get tours for. However, if you are staying for a bit longer it’s worth having a car to get out to some of the nearby sights such as SoÄŸanl or the Ihlara valley which has some nice hiking option – see here: https://anywhereweroam.com/hiking-in-cappadocia/
Hi there,
Thanks so much for your brilliant blog posts. We’ve really appreciated your itineraries as we plan our Turkey trip.
I was wondering if you two ended up using the tour companies for all the hikes or if that was a suggestion? We’re specifically looking at Ihlara Valley. Did you all do the hike on your own or with the posted guide?
Thanks in advance for your help. An admirer,
Jadyn
Hi Jaydn,
Thanks for your comments, glad you found it useful for planning your Turkey trip. We did all the hiking ourselves without a guide. All the details are in this article: https://anywhereweroam.com/hiking-in-cappadocia/
The Ihlara Valley is pretty straight forward because the hike follows the river, so it’s very achievable to do without a guide. The only tricky thing is finding the starting point, but we tried to explain as clearly as possible in the hiking article.
Paul.
I hope to do this one day! Thanks for the tips!
Did you organise a tour package for all our attractions in cappadocia?
We don’t organise tours unfortunately, but if you ask at your accommodation they will be able to organise tours for you.
Great site and info!
I will be traveling to Cappadocia next May for 5 1/2 days and we will be renting a car. I am very interested in byzantine history and present day life in rural turkey. After looking at many videos of. goreme I thought that it would be more interesting to stay in Ortahisar. It looked architecturally, interesting, and felt more like an authentic experience of an ancient town in present day. What do you think am I mistaken.? I’m also interested in taking a private for 2 people ATV Tour maybe in the morning to escape the mobs in the afternoon. I thought this would be a good way to start the trip to get a feel for the general area so we would know where we want to hike later on. Do you know how I would book such a private tour? What do you think of this idea?
Thanks for your help