Cappadocia: fairy chimneys, cave hotels and balloons

Why go

Nowhere else looks quite like Cappadocia. The valleys around Göreme change colour through the day, from pink at dawn to gold at sunset, and you can walk for hours between fairy chimneys, orchards and abandoned cave chapels. Sleeping in a cave hotel room, cool in summer and cosy in winter, is part of the experience.

The balloons

Most balloon flights launch around sunrise and last about an hour, followed by a short celebration on landing. Flights only run when the civil aviation authority allows them, which depends on the wind, so build a spare morning into your stay in case yours is cancelled. Book with an established, licensed operator through your hotel or directly, and ask about the pilot's experience and the number of passengers per basket. If you would rather keep your feet on the ground, watching hundreds of balloons rise from a viewpoint above Göreme or a hotel terrace is unforgettable and free.

Göreme Open Air Museum and the churches

The **Göreme Open Air Museum** is a UNESCO listed cluster of rock cut monasteries and churches with Byzantine frescoes. Pay the separate entry for the **Dark Church** (Karanlık Kilise), whose paintings survived in near darkness and are the finest in the region. Go at opening time to beat the tour groups. Nearby, the **Zelve Open Air Museum** is a former cave village, and **Paşabağı** has some of the most photographed triple capped fairy chimneys.

Valleys and viewpoints

Walking is the best way to see Cappadocia. **Rose Valley** and **Red Valley** are famous for sunset, **Love Valley** for its tall rock pillars, and **Pigeon Valley** links Göreme with **Uçhisar Castle**, a hollowed rock fortress with a wide view. Trails are mostly easy but can be poorly marked, so download an offline map and carry water.

Underground cities

South of Göreme, **Derinkuyu** and **Kaymaklı** are underground cities dug many levels deep, with stables, chapels, wineries and rolling stone doors used to hide from raiders. The passages are narrow and low, so they are not for the claustrophobic. Further south, the **Ihlara Valley** is a green gorge with a river and painted churches in its cliffs, often combined with the underground cities on a full day tour.

Towns and bases

**Göreme** is the busy backpacker and balloon village, with the widest choice of cave hotels and restaurants. **Uçhisar** is quieter and smarter, with big views. **Ürgüp** is a real town with wineries and good restaurants, and **Ortahisar** and **Mustafapaşa** are calmer villages with old Greek stone houses. **Avanos**, on the Kızılırmak river, is the pottery town.

Getting there and around

Fly into Kayseri or Nevşehir from Istanbul and use a pre booked airport shuttle, or take an overnight bus to Göreme. In the region, local minibuses link the main towns, and day tours cover the far sights. Organised green and red tours are an efficient way to see the underground cities and Ihlara in one day.

Food and evenings

Cappadocia's signature dish is **testi kebabı**, a meat and vegetable stew sealed in a clay pot that is cracked open at the table. Local wineries around Ürgüp and Uçhisar make wine from grapes grown in the volcanic soil, and many offer tastings. Evenings are quiet: dinner on a terrace, stars and an early night before the balloons.