Cappadocia: How to Get There and When to Go

Cappadocia, what an enchanting land. What to see and when to go? Here's what to know

Landscapes that seem to have been modelled by hand, cities embedded in swirling volcanic rock landscapes. Cappadocia is one of the places to visit at least once in a lifetime, a wonder that seems to belong not to the earth but to the moon.

You will see villages carved into the hills, Byzantine churches in the rock with breathtaking frescoes and labyrinthine underground cities, where early Christians once hid from invaders. If you are planning a tour to discover this magical Turkish region, here is everything you need to know.

We have put together a guide to what to see, how to get there and when to go.

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Cappadocia

Cappadocia, a veritable open-air museum, is located in the central Anatolian region of Turkey. It literally means the land of beautiful horses, but everyone knows it for its alien passages, hot-air balloons, rock churches, fairy chimneys, valleys and underground cities.

The region, which has been inhabited since the Stone Age, has been home to ancient civilisations that have left their cultural imprint, which you can find in the remains of churches or in towns that seem to be fake. The best way to explore Cappadocia? By hot-air balloon, floating gently over fairy chimneys, valleys and towns carved into the rock. Visiting Cappadocia takes a minimum of three or four days. You can travel alone or join one of the many organised tours. Before you leave, check what documents you need to enter Turkey.

What to see in Cappadocia

What is there to see in Cappadocia? Here is a list of things not to miss.

• Derinkuyu

The ancient city of Derinkuyu consists of a series of ancient caves excavated by hand in the seventh century B.C. and located 85 metres below the ground. It was the deepest underground shelter in Cappadocia and once housed over twenty thousand people. The vast underground city of Derinkuyu consists of more than 600 gates each accessing huge chambers used for eating, sleeping and prayer. You can also admire the ingenious ventilation shaft system used by the inhabitants of Derinkuyu.

• Goreme

Göreme is perhaps one of the most beautiful villages in the world and there is good reason. The village is half set into the hillside, with the facades of the stone houses hiding a labyrinth of rooms and caves below. The church of El Nazar Kilise, adorned with frescoes, and Sakli Kilise are both located in Müze Caddesi, a short walk from the centre, on the way to the Göreme Open-Air Museum. Goreme is the perfect base from which to explore the surrounding valleys by trekking. From Goreme you can then reach the fairy chimneys and ancient rock caves.

• Goreme Open-Air Museum

Just outside Göreme is a UNESCO site that you just can't miss. It is the Göreme Open-Air Museum, characterised by a group of churches, chapels and monasteries carved into the rock and containing fabulous frescoes. The complex dates back to the 10th-12th centuries, when Cappadocia was an important Byzantine religious centre.

There are several churches and chapels within the complex, but the most important are the Elmali Kilise with the fresco of the ascension above the door; the Azize Barbara Sapeli, Yilanli Kilisem Karanlik Kilise and the Tokali Kilise. The visit takes about a couple of hours.

• Kaimakli

Beneath the village of Kaymakli lies a labyrinth of tunnels and underground passages that form a huge underground city whose origins date back to the periods between the 6th and 10th centuries. The underground city of Kaymakli consists of eight levels (of which only four can be visited) and lies at a depth of 43 metres. Like the other cities excavated underground, it is built around an aeration shaft and consists of tunnels and galleries connecting various rooms and caves. According to archaeologists, around 30,000 people lived in this city. The structure of the city was designed to protect the population from conquerors; the tunnels connecting the various caves create a labyrinth capable of disorienting invaders.

• Zelve Open-Air Museum

The Zelve Open-Air Museum, once home to one of the largest communities in the region, is an incredible cave town full of dwellings, churches and dwellings. Zelve is located about 10 km from Goreme. Here, Christians and Muslims lived together in perfect harmony until 1924, when Christians had to leave the valley due to the exchange of minorities between Greece and Turkey. In the 1950s, Muslims were forced to evacuate the valley because it was at risk of erosion and founded a new village not far away, Yeni Zelve. Don't miss the Üzümlü Kilise church and the picturesque mosque carved into the rock.

• Ortahisar

This is a rock-cut town named after the castle that towers above it, built 86 metres above Ortahisar. The castle is carved into the top of a huge stone chimney. Over the centuries it has been used both as a defensive structure and as accommodation. Since 2013 it has been open to the public (daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Be prepared to climb steep walls and enter tunnels carved into the living rock.

• Pink and Red Valleys

Between the villages of Göreme and Çavusin lie some of Cappadocia's most beautiful valleys. Here, undulating cliffs formed by a volcanic explosion form a palette of pink, yellow and orange cliffs. Among the cliffs you can admire orchards and vegetable gardens still well maintained by local farmers, and you can see hidden churches and hiding places among the rocks. Many hiking trails start here.

• Cavusin

Don't miss a visit to its Byzantine churches, the first of which you will find at the entrance to the village and is worth a stop to admire the interior frescoes. After strolling through the abandoned houses of the village, you can see the Church of St John the Baptist, which appears to be the oldest in Cappadocia.

• Ihlara Valley

If you love trekking and unspoilt nature, you cannot miss a walk in this incredible valley characterised by a 100-metre deep canyon in south-western Cappadocia. Surrounded by rugged, steep cliffs, the Ihlara Valley is a lush garden of tall poplars and fertile farmland beside the Melendiz River. During the Byzantine period, this was a favourite retreat for communities of monks who carved churches and monastic complexes into the cliff face.

• Pasabag

In the Pasagab valley, the rocks resemble huge mushrooms and rise in the middle of vineyards. In Paşabağ you will find some of the most impressive fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. Paşabağ's fairy chimneys are home to numerous rock dwellings and chapels once used by Christian hermits, the most important of which is a three-tiered chapel dedicated to St Simeon. Paşabağ is located a few kilometres outside the village of Göreme and a few kilometres from the town of Ürgüp.

• Avanos

The town of Avanos lies on the banks of the Kizilirmak, the Red River. The town is about 8 kilometres from Goreme. It is modern and full of amenities, but one only has to walk a little beyond the centre to discover the old village, which winds its way up the hills towards a beautiful maze of old stone houses, some restored, some converted and others sadly abandoned to their fate. In some of the abandoned houses, features of traditional Ottoman architecture can be seen along with ancient decorations and murals.

• Uchisar

It is located at the highest point in Cappadocia, on the road from Nevsehir to Goreme. The top of Uchisar Castle offers a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area with Mount Erciyes in the distance. It is worth visiting to admire rooms carved into the rock connected by stairs, tunnels and passages.

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The video that will make you want to go to Cappadocia

How to get to Cappadocia

To get to Cappadocia, you will either have to fly to Istanbul and from there take a direct flight to Kayseri or Nevsheir in Cappadocia (takes about 1.5 hours) or you can take a bus from Istanbul, which takes about 11 hours.

When to go to Cappadocia

The best time to visit Cappadocia is in autumn, spring or summer when temperatures are not too cold to travel.

During the winter season, the lows can even drop below - 15 °C. If you are considering a summer trip, you should know that July and August are the hottest months (August is also the driest month).

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