Top 10 Things to Do in Cappadocia, Turkey 

Today, dear reader, we will travel to Cappadocia, a beautiful historical tourist spot. Cappadocia comes at the top of the list when any tourist thinks of visiting Turkey.

Cappadocia has a unique volcanic rocky landscape, beautiful landscapes, amazing wild nature and historic regions dating back hundreds of years. The Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) shows that in the first eight months of 2022, Cappadocia has hosted around 2.5 million tourists. 

When we talk about its rocky landscape, wind and water slowly cut through the rocks, that is, by natural factors. Humans settled in this area thousands of years ago, as far back as the Bronze or Copper Age, through many historical periods, such as the Hittites, the Seljuks, and the Ottomans.

Tourist attractions are the villages of Cappadocia, carved out of the hillsides; Byzantine-era rock-carved churches with impressive frescoes; and the labyrinthine underground cities where the first Christians once hid from invaders.

The Cappadocia valleys offer many activities for nature lovers and history buffs. It is one of Turkey’s prime hiking and horseback riding destinations, and the panoramic aerial shots of the valleys make the region one of the best areas in the world to capture those shots with a hot air balloon tour.

Let’s go to our recommended Top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia. 

1-Hot Air Balloon Ride

The Ride of a Hot Air Balloon is a fantastic adventure on the top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia. You will have a unique experience when you explore the atmosphere from the top of the hot air balloon and see all those valleys around you; it is an ideal trip for adventure lovers and a unique experience for history and culture enthusiasts. 

Hot air balloon flights take off early morning, just after sunrise. It gives passengers a panoramic view of the valleys and their rock formations. 

The high season is in the summer, and there may be up to 100 hot-air balloons. Hot-air balloon flights take about an hour and can be up to 90 minutes. 

To see the valleys flowing through the fairy chimneys by passing through the clouds in Cappadocia, it will be one of the moments when you feel the freest to flutter according to the pleasure of the wind and descend wherever the wind wants. 

2- Visit Göreme The Open Air Museum 

Let’s go to the next station in the Top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia: Göreme. It is an open-air museum. It consists of monasteries for monks carved into the rock, where the monks used to isolate in that place. The cave monasteries carved into the rock were built between the 10th and 12th centuries AD. 

You can explore that unique world and find out what life was like in that place; you can also see the wall paintings hanging on the walls of those churches, which is a witness to the Byzantine art of that era. 

Göreme Open Air Museum, on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1985, is among Cappadocia and Turkey’s most important and most visited open-air museums. The region has a fascinating atmosphere. Several travel magazines have chosen Göreme as one of the most magical villages in the world for a good reason. Don’t miss visiting it on your next trip to Cappadocia. 

3- Explore The Underground Cities 

Cappadocia’s underground cities were designed to be invisible from the outside. They were built to hide from the unfairness, persecution, and injustice of the people living here, especially from the Roman Empire, and became a settlement of thousands of people.

When you think about the design and view of that city, you will absolutely be surprised and ask how the construction was done despite the lack of any technology or architectural development at the time. How this extraordinary place was built and how the people lived here is truly remarkable. It arouses admiration for those who come here.

The underground cities carved out of soft tuff rocks, are connected by air corridors and narrow tunnels. No matter how deep you go, the amount of oxygen there does not change.

In the underground cities, there are many living quarters such as barns, kitchens, wineries, living rooms, burial chambers, churches, food storage areas, cellars and water wells. 

There are about 200 underground cities, which is a high number. They are essential evidence of the extraordinary life and history that went on here in their time. Only a few of these underground cities are open to visitors. Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu Underground Cities rank first among the most visited in Cappadocia. Indeed, they should be among the things one sees once in a lifetime and be on the list of the Top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia.

Kaymaklı Underground City

 Kaymaklı Underground City, located in the Kaymaklı district, is one of Cappadocia’s most visited underground cities. Kaymaklı Underground City is a giant network of caves which were at the beginning constructed around the 7th or 8th Centuries BCE. 

The city was expanded during the Roman and Byzantine periods and used to hide people. It is estimated that 5,000 people lived in the underground city, which extends to a depth of about 40 meters. 

The Underground City was built with a total of 8 levels underground, carved into soft tuff rocks, and included a network of about 100 tunnels connecting various subterranean rooms. 

The first floor of Kaymaklı Underground City was used as a barn for the shelter of the people’s animals. On the second floor, there is the church, baptismal stones, and burial chambers. On the third floor are cellars, wineries, a cellar where food materials such as flour and wheat are stored, and a dining hall area. On the fourth floor, there are also areas where the provisions are held.

Only the top few floors are open to visitors. Nevertheless, it offers a fascinating insight into how early tribes used this unique geology. It takes about half an hour to visit Kaymaklı Underground City. 

Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu, or the ancient city of Elengubu as it was known in the past. The exact date of the city’s construction is still being disputed. The city is a network of tunnels in the form of a maze; the town extends to more than 85m below the Earth’s surface and contains 18 levels of tunnels. It is large and big enough to hold around 20,000 people with its food and livestock stores. 

