Fairy chimneys, cave churches, underground cities and hundreds of balloons at dawn. Cappadocia is like nowhere else, and two or three days is enough to see the best of it.
Balloons lift off most mornings from April to November. Book a licensed operator with your hotel, expect a pre-dawn pick-up and be ready for it to be rescheduled if the wind is wrong.
A valley of rock-cut churches with Byzantine frescoes. The Dark Church is worth the extra ticket.
Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı are vast multi-level cities carved into the rock, with stables, chapels and rolling stone doors. Not for the claustrophobic.
Love Valley, Rose Valley and Red Valley are gentle walks of two to three hours between the chimneys; Ihlara Valley is a green gorge with a river and more churches.
The highest point in the region, a rock honeycombed with rooms. The view at sunset takes in the whole landscape.
The town on the Red River has been making pottery for thousands of years. Workshops let you try the wheel.
The most dramatic fairy chimneys, with hermits’ cells inside, and an abandoned cave village next door.
Rooms carved into the rock, with terraces for balloon-watching. Göreme and Uçhisar have the widest choice.
See how to get to Cappadocia, compare the best areas to stay and check the best time to visit. Browse tours and experiences in Cappadocia listed on Visit Turkey.