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Nov

Aemin Tahir
Latest posts by Aemin Tahir (see all)

Top 7 Awesome things to do in Cappadocia.

 

 

Searching for Best Honeymoon Destinations but nothing fits your bill?

Take a peek, the Magical Cappadocia could be just the place you’re looking for!

Cappadocia is an ancient city located in Turkey, with a breathtaking skyline and a landscape out of this planet. It conceals endless wonders and mysteries that await to be explored by adventurers and romantics alike. Apart from these highlights, there are a number of reasons why Cappadocia should be included in your Honeymoon Destination List .

 

Let’s cut to the chase and look at 7 awesome things to do in Cappadocia.

 

FAQ

 

 

01.Book a stay at a cave hotel.

A girl seating in a Cave hotel looking outside.

These hotel rates can vary from $30-40 per night to $100-250 depending on your selection of a budget to a luxury resort. Best accommodation options are in the towns of Göreme and Uçhisar, where you can enjoy the high-end hotel amenities with close up views of the Hot Air Balloons from the terrace, while hotels and resorts in Çavuşin, Ürgüp and Ortahisar offer you more remote, yet comfortable stays.

Though some structures date back to 5th century DC, they still offer a fusion of ancient living & modern comforts, so spending a night in these underground wonders is one of the unique things. Wonderful ambiance, friendly staff & top-class service will make your stay a memory worth a lifetime.

Visit MOONGUIDER to find the best hotel deals in Cappadocia.

 

 

02.Do an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Tour

Exploring the rough countryside riding an ATV or a quad bike is a great off-road experience for couples looking for adventure holidays. The rates of these rides are marked as $15-38 for an average 2-hour duration. You can explore the volcanic rock formations while enjoying the quad bike ride along the breathtaking landscape.

Don’t miss out the great sunset ride, where you get to travel across five main valleys including Rose & Red Valley, Swords Valley, Cavusin Ghost Village, White Valley, & Love Valley. It is an easy-to-ride, safe and a thrilling travel option where you can indulge in sight seeing or photo shooting as much as you like!

03.Go Hiking .

For couples who love to keep fit together, hiking in Cappadocia can provide good exercise. Following age-old trails on foot, is a amazing experience to get during your stay, not to mention the chance to explore narrow trails where the quad bikes are unable to reach.

These Expeditions to the heart of the valleys will offer you stunning views including historical sites, so prepare yourself well by reading about Hiking Trails in Cappadocia, for a delightful experience.

Always remember to take ample water for hydration and comfortable attire to ward off the heat!

04.Try Your Skill at Horse Riding.

A girl doing horse back ride in Cappadocia

Cappadocia means ‘Land of Beautiful Horses’ in Persian, so this is an activity you mustn’t miss out during your Cappadocia Honeymoon Tour. Rates for horse riding differ between $25 to 45, varying from 2-hour to 2-hour 30-minutes based on the distance and the service provider.

 

As an advantage, you can get the best view of the lava sculptured landscape on horseback and reach         terrains where the quad bikes cannot. One horseback tour in Cappadocia is offered during mid-day, while another is offered toward sunset. The latter is perfect for shooting breathtaking photography. On a side note, be wise to choose a reputed service provider that treats their horses well when selecting your horse-riding adventure.

05.Go on a Hot air Balloon Ride.

Sun set with hot air balloon in Cappadocia

 

One of the most popular things to do in Cappadocia is riding in a hot air balloon at sunrise. The fairytale valley is well known for this out-door activity, and it indeed is a spectacular view to watch! Every day, more than 200 balloons glide serenely over the fairy chimneys and ancient valleys below.

You have to wake up before the crack of dawn to set off for this journey, but we guarantee that the experience is worth every minute of your time. Soaring up to the sky and seeing the panoramic view Cappadocia from a bird’s viewpoint is one of the rarest and the most incredible adventures you could ever do as a honeymoon couple.

Excited to know more about it?

Let’s dive right in!

 

What are the best rates?

Prices for Hot Air Balloon rides in Cappadocia vary according to season, summer being the most expensive and winter being the cheapest. Prices also depend on the company, and the number of people it can accommodate in the basket, fluctuating from 20 people to 4 during deluxe rides.

An average per person rate ranges from $190- 280, while you can book an entire balloon for a cost of $2500. All-inclusive services cover a package from hotel pickup to flight, landing, and hotel drop-off.

What’s the best season to take the ride?

Although Summer is a popular vacation season among honeymooners, the climate in Cappadocia during this season is quite dry with warmer afternoons, and a Hot Air Balloon Ride could make you feel more uncomfortable.

