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Hotels in Cappadocia

Hundreds of balloons above rock chimneys, cave hotels and cities carved into the earth

Cappadocia

LanguageEnglish
CurrencyTRY
TimezoneGMT+3
Temperature8-32 °C
Dial Code+90
Population85.3M
Area783,562 km²
SocketsType C / Type F
Tap waterNot drinkable

Discover Cappadocia

Cappadocia is a plateau in central Turkey where volcanoes buried the landscape in ash millions of years ago, and wind and rain sculpted it into thousands of rock towers known as fairy chimneys. The soft tuff was easy to carve, so for 2 millennia people have hollowed out homes, dovecotes, frescoed churches and entire 8-storey underground cities where thousands once sheltered from invaders. Today Cappadocia is best known for hot-air ballooning: on a good day, over 100 balloons launch at once at dawn and drift above the valleys. The base is the village of Göreme with its hundreds of cave hotels, plus the quieter Ürgüp and Uçhisar, with its castle on the highest rock. It's worth spending at least 3 nights here — balloons only fly in calm weather, and flights are often cancelled for a day. Between excursions, you walk the Rose, Red and Love valleys, ride quad bikes, and sit on a terrace in the evening watching the sunset turn the rocks orange.

What to see

The places worth your time in Cappadocia, and what to expect at each

Sunrise hot-air balloon flight

Sunrise hot-air balloon flight

Göreme

A 1-hour flight over the valleys around Göreme at altitudes of up to 800 metres, in a basket carrying 20–28 people. On a good day, over 100 balloons launch at once, and the flight ends with a landing in a field and a glass of champagne. Flights are approved each morning by the authorities based on wind conditions, and roughly 1 in 5 days they're cancelled.

Tip: Book your flight for the first morning of your stay — if it's cancelled, the company will move you to the next day at no extra cost. Staying on the ground is cheaper: from the viewpoint above Göreme or from Red Valley, you can watch every balloon launch at once, and the photos are better than from the basket. Bring a jacket — even in summer it's around 10°C at dawn.

Admission:
€180–350
Time needed:
3–4 h including transfer
Göreme Open Air Museum

Göreme Open Air Museum

1.5 km from Göreme

A monastic complex from the 10th–12th centuries with a dozen rock-cut churches, a monks' refectory and kitchens carved into the rock. The most valuable are the frescoes in the Dark Church, which stayed without light for centuries and so kept their colours fresh. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the region's most visited attraction.

Tip: Arrive at 8am when it opens, before the buses from Istanbul arrive; between 10am and 3pm there are queues at the churches. The Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise) requires a separate ticket, but it's the main reason to come — the frescoes in the other churches are damaged. Just below the car park is the Tokalı Church, included on the same ticket, which most people miss.

Admission:
around €20 + Dark Church
Time needed:
2 h
Uçhisar Castle

Uçhisar Castle

Uçhisar

Cappadocia's highest point: a rock riddled with hundreds of rooms where an entire village once lived. Steep stairs lead to the top, with views over Göreme, Pigeon Valley and, on a clear day, as far as Mount Erciyes. Below the castle lies a village with the region's most luxurious cave hotels.

Tip: Go up before sunset, when the rocks are most colourful, but note that the castle closes at dusk. The prettiest route from Göreme is on foot through Pigeon Valley, about 1 hour 15 minutes on a gentle uphill; take a dolmuş back. Locals sell dried apricots from their own orchards at the entrance — they're excellent.

Admission:
around €8
Time needed:
1 h
Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu, 30 km south

The largest of Cappadocia's more than 200 underground cities, carved to a depth of 85 metres. Its 8 levels hold stables, wine cellars, chapels, wells and ventilation shafts; in times of danger, as many as 20,000 people sheltered here for weeks with their livestock. Passages were sealed with round stone doors like millstones.

Tip: Passages are sometimes only 1.2 metres high and single-file narrow — anyone claustrophobic should stick to the upper levels. Derinkuyu is deeper, but Kaymaklı, 10 km closer, is less crowded and easier to navigate; visiting one is enough. Inside, it stays around 13°C year-round even in summer, so bring a jumper.