Several historical eras, such as the Phrygians, the Persians, and Christians of the Byzantine Era, lived through the world’s largest cut-out Underground City, and thousands of people lived there. Derinkuyu was rediscovered by an anonymous local in 1963. In 1985, the region was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Derinkuyu Underground City has large stone doors that can be closed from the inside, and each floor can also be closed off singly. More than 600 entrances leading to the subterrestrial city of Derinkuyu were found within private homes. 

Derinkuyu Underground City is also one of Cappadocia’s most famous places to see. The visit will take about 60 minutes to see the Underground City. 

4- Explore The Fairy Chimneys in Cappadocia

The Fairy Chimneys in Paşabağı valley are one of Cappadocia’s most famous tourist spots. When you see them first, you will think that you are in some kind of mythical atmosphere or fairy tale. Another activity of the Top 10 Things to Do in Cappadocia is to enjoy nature and the unique beauty of the Fairy Chimneys by walking there. 

The valley, which monks used as a hermitage during its time, has many rock-cut monasteries, churches, chapels, settlements, and structures such as tunnels and mills.

The Fairy Chimneys, formed by the erosion of such tuff structures by the high winds, precipitation from the slopes of the valley, and flood waters, look like mushrooms in this region. 

You can see an extensive hiking trail consisting of hundreds of Fairy Chimneys welcome you when you enter the valley. You can have an excellent and fun tour of the Paşabağı Valley by walking among the beautiful Fairy Chimneys and taking many photos. 

The three-hatted Fairy Chimney in the valley’s centre is the most famous. This is also a chapel where St. Simeon was secluded for 15 years. 

5- Stay in a Cave Hotel

There are several caves in Cappadocia, but there is another fantastic thing you can try: staying in a Cave Hotel carved out of volcanic rock, the natural landscape. Cave hotels provide a magical view of the city landscape, and some of them also allow you to see fairy chimneys.  

It is not difficult to find a cave hotel that fits your budget; many of them have different features, each according to its price. Cappadocia has many cave hotels, such as in Göreme, Uçhısar, Urgup, and Nevsehir. Staying in a Cave Hotel is an unmissable experience in Cappadocia. We recommend including adventure in the Top 10 Things to Do in Cappadocia.

6- Uçhisar Castle

Uçhisar Castle, a castle located in the town of Uçhisar, was used as a fort to protect the army of the Romans and Byzantines during their times, and it was also used as a watchtower.

Uçhisar Castle is considered the highest point of Cappadocia city and a place where you can see a magical view of the most beautiful fairy chimney formations; the castle was also built around a giant fairy chimney.

The castle is a magical spot on the list of the Top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia. It’s a perfect destination for history enthusiasts and nature lovers. From the top of the castle, you can see extraordinary views of Güvercinlik Valley, Avanos, Ortahisar Castle, and Göreme National Park.

There is also no need to tell you about the beauty and elegance of the sunset view from the top of Uçhisar Castle; you should see it for yourself. It’s enough to tell you it is a touched soul’s view. 

7- Explore Cappadocia Valleys

The Cappadocia Valleys, with their unique landscapes, fairy chimneys, churches carved into the rocks, houses, settlements, and open-air museums, are among the Top ten Things to do in Cappadocia. 

There are many valleys in Cappadocia; these valleys are distributed throughout Cappadocia. In the magnificent valleys of Cappadocia, which was formed by the erosion of soft tuff rocks with the effect of rain and flood waters for millions of years, you will witness fairy chimneys famous for their different shapes, settlements dating back centuries, hidden rock churches, and extraordinary landscapes that will make you feel like you are in another world. It is from the Top 10 Things to Do in Cappadocia.

The valleys in Cappadocia are named for their geographical structure, the shapes and colours of the rock formations and fairy chimneys. 

Love Valley

Love Valley is one of the most fantastic valleys of Cappadocia. The valley starts from Örencik and ends on the Göreme-Avanos road. 

It is called Love Valley because marriage proposals are usually made here, and it became popular among couples because of the choice of this place for marriage proposals and the shapes of the fairy chimneys in the valley. 

Love Valley is one of the best destinations for hiking and walking lovers. Visitors can enjoy the sight and smell of wildflowers and herbs, the view of fairy chimneys in the valley, and the rocks formed by nature. These beautiful landscapes will transport visitors to another world of nature’s magic. 

Güvercinlik Valley (Pigeon Valley)

Güvercinlik Valley (Pigeon Valley) is one of Cappadocia’s most popular and impressive valleys with its nature. It is a perfect place for wildlife and bird lovers. The valley is between Uçhisar and Göreme and is named after pigeons.

Pigeon Valley is famous for its charming landscapes and pigeons. You can go through the valley to the barrows, watch the valley from the top of the famous blue bead tree, and feed the pigeons. You can enjoy the charming nature and take many pictures as a beautiful memory of this unique experience.