In addition, summer being the peak tourist season, the balloon rides could be too crowded for your liking. Autumn is known to be a fairly better time to go for a Hot Air Balloon ride in Cappadocia as the days remain longer, and nights remain cooler. The crowd is less, allowing you to enjoy the ride to the fullest if you visit between September to October.

Flying across snowy valleys in a hot air balloon is the best things to do in winter, as it is the cheapest time to visit and offers you unique views. However, the tendency for the balloon rides to get cancelled is high due to unpredictable weather conditions. So, considering all these facts,

we conclude that Spring is the best time to take a Hot Air Balloon ride in Cappadocia, late May being the ideal. By then the days are milder and nights are cooler, with less rain affecting your travel plans.

Should I be concerned about safety?

Riding in a hot air balloon is considerably safe, and the casualty record in Cappadocia is as low as 0.002% for the past 10 years. During the flight time, an experienced ‘Chase Crew’ follows the balloon’s path on land, making sure it lands safely given the wind direction.

Also, the Turkish government has amended the regulations for Hot Air Balloon rides back in 2015, ensuring the safety of passengers. These balloons are registered under Turkish Aviation authority and undergo regular safety checks for their airworthiness.

 

What if I’m scared of heights?

Bunch of hot air balloons

If you are not so keen on the view from above, the next best thing to do is to watch the hot Air Balloons take off  in the early morning above the city of Göreme. For the couples who love travel photography, this will be a great opportunity to capture some great clicks! Cappadocia is sprinkled with viewpoints that offer a spectacular scenery of the balloon filled skies.

So, make sure you go to the best locations for Hot Air Balloon watching. When making travel plans, make a note to check from your hotel whether they have a terrace which offers views of the Hot Air Balloons.

06.Try local Food.

If you and your significant other believe the food love is the best kind of love, then trying local dishes is a must during your holiday in Turkey.

Here are a few of the local dishes the city is famous for.

     Kebab

Testi kebab is a Kebab variety famous in Cappadocia, also known as ‘Clay Kebab’, ‘Pottery Kebab’ or ‘Terracotta Kebab’ in English. It is made with lamb, onions, tomatoes, garlic, green pepper, with plenty of butter, and served in individual clay pots. These pots make it convenient to serve, while helping to cook the meat better over 90 minutes.

You will be fascinated the watch the serving of Testi Kebab, as the host cracks open the clay pot with a mini hammer and pours its sizzling contents directly to the plate!

   Turkish Ravioli

In contrast, Manti is a dish of small dumplings stuffed with lamb meat and served with garlic yogurt, which is also known as Turkish Ravioli. The size of the Manti holds a special significance in turkey, the smaller in size means the host thinks of you very highly!

Making this special ravioli is no small feat – in fact, mothers in Kayseri region used this skill as a measurement to select potential wives for their sons! The hard work put into this traditional dish speaks of love, so remember to try it on your honeymoon trip to Cappadocia.

   Aside

Desserts have a significant place in the list of food in Cappadocia. For those who have a sweet tooth, Aside is a delicacy you should certainly try during your vacation. It is a Turkish Dessert made of water, flour, and grape molasses – grapes being a major crop in this region.

Aside is slow cooked in a pan and best served while it remains hot. Small scale restaurants in Cappadocia serve traditional aside, so make sure you give this sweet dish a try!

 Koftur

Ever tried Turkish delight? Koftur is somewhat similar and are known as ‘Turkish Jellybeans’. Just like aside, the main ingredient in Koftur is grape molasses, lots of it mixed with flour, water, some starch, cooked and cut into cubes after layering on a flat surface. As it contains little moisture, you can keep it stored for weeks without turning bad and is a great snack to nibble during afternoon hikes in Cappadocia!

   Wine

Cappadocia is famous for its local spirits too! Due to its volcanic erosions & cool underground caves, the city has the perfect setting to make best quality wines. The altitude, climate & soil along with years of winemaking has resulted in producing ingenious grape wine & beer flavors you can taste only in Cappadocia.

You can participate in a wine cellar visit including a wine tasting session for an amount of $153 or visit a local restaurant where they serve local spirits to celebrate the night away!

07.Visit Historical Places

Cappadocia is a city rich with historic monuments, as it had been the cradle of culture since the dawn of civilization. That’s why it’s one of the best places to spend your honeymoon if you are a history fanatic, where you get to marvel over countless heritages both natural & man-made, all located just a few miles from one another.

Here’s a quick list of places to visit in Cappadocia, you could make it a checklist for your Honeymoon Vacation!

Fairy Chimneys.

A girl in a Fairy Chimneys.

When visiting Göreme Turkey, the cool rock formations known as fairy chimneys are a must see. They are formed by lava eruptions and named after their unique shape, some of them dating back as far as 60 million years.