Admission:
around €13
Time needed:
1 h
Paşabağ Valley

Paşabağ Valley

between Göreme and Avanos

The Valley of the Monks, with the most classic fairy chimneys: tall stone columns with several caps that look like mushrooms. A medieval hermit, Saint Simeon, lived in one of them, and his chapel remains inside to this day. A wooden walkway and a few souvenir stalls surround the site.

Tip: Paşabağ is a short stop on every tour route, so come either before 9am or after 5pm. Zelve, 2 km further along the same road, is an abandoned rock village inhabited until 1952 — combine both in a single morning. There's also a walking path from Göreme to Paşabağ through the vineyards, just under 2 hours.

Admission:
around €12
Time needed:
45 min
Rose and Red Valleys

Rose and Red Valleys

between Göreme and Çavuşin

2 neighbouring valleys with pink and red rock, where you walk between vineyards, orchards and rock-cut churches with frescoes that are free to enter. The trail runs 5–7 km on a gentle downhill slope and is Cappadocia's most beautiful walking route. Sunset is watched from the viewpoint above the valley.

Tip: It's best to walk downhill in the afternoon from the Kızılçukur viewpoint into Çavuşin, so you're going downhill and have light left at the end of the trail. In Red Valley, stop at the Church of the Crosses (Haçlı Kilise), where the cave café serves fresh orange juice. Take a taxi from Göreme up to the viewpoint — it costs around TRY 500.

Admission:
free, viewpoint €1–2
Time needed:
3 h
Love Valley

Love Valley

northwest of Göreme

A valley of tall, smooth rock columns that locals named after their shape. It's one of Cappadocia's most photographed spots, with balloons drifting above it at dawn. A trail runs through it, starting near Göreme and ending at Uçhisar.

Tip: The best view from the road above the valley is at dawn, when balloons drift low over the rocks. Down below, the trail is sandy and dusty in places, so wear sturdy shoes. If you don't want to walk back, continue from the valley to Uçhisar and take a dolmuş back to Göreme.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
2 h
Avanos and the pottery workshops

Avanos and the pottery workshops

Avanos

A town on the banks of the Kızılırmak, Turkey's longest river, which has lived off pottery since Hittite times — clay from the red river mud is still shaped on foot-powered wheels. A swaying footbridge crosses the river, and the waterfront has tea houses and fish restaurants.

Tip: Avoid the large workshops that organised tours take you to, where commissions add tens of percent to the price. At small workshops in the old lanes above the riverside, you can try the potter's wheel for free and buy for half the price. Avanos also has the region's best testi kebabı, served in a clay pot smashed at the table.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
2 h
Ürgüp and its wine cellars

Ürgüp and its wine cellars

Ürgüp

The largest town in the region, with old stone houses built by Greek merchants who lived here until the population exchange of 1923. Cappadocia is one of the world's oldest wine regions, and Ürgüp has rock-cut wine cellars offering tastings of local emir and öküzgözü grapes.

Tip: The Temenni viewpoint above town has a tea house with views over all of Ürgüp for a few lira. At Turasan or Kocabağ winery, a tasting of 5 wines costs around €10. Ürgüp is a quieter, cheaper alternative to Göreme for accommodation, with better restaurants.

Admission:
tasting from €10
Time needed:
2–3 h

Photos: Sunrise hot-air balloon flight — Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Göreme Open Air Museum — Vyacheslav Gusev (CC BY 3.0) · Uçhisar Castle — Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Derinkuyu Underground City — Nevit Dilmen (talk) (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Paşabağ Valley — Feridun F. Alkaya (CC0) · Rose and Red Valleys — Zeynel Cebeci (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Love Valley — Nevit Dilmen (talk) (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Avanos and the pottery workshops — Ludovic Courtès (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Ürgüp and its wine cellars — Dosseman (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Göreme

Best for: first visit, balloons, hiking

The village at the centre of everything, with the widest choice of cave hotels, restaurants and tour agencies. Almost every hotel terrace has a view of the morning balloon launch, and the valleys start right outside the door. It's also the busiest and most expensive spot, packed with tour groups in the evening.

Uçhisar

Best for: luxury, views, couples

A village beneath the castle, high up, with the most expensive boutique hotels and the best valley views. It's quiet, pretty and romantic, but restaurants and trails require a car or taxi. Best for those who mainly want to relax on a terrace.

