Turkey | I've created an efficient 3-day schedule for touring Cappadocia!
Hello.CAPPADOCIA TRIP here.
While helping people with their trips to Cappadocia,
I always think that everyone's stay is too short...
Some people only stay for half a day!
I wonder if they are just coming to ride a hot air balloon,
but Cappadocia is vast and has so many sights to see.
Also, the famous spots are scattered, so
a 1-night stay is definitely not enough time.
You've traveled over 8,000km from Japan, and you're just going to ride a balloon and go home?
Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and there are many places I want you to see.
This time, I've narrowed down the must-see points in Cappadocia and
thought of an efficient 3-day, 2-night schedule.
In winter, sunrise is late, so this schedule might be tough, but...
let's take a look!
Here is a rough overview.
To tour efficiently, let's visit by area!
It's also recommended to organize a group tour or a private tour!
Considering the possibility of balloon cancellations, you'll want at least 2 nights.
3 days and 2 nights is the shortest schedule.
There is definitely not enough time to see everything, so
I narrowed it down to only the highlights among the highlights.
Furthermore, regarding costs, I have chosen a way to tour that I think is cost-effective.
DAY 1
【AM: Flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia】
There are ways to enter Cappadocia such as by flight or long-distance bus,
but if you enter Cappadocia on an early morning flight from Istanbul, you can use the whole day.
Furthermore, early morning flights are also reasonably priced.
Let's wake up early and do our best!
【AM: From the airport, use a shuttle bus to get to the hotel】
There are two airports in Cappadocia.
Nevsehir Airport and Kayseri Airport... the distance to Goreme town is different for each.
For travel from the airport to the hotel, a shuttle bus is best!
<Nevsehir Airport>
It is about a 30-minute drive from the airport to Goreme, but the number of flights from various places is small.
Also, for travel from the airport to the hotel, a shuttle bus or taxi is convenient.
If you use a local bus...
I guess you would take a bus that runs about once an hour to Nevsehir city, then transfer to get to Goreme.
Taxis are waiting to match flight arrivals.
However, taxis in Cappadocia are more expensive than in Istanbul💦
For this,using a shuttle busis the best option♪
<Kayseri Airport>
Kayseri Airport is an international airport, and
there are many flights from within Turkey.
It is a 1-hour drive to the town of Göreme away.
The airport is located on the outskirts of Kayseri town,
and it takes about 20 minutes by taxi to reach the city center.
It takes 30-40 minutes to reach the long-distance bus terminal on the edge of town.
From there, if you take a long-distance bus that runs about once an hour to get to Göreme, it might take half a day.
For a schedule with limited time,
for this,using a shuttle busis the best choice considering both time and cost.
【PM: Once you arrive at the hotel, let's explore the town of Göreme!】
Thecenter of Cappadocia is Göreme.
While there are hotels in other towns, if you can book one, Göreme is the best.
Once you arrive, let's start by exploring the town of Göreme.
It's a small town so it's easy to get around, and there are plenty of shops!
There are also plenty of dining options, including Turkish, Chinese, Indian, and more, so you'll be spoiled for choice.
【PM: Climb up to Sunset Point and enjoy the twilight】
No matter where you start walking in the town of Göreme, if you keep walking upwards, you will reachSunset Point.
It's a paid spot now, you know~ It costs 10 TL (as of 2024).
It is a recommended spot where you can get a panoramic view of not only the town of Göreme,
but also Avanos and Uchisar Castle.
Although it is named "Sunset Point",
it is an observation deck with a great view at any time of day♪
I've put together a relaxed schedule for the first day.
Tomorrow morning is the hot air balloon flight! We'll be leaving the hotel before sunrise, so let's get to sleep early.
DAY 2
【AM: Hot Air Balloon Ride】
The highlight of Cappadocia, the hot air balloon flight; seeing countless colorful balloons flying in the sky is truly like a dream world!
Balloons take off in time for sunrise.
You will depart from your hotel about an hour before sunrise and head to the waiting area.
Here, you will check in, wait for flight permission from the aviation authority, and then move to the takeoff area.
For flights in the suburbs, such as the Ihlara Valley or Soganli Valley,
you will depart from the hotel about an hour earlier.
After enjoying a leisurely flight, you will return to the hotel around 8:00 AM in the summer,
and later in the winter.
【AM-PM: Touring the classic mushroom rocks】
If you are staying in Goreme, let's start with the nearby spots!
<Göreme Open Air Museum / Goreme Open Air Museum>
The Goreme Open Air Museum is 1km away from the town center on foot.
It's a nice walking distance, and the path to the museum is also enjoyable while strolling along.
The entrance fee is EUR 20 (as of 2024), but
the "MUSEUM PASS" is recommended!