Due to their soft dusty texture, ancient people had easily converted these giant mushroom shaped pillars into dwellings, making the fairy chimneys “one of the world’s most striking and largest cave-dwelling complexes” acclaimed by UNESCO.

Ancient Castles

Ancient Castles in Cappadocia

Ortahisar Castle is only 10-minute drive from Göreme and provides one of the best views of sprawling natural valleys highlighted by the setting sun. You can climb up to the middle of the castle with the support of stone steps, exterior stairs, and ladders. Don’t forget to check out the cafes and wine cellars on ground level!

Ticket price – around 2 USD Per person

Opening hours – 8 am to 6 pm

 

Uchisar is another ancient castle which provides stunning views of the skyline during dusk. It’s situated just 5km away Göreme, and you can easily take a bus from the main station to get down at Uchisar Village. It takes about an hour to walk around the castle, more so if you plan to enjoy lunch and take pictures, so plan well ahead!

Ticket price – around 2 USD Per person

Opening hours – 7.30 am to 8 pm

 

Cavusin Castle is an ancient church which is 2.5km away from Göreme. It’s also known as ‘St John’s Baptist Church’ and had been built in the 5th century. The church is built into the side of a cliff and although the narthex has been collapsed, you can still get to the top of the structure.

Ticket price – Free entrance

Opening hours – 8 am to 6 pm

Underground Cities

For more than thousands of years, Derinkuyu Underground City has been a safe heaven to refugees, accommodating nearly 2000 people at certain times. The homes are carved from soft volcanic rock, resulting in eight layers of incredible architecture you shouldn’t miss out!

Ticket price – around 5 USD Per person

Opening hours – 8 am to 7 pm in Summer / 8 am to 5 pm in Winter.

One of the most popular places to visit in Cappadocia is Kaymakli Underground City . it is the biggest and the deepest underground dwelling in the region. Only 4 layers are currently accessible out of the 8 original layers, and the residents still use some areas as stables and cellars to store their goods.

Ticket price – around 3.70 USD Per person

Opening hours – 8 am to 6.15 pm

Natural Valleys

One of the best viewpoints to watch the sunrise and sunset in Cappadocia, Red Valley gets its name due to the pinkish red hue on its surreal rock formations. You can visit this breathtaking wonder of nature on horseback or on foot, and it’s a paradise for nature photography enthusiasts. You can also join hot air balloon rides that start from the Red Valley, if you are early enough!

Best times to visit – sunrise & sunset

Sword Valley

Sword Valley is one of the most popular places to visit in Cappadocia because it is located right next to a massive Hot Air Balloon Take-off spot. If visited early in the morning, not only you can see hundreds of colourful balloons rising upwards, but also take some unforgettable photographs! Quad bikes are allowed here, letting you enjoy some off-road fun too.

Best times to visit – any time of the day

Love Valley.

A girl in Love Valley

 

is popular due to its ‘Fairy Chimneys’, the unusual rock formations spiking up from the lava eroded earth, making it an ideal setting for wedding photoshoots. Couples also select this valley to propose to their significant other, hence the name ‘Love Valley’ is given. You can explore this stunning terrain via ATVs, off road jeeps or be a little adventurous and hike on foot.

Best times to visit – morning

Museums

Honeymooning in this fairy land deserves a trip to Zelve Open Air Museum and possibly should be one of the best things to do in Cappadocia. Though it is overshadowed by the bigger popular Göreme Open Air Museum, Zelve is an original monastery showcasing a different side in the history of Cappadocia. Don’t forget to drop by the café at the entrance which serves delicious Turkish Pancakes, pomegranate and orange juice!

Ticket price – around 3 USD Per person

Opening hours – 8 am to 5 pm

 

For the couples who love history, Göreme Open Air Museum is going to be a delight to see! Used as a monastery settlement between 4th to 13th century D.C., you can see some well-preserved frescos on the walls of the rock- cut blocks which had served as churches, chapels, sitting and dining rooms. The usual tour takes about one hour, make sure to take some memorable clicks as you explore!

Ticket price – around 8 USD Per person Opening hours – 8 am to 5 pm

Summary,

From wonderous skylines, endless valleys to unique hot air balloon rides, there are so many unique and amazing things for honeymooners in Cappadocia. It’s rich culture, mouthwatering cuisine, thrilling adventures and best hotels & resorts make this city one of the most unique honeymoon hotspots in the world.

The ideal time to visit Cappadocia is from May to October, where the days are warm without a hint of rain, nights are chilly, and the wind is perfect for hot air ballooning. So, if you are planning for a Honeymoon in Turkey, make sure to book your flight during the right time, not to miss anything out of our list of 7 awesome things to do in Cappadocia.

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