Ürgüp

Best for: peace and quiet, food, wine

A real town with shops, a market and restaurants for locals, 10 km from Göreme. Accommodation is in old stone houses built by Greek merchants and costs around a quarter less. A car or dolmuş is handy for excursions, and evenings here are quieter and less touristy.

Ortahisar

Best for: authentic atmosphere

A small town with a rock castle where everyday life still goes on: lemons and potatoes are stored in the caves, and old men sit drinking tea in the square. A handful of boutique hotels, few tourists, and a great location between Göreme and Ürgüp.

Search hotels →

Getting around

From the airport

Flights to Cappadocia connect via Istanbul to 1 of 2 local airports: Nevşehir (NAV) is 40 km from Göreme, while Kayseri (ASR), 75 km away, has more connections. Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and AJet fly from both Istanbul airports in around 1 hour 15 minutes; the total journey to Cappadocia typically takes 6–9 hours from major European cities. Transfers are booked in advance through your hotel, or via shared minibuses that meet every flight. A night bus also runs from Istanbul, taking around 11 hours, and from Antalya it takes 9 hours. Cappadocia can be combined with a beach holiday — organised 2-day trips run here from Antalya or Alanya, but for the balloons it's better to stay at least 3 nights.

Nevşehir Kapadokya (NAV) · 40 km

  • Shared shuttle minibus· 45 min· €10
  • Taxi· 40 min· €40
  • Hotel transfer· 45 min· €35

Kayseri Erkilet (ASR) · 75 km

  • Shared shuttle minibus· 1 h 15 min· €12
  • Taxi· 1 h· €70
  • Hotel transfer· 1 h 15 min· €55

Around town

Dolmuş minibuses run roughly every hour between Göreme, Avanos, Uçhisar and Ürgüp, but a rental car is more practical for the villages and valleys — roads are quiet and well-maintained, and parking at sights is cheap. Those who'd rather not drive can book one of the organised tours: the Red Tour covers the north (Göreme, Paşabağ, Avanos, Uçhisar), the Green Tour the south (Derinkuyu, Ihlara Valley, Selime), and both cost around €40–50 including lunch and admission. Walking is the way to explore the valleys, with short routes that can be combined with a taxi at either end. Quad bikes and horses are popular for sunset rides.

DolmuşÜrgüp–Göreme–Avanos and Nevşehir–Uçhisar–Göreme routes, roughly hourly until 7pm. · TRY 40
Rental carThe most flexible way to cover the valleys and underground cities in 2 days. · €35/day
Organised tourRed or Green Tour with a guide, lunch and admission. · €40
Quad bikeA 2-hour ride through the valleys at sunset, for 2 people per bike. · €40

Useful apps: Google Maps, BiTaksi, maps.me (offline trails)

When to go

The best time is April to June and September to October: 20–25°C during the day for walking the valleys, clear mornings and the most days with balloon flights. Summer is dry and hot, around 30°C, but nights are cool thanks to the altitude, and balloons fly almost daily; it's the busiest and most expensive season, though. Winter, December to February, is freezing and snowy — the snow-covered rock chimneys are beautiful, and hotels are half price, but balloon flights are cancelled more often and trails turn icy. March and November are cool and unpredictable.

Best time

April–June, September–October

What to avoid

January–February, if you're mainly going for the balloons

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day4°6°11°17°22°26°30°30°26°19°12°6°
Night-5°-4°-1°4°8°12°15°15°11°6°1°-3°
Rainy days989995223669

Food & drink

Cappadocian cuisine is hearty and rustic: the main speciality is testi kebabı, meat slow-cooked with vegetables in a sealed clay jug that the waiter smashes open at the table. There's also manti, small dumplings with yoghurt and garlic butter, and gözleme flatbreads cooked on a griddle. The region has been a wine-growing area since ancient times, and local wines made from the emir and öküzgözü grapes are excellent. Dried apricots and pumpkin seeds are sold on every corner. In Göreme, the food tends to be pricier and more geared to tourists; you'll eat more cheaply at lokantas in Avanos and Ürgüp, where you choose your meal from pots behind glass.

What to try

Testi kebabı

Beef or lamb with vegetables, slow-cooked for hours in a sealed clay jug in the oven. The waiter smashes the jug open at the table — half meal, half performance; order it in the morning or the day before.