Although the roads of Güvercinlik Valley are challenging, the region is also ideal for nature walks and trekking. 

Ihlara Valley

Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia is the perfect destination for lovers of nature and green scenery. It is about 100 meters deep and 10 km long, an awe-inspiring and beautiful canyon. It was formed by volcanic activities, erupting lava and the erosion of the Melendiz River for thousands of years in the nearby Hasan Mountain. 

In this region, many monasteries, churches, settlements, and fairy chimneys were naturally formed and carved into the rocks by human hands. You will encounter many traces of life from this period. Ihlara Valley attracts the attention of local and foreign visitors with its fantastic natural formations and magnificent natural beauties. We recommend you visit Ihlara Valley on your Cappadocia trip. 

When you see the valley from above, you are enchanted at first. Afterwards, a fantastic and impressive staircase begins to descend into the valley. Falling into the valley with the stairs takes about 5-10 minutes. 

When you go down to the valley, there are beautiful paths to follow and many places to explore on the right and left of the road, divided into two by the Melediz River. Melendiz Stream, which flows along the Ihlara Valley, accompanies your walk with its beautiful sound and appearance.

The valley has over 4,000 rock-cut settlements and hundreds of hidden cave churches and houses with beautiful frescoes as living quarters. This makes it ideal for lovers of history, civilization, and nature. 

Kızılçukur Valley (Red Valley)

Kızılçukur Valley (Red Valley) is the ideal place for sunrise and sunset views in Cappadocia. It is located near Göreme and is home to red tuff rocks and fairy chimneys. The valley took its name from the colour of its stones. Its nature attracts a lot of attention from both local and foreign visitors. It is considered one of the most beautiful valleys of Cappadocia. 

Red Valley has one of the best hiking and trekking tracks in Cappadocia. It is an ideal area and activity for those who love hiking. It is also an excellent spot for photography lovers because of the abounding colours of wonderful nature; red is the colour of the rocks, green is the colour of wild plants, and blue is the colour of the clear sky. 

8- Horse Safari Tour

Horse Safari Tours, among the unique natural beauties of Cappadocia, are among the popular excursions and nature sports activities that can be done in Cappadocia. We recommend a Horse Safari in Cappadocia called the “Land of Beautiful Horses”.

Horse Safari Tours in Cappadocia are usually conducted from horse farms located between Avanos and Göreme. They are generally held between 09:00 in the morning and 4:00 p.m. 

Enjoy a Horse Safari on the trails of Cappadocia’s beautiful valleys, fairy chimneys and vineyards, accompanied by unique views. It is a unique experience for nature lovers and horseback riding, which we recommend among the Top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia. 

9- Visiting Ceramics and Pottery Workshops

Pottery and ceramics, a centuries-old tradition of Cappadocia, are kept alive, especially in workshops in Avanos. 

Here, you can buy ceramic and pottery products for yourself and your loved ones, attend the ceramic and pottery workshops, watch the pottery makers and learn the tricks of this tradition. You can even make your pottery, as the owners of the workshops and shops will let you join them and create your piece. 

Visiting Ceramics and Pottery Workshops is a different and unique experience. Crafts or handicrafts are known to improve mood and bring relaxation. We recommend it as one of the Top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia. 

10- Visit Zelve Valley Ruins and Open Air Museum

Zelve Valley Ruins and Open Air Museum are among the most visited popular places in Cappadocia, where fairy chimneys can be seen in the best way. Zelve Valley Open Air Museum, on the UNESCO World Heritage list, is located between Avanos and Göreme in Cappadocia.

In this region, you will see many monasteries, churches, settlements, and fairy chimneys that were formed by nature and carved into the rocks by human hands. Zelve Valley attracts attention with its fairy chimneys and its magic nature. We strongly recommend that you visit Zelve Valley on your trip to Cappadocia. It is one of the activities from the Top 10 Things to Do in Cappadocia.

One of the recommended activities in Zelve Valley is enjoying nature and its unique beauty by walking among the fairy chimneys. There is a beautiful fountain at the valley’s entrance and 15 churches. 

In the first valley of Zelve Ruins, which consists of 3 valleys, a mosque is made of cut stone and carved rock. In the second valley, there are living places used in the past and where people used them as kitchens. In the third valley, there are many settlements and churches.

The area is also very convenient for hiking and walking. You can also go to higher hills, watch the valley from the top, and take lots of photos.

Thus, we have provided you, dear reader, with a rich list of the recommended Top 10 Things to do in Cappadocia and the recommended things; not only the activities you can do, but dozens of other things you can choose from.

Cappadocia is one of the best tourist destinations in Turkey. It abounds with all the ingredients that make it a fantastic tourist destination: stunning scenery, historical places dating back thousands of years, and unique experiences, such as flying balloons and other adventures.

We hope our example will be your best helper and guide on your trip to Cappadocia. Enjoy your trip and wait for a new guide to another tourist spot. Here are some of our best videos from around Turkey – including the Ancient City of Ephesus, Uskudar and more!