The 7 best things to do in Cappadocia. The beautiful town of Goreme in the Cappadocia region of central Turkey is becoming a hugely popular tourist destination. The unique landscape of valleys and caves has become a perfect backdrop for hot air balloon flights, ATV tours and many more fun activities. So here is my list of the 7 best things to do whilst visiting.
1. Hot Air Balloon Ride
Top of the list is of course taking a sunrise balloon ride. Early in the morning hundreds of hot air balloons take to the skies over Goreme for a truly magical experience. Most flights last for about 45 minutes and skilled pilots take you through the various valleys for beautiful views of the sunrise.
There are many great companies operating the flights here but we flew with VoyagerBalloons and had an amazing time. The cheapest flight option is about 180 euros which included your hotel transfer, a light breakfast, the flight and also accommodations for rescheduling.
The flights are of course weather dependant too so take this into consideration when booking. Particularly in the winter months, flights can be cancelled last minute due to the weather. I will always recommend to leave yourself at least an extra day so you have chance to try again. My initial flight was cancelled due to weather and Voyager Balloon where able to fit us in on a flight the next morning.
2. ATV Tour
Next up is a Sunset ATV tour. Again this is another very popular activity in Cappadocia and there are lots of companies available putting on different tour options. Most tours are about 2-3 hours to give plenty of time to explore the different valleys and watch the sunset.
This was a fantastic way to get around and explore some of the amazing landscapes in Cappadocia. Our tour allowed us time to stop and take pictures at multiple different points and riding the ATV was great fun.
3. Watch The Balloons From A Roof Top Or View Point
Many hotels in Goerme include an open rooftop area for the perfect space to watch the balloons. Just being able to sit and watch the sky fill with the colourful balloons was my absolute favourite part of my trip. Your hotel rooftop is also a convenient spot as you won’t have to get up so early. You can also head to viewpoints along the valleys for fantastic views of the balloons but expect some to be quite busy.
4. Try The Food
Another thing to do in Cappadocia is try the Turkish food. Turkey has some amazing food options and there are plenty of authentic restaurants around Gorme to try out. A popular dish is the pottery kebab which they serve to you straight from the pot. Two good restaurants we visited were Kebazade and Kale Terrasse. Check out my post HERE for more food recommendations
5. And The Ice Cream
If you haven’t had Turkish ice cream before this is a great time to try it. There are plenty of ice cream stools along the streets serving the Dondurma which is a harder, stickier ice cream. The vendor will usually make you work for your ice cream though showcasing just how sticky it can be.
6. Check out the shops
Because Cappadocia has become such a popular tourist destination lots of little shops line the streets. This isn’t always for everyone but I personally love looking in all the little shops and finding the unique items they have to offer. Amongst all the balloon souvenirs we also found a lovely crystal shop and Turkish carpet shops.
7. Open Air Museum
The open air museum is one of the best things to do in Cappadocia to explore the rocks and caves that have been formed there. It is quite small and will only take an hour or two to get around, but it is very interesting to get an up close look and see the paintings inside the caves. I’d also recommend the walk from Goreme to the museum as there are some lovely views and other areas you can explore if you like.