Manti

Small dumplings with minced meat, topped with garlicky yoghurt, butter and paprika. Cappadocian manti are smaller than elsewhere in Turkey — you can fit 5 on a spoon.

Kahvaltı

Turkish breakfast: cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggs, honey with clotted cream, and endless tea. It's served over hours and is a social occasion, not just a meal.

Pide and lahmacun

Turkish flatbread topped with cheese or minced meat. Lahmacun is rolled up with lemon and parsley and is the cheapest filling lunch in the country.

Kuzu tandır

Lamb roasted for hours in a clay oven until it falls off the bone. Served with rice and bulgur — the best is found in family-run restaurants in Avanos and Mustafapaşa.

Cappadocian wine

Vineyards on volcanic soil here date back over 3,000 years. The white emir grape is crisp and mineral, while red öküzgözü and kalecik karası pair well with meat. A bottle from a shop starts at around TRY 500.

Çay and Turkish coffee

Tea in tulip-shaped glasses is drunk all day and topped up almost for free. Turkish coffee is served with grounds at the bottom, which aren't meant to be drunk.

What it costs

Tea at a tea house

TRY 20–40

Gözleme at a stall

TRY 150–250

Testi kebabı at a restaurant

TRY 700–1,200

Dinner for 2 with wine in Göreme

TRY 2,500–4,000

Balloon flight

€180–350

Underground city admission

around €13

Organised full-day tour

€40–50

Night in a cave hotel for 2

€70–250

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsCEuroplug, two round pinsFSchuko
Voltage220V / 50Hz
Tap waterDo not drink tap water — Don't drink tap water, even though it's chlorinated. Bottled water is very cheap, often included in all-inclusive resorts, and a 19-litre bottle for an apartment costs a few lira.
TippingIn restaurants, around 10% is left if service isn't already included on the bill. Hotel staff, transfer drivers and guides are given small tips, but no one expects it.
Driving on theright
SafetyCappadocia is a calm, rural area with minimal crime, and it's safe to walk around at night without worry. The real risks lie elsewhere: it's easy to get lost in the valleys since trails aren't marked and mobile signal disappears among the rocks — download an offline map and don't set off in late afternoon. The tuff rock crumbles, so don't climb onto viewpoint edges or into rock windows. For balloon flights, only choose licensed, insured companies; cheap offers from touts tend to come from operators that fly even in poor wind conditions. In winter, steep paths in Uçhisar and Ortahisar ice over.
Opening hoursOpen-air museums and underground cities open at 8am and close at 7pm in summer, 5pm in winter. Shops in Göreme and Ürgüp are open from 9am to 10pm, and restaurants take last orders around 10pm. Balloons launch at dawn, so the day here starts at 5am and evenings end early.
Customs & etiquetteShoes are removed before entering mosques, and women cover their hair and shoulders; a headscarf is usually available to borrow at the entrance. Swimwear is standard at resorts, while in ordinary towns a T-shirt and longer trousers are appropriate. Bargaining is expected at bazaars and for carpets, but not in shops with fixed prices.
A few local wordsHello — MerhabaThank you — Teşekkür ederimPlease — LütfenHow much does this cost? — Ne kadar?The bill, please — Hesap, lütfen

How to plan your days

1 day

Cappadocia in a day

  1. 1Dawn: balloons launch, watched from the viewpoint above Göreme, or take a flight yourself.
  2. 2Morning: Göreme Open Air Museum and the Dark Church.
  3. 3Paşabağ Valley and the abandoned village of Zelve.
  4. 4Lunch: testi kebabı and a pottery workshop in Avanos.
  5. 5Sunset at Uçhisar Castle.

2 days

Cappadocia in 2 days

  1. 1Day 1: balloons, Göreme, Paşabağ, Zelve and Avanos.
  2. 2Evening: wine cellar and dinner in Ürgüp.
  3. 3Day 2: Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu underground city in the morning.
  4. 4Afternoon: walk through Rose and Red Valleys to Çavuşin.
  5. 5Sunset at the Red Valley viewpoint.

3 days

Cappadocia in 3 days

  1. 1Day 1: arrival, Göreme, evening walk through Love Valley.
  2. 2Day 2: balloon flight, Göreme museum, Paşabağ, Avanos, sunset at Uçhisar.
  3. 3Day 3: Green Tour — Derinkuyu, Ihlara Valley with lunch by the river, and Selime Monastery.
  4. 4Evening: a hammam Turkish bath in Ürgüp or Göreme.
  5. 5Spare morning for the balloon, in case the first flight was cancelled.