The Goreme Open Air Museum opens at 8:00 AM and you can explore it freely.
When it's crowded, there may be entry restrictions for the cave churches,
but generally you can walk around freely.
However, to be honest...
you might miss what you should see at the open-air museum if you don't have a guide.
It's a good idea to study up before visiting,
or join a group tour like the Red Tour.
The biggest highlight of the Goreme Open Air Museum is
the "Karanlık Kilise (Dark Church)".
Caution:
The entrance to the Karanlık Kilise (Dark Church) is located across the road after you exit the main entrance. Don't forget to see it!
A few years ago, restorers were brought in from Italy to carry out restoration work.
It has been revived to its original colors, which are said to have been painted in the 13th century; it's well worth seeing.
It is located past the village of Çavuşin from the town of Göreme, off the road to Avanos.
It is located off the road to Avanos.
It is quite difficult to walk this distance from Göreme, so
let's use a local bus or a taxi.
If you take a local bus, you can take one bound for Ürgüp and get off at Paşabağ, or take a bus bound for Avanos, get off on the outskirts of Çavuşin, and walk 1 km.
Both run once an hour.
The entrance fee is EUR 12 (as of 2024), but
Paşabağ is also a sightseeing spot included in the Museum Pass.
What you should see, is the three-headed fairy chimney.
It is one of the unique fairy chimneys that represents Cappadocia.
Erosion is progressing, and although you used to be able to go inside in the past,
now you can only view it from outside the fence.
Paşabağ is fun enough even without a guide.
Climbing up and down and walking around as you like is also fun.
<Uçhisar Kalesi - Uçhisar Castle>
It is located in the middle of the town of Uçhisar, which can also be reached by local bus from Göreme.
Uçhisar meansthe third fortress.
If you enter from the entrance and keep climbing until you reach the top...
that is the highest point in Cappadocia.
The town of Uçhisar itself is at a high altitude of 1300m, and the highest point among them is also a viewpoint where you can overlook the vast land of Cappadocia.
There are no holidays, and you can basically visit every day.
*Unfortunately, Uçhisar Castle is not included in the Museum Pass. The entrance fee is 250 TL (as of 2024).
POINT! The classic "fairy chimney" tour
I have selected spots that are easily accessible.
These are famous spots that can be reached by connecting local buses, but there are many spots to see in Cappadocia.
If you are thinking about efficiency, I think it is also a good idea to charter a taxi, take a Red Tour, or go on a private tour.
【PM: Strolling through the riverside town of Avanos】
Along the banks of Turkey's great river, the "KIZIL IRMAK, or Red River", lies the cozy town of Avanos.
If you are going by local bus, take the
"AVANOS" bus from the bus stop next to the Goreme bus terminal.
The bus runs once an hour; take the "AVANOS" bus coming from Nevsehir around 20 minutes past the hour and ride it to the final stop.
The local bus is very much a community service...
you have to ask the driver yourself where you want to get on or off.
There are no stop buttons, and although there are bus stops,
the bus will pass by if there is no one waiting to get on or off.
Taking a leisurely stroll along the promenade by the river in Avanos is lovely. Also, it is a town famous for pottery made from the red clay found in the Red River.
It is well-known for pottery featuring traditional patterns from the Hittite civilization that flourished over 4,000 years ago.
The old town of Avanos is on the north side of the river. Many pottery shops and restaurants line the north side.
The south side of the river is more of a residential area, where you can catch a glimpse of the locals' daily lives.
The Avanos market, held every Friday, is on the south side of the river.
A wide variety of items are lined up, from vegetables and seafood to daily necessities.
Checking out the market, which is indispensable to the locals, is also a fun travel experience!
Since there are many restaurants in Avanos,
it might be a good idea to have lunch here.
There are several restaurants that locals use as well, so it is casual and reasonably priced!
【Sunset: Classic car drive】
Let's head back to Goreme and enjoy the sunset!
There are many valleys near the town, but the "Rose Valley" located between Goreme and Cavusin village turns even redder when illuminated by the setting sun.
It is also a great idea to arrange a "classic car", a popular attraction in recent years, and head out for the sunset.
【Dinner: Enjoy the local specialty "Testi Kebab"】
"Kebab" is a representative Turkish dish, but each region has its own specialty kebab.
There are skewered meat kebabs, and the specialty of Adana in southern Turkey is "Adana Kebab" made with minced meat.
And then, the Cappadocia specialty "Testi Kebab" is a stewed kebab.
And Cappadocia's specialty "Testi Kebab" is a stewed kebab.
Cappadocia is famous for its unglazed pottery from Avanos, and it gets freezing cold in winter, so "Testi Kebab" is a tomato stew of vegetables and meat.
But you know what!