Day trips

Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery

75 km · 1 h 15 min by car

A 14 km canyon carved by the Melendiz River, 100 metres deep, with green banks and dozens of rock-cut churches with frescoes from the 9th–11th centuries. Walk the 4 km from Ihlara to Belisırma along the river, where trout is served for lunch at restaurants on platforms over the water. At the end of the valley is Selime Monastery, a huge rock-cut complex where Star Wars scenes were filmed. This is the highlight of the Green Tour.

Soğanlı

50 km · 1 h by car

2 remote valleys with rock-cut churches and dovecotes that organised tours don't visit. The frescoed churches — Kubbeli, with its rock-carved dome, and Karabaş — are freely accessible, and you'll often have them to yourself. Women in the village sell fabric dolls, for which Soğanlı is known. The route passes through Mustafapaşa, a former Greek village with stone houses.

Mount Erciyes and Kayseri

80 km · 1 h 15 min by car

Central Turkey's highest mountain, at 3,917 metres, has a ski resort in winter with modern lifts and snow from December to March at a fraction of Alpine prices. Below it lies Kayseri, a large, conservative city with Seljuk mosques, a covered bazaar and the local speciality pastırma, air-dried spiced beef sold here in many varieties.

Frequently asked questions

How often are balloon flights cancelled?+

Roughly 1 in 5 days, more often in winter. Flights are approved each morning by the civil aviation authority based on wind and visibility, and the decision doesn't come until around 5am. That's why the balloon flight is booked for the first morning of your stay — if it's cancelled, the company moves you to another day. If there's no alternative date and it's cancelled, they refund the full price.

How much does a balloon flight cost, and how do I choose an operator?+

A standard flight in a basket for 20 people costs €180–350 depending on the season, and comfort baskets for 12–16 people cost €250–400. Choose licensed, insured operators with good reviews — cheap offers from street touts tend to come from smaller companies with worse safety records. Hotel transfer and breakfast are included.

How many days should you spend in Cappadocia?+

3 nights are ideal: 2 days for excursions and a spare morning for the balloon. 2 nights are enough if you don't mind the risk of the balloon not flying. Day trips from coastal resorts with an overnight stay are exhausting, and you only get 1 shot at the balloon.

Is a cave hotel worth the extra cost?+

Yes, it's half the experience. Rooms carved into rock keep a constant temperature — cool in summer, and easy to heat in winter. Look for a hotel with a terrace overlooking the valley, since watching balloons take off from the terrace in the morning is a highlight even without flying yourself. There are the most in Göreme and Uçhisar, and cheaper options in Ortahisar and Ürgüp.

Do you need a car in Cappadocia?+

Not essential, but it makes things much easier. Without a car, you can rely on organised tours and taxis, and dolmuş minibuses run between villages roughly once an hour. With a car, you can cover the north and south in 2 days at your own pace, and reach as far as Soğanlı and Ihlara. Rental companies are in Göreme and at the airport.

Where can I watch the balloons if I'm not flying?+

The best spots are the viewpoint above Göreme near the Kelebek hotel and Sunset Point above the village, where a few hundred people gather. On a calm morning, balloons launch right in the Love and Rose valleys, which you can reach on foot. It's also visible from the terrace of most hotels in Göreme.

What should I wear?+

Layers. Even in summer, it's around 10°C at dawn, rising above 30°C during the day. Sturdy shoes with good grip are essential for walking the valleys, as the trails are sandy and sometimes steep. Covered shoulders and knees are appropriate for mosques and villages.

Can Cappadocia be combined with the coast?+

Yes, most easily by flying from Kayseri or Nevşehir to Istanbul and on to the coast, or by night bus to Antalya, which takes 9 hours. Organised 2-day trips with an overnight stay are sold from Antalya, Alanya and Side, but they're long, and you only get 1 shot at the balloon.

Visa Requirements

Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.

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Emergency Numbers

Police155Ambulance112Fire110

Language

Turkish

Currency

TRY

Timezone

GMT+3

Dial Code

+90

Population

85.3M

Area

783,562 km²

Voltage

220V / 50Hz

Driving Side

Right

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