It's not just a stew;
the "Testi Kebab" is also fun as an attraction 😂"Testi Kebab"
Vegetables and meat are put into a small unglazed pot and cooked in a kiln.
It is served at the table in the pot, and they break the pot right in front of you!
You can pour the stewed vegetables and meat over pilaf to eat.
It's also delicious to eat with bread ♪
I recommend "Orient Restaurant"
It is a long-established restaurant located at the edge of the town of Goreme.
Recently... unfortunately, more places are stewing vegetables and meat in a large pot and then putting them into a pot just before serving, but
"Orient Restaurant" still makes it using the traditional cooking method.
It is a restaurant famous for its steaks, but everything they serve is delicious, so I recommend it.
By the way... the owner loves alcohol ♥
They also have a good selection of wines.
DAY 3
【AM-PM: Join a Green Tour】
Cappadocia is vast and its famous spots are scattered, so it's difficult to see everything on your own.
Joining a group tour arranged by a travel agency is efficient and keeps costs down.
There are tours operated by travel agencies known as Red, Green, and Blue.
The "Red Tour" can be managed on your own somehow.
The "Blue Tour" is not operated every day, so you need to check. It's a tour that visits the Soganli Valley and the town of Mustafapasa, but since it's not a classic Cappadocia route, there are few participants and it runs irregularly. I personally like this course, though!
I think the "Green Tour" is the best choice when considering distance, price, and other factors.
What is the "Green Tour"?
It visits the Ihlara Valley, 80km away from Goreme, the Selime Monastery, and also underground cities.
The driving distance is about 250km.
It's too far to travel individually, and because it's in the countryside, it's almost impossible (though I've never tried it) to get around by local bus.
It includes an English-speaking guide, lunch, and all entrance fees, so it's
efficient and a great deal!
CAPPADOCIA TRIP also handles arrangements.
Some people tell me they don't understand English even if they join a group tour, but even if you don't understand English, the guide will show you the places you need to see, so you won't miss anything.
But for those who are still worried... we can arrange a private tour with a car and a Japanese-speaking guide, so please feel free to contact us.
You might think that private arrangements are expensive, but you can pinpoint the highlights of Cappadocia and use your limited time efficiently. If you are arranging for a certain number of people, we can offer it at a quite reasonable price.
What if you were to do this course on your own with a rental car?
You need to be careful about the amount of gasoline.
You will likely run out of gas in the middle of this route.
It's a rural route where there aren't even gas stations, so
you'll be in tears if you don't get spare gasoline before you leave.
What about hitchhiking?
There were some French girls who tried the Green Tour route by hitchhiking before, but they didn't get back to Goreme until after the date changed. This is the Turkish countryside; there are no people, no cars, and no houses.
I've never tried it myself, but... I don't think hitchhiking is an option 😓
<Ihlara vadisi - Ihlara Valley>
The Green Tour includes time to walk around the Ihlara Valley.
Since the Ihlara Valley stretches for 14km, we walk around a portion of it,
the area where the cave churches are concentrated.
I am moved by the fact that the colors of the wall paintings in the cave churches, said to have been made around the 14th century,
still remain today, and
above all, walking along the river in the lush greenery...
a walk in the valley is a healing time.
<Selime Monastery>
Although it is called a monastery ruin, there are no actual buildings; it is a massive structure carved out of a giant mushroom-shaped rock.
The area open for exploration is vast, and you have to climb further up to finally reach the famous sanctuary.
Don't underestimate a visit to these monastery ruins!
This Selime Monastery involves quite a lot of walking.
Do not underestimate a visit to the monastery ruins! This Selime Monastery involves quite a lot of walking. is.
A quick note!
There is a rumor that it was a filming location for "Star Wars," but it seems to be just a rumor. Apparently, it wasn't actually filmed there.
Nevertheless, it is a place that looks like it could appear in "Star Wars."
<Underground city Underground City>
It is said that there are over 200 underground cities in Cappadocia, including those that have not yet been discovered.
Many places have been discovered in recent years, and since many are still under research, only a limited number are open to the public.
Among those open to the public, the largest is considered to be the "Derinkuyu Underground City," and nearby, there is the equally famous "Kaymakli Underground City."
The Green Tour usually includes a visit to the "Derinkuyu Underground City," but if you have time, the
"Kaymakli Underground City" is also interesting.
While "Derinkuyu" is considered larger in scale, "Kaymakli" is truly a labyrinth... with narrow passages, ups, and downs.
Bumping your head on the ceiling while exploring will also make for a good memory... probably.
In conclusion
This 3-day, 2-night schedule includes the places I really want to see.
However, while planning this, I felt that 3 days and 2 nights is short...
This is a schedule that strictly selects only the places you must see.
I have put this together aiming to be as "efficient and cost-effective" as possible.
Use it as a reference for your trip!