Mediterranean Itinerary- Cappadocia/ Kapadokya

 

Next stop… Cappadocia! 

If you follow me on Instagram, then you already know we are expecting our first child this Summer and are beyond excited! It is crazy to think that this trip will be a year ago from our due date! Now back to the post, Cappadocia/ Kapadokya!

Cappadocia was one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever been to! We will definitely be returning here once the baby arrives. One of the main reasons we wanted to go to Goreme was because of the infamous hot air balloons that take off during sunrise. However due to the weather (wind and fog), the hot air balloons didn’t take off any of the days we were there! We were super sad because I really wanted to see them, but that’s just more of a reason to come back. Don’t be disappointed if you book a trip to Cappadocia but don’t get to experience the magical hot air balloons; it is very common for most travelers and there is nothing to do about it. 

How to get to Goreme from the airport:

We took a flight from Istanbul to Nevsehir airport, and booked a shuttle service which also happened to be the tour service we used for the days we were in Cappadocia, Heritage Travel. They are amazing and very responsive, and we communicated with them via email. Our original flight to Cappadocia got canceled and they were able to accommodate us on a new shuttle service for the rebooked flight easily. Once we arrived, we retrieved our luggage and walked out of the small airport to be greeted by a gentleman holding a sign for Heritage Travel. It was fast, efficient, and effortless. We had door to door service, and the ride took about 1.5 hours.

Where to stay:

The first hotel we stayed at was, The Henna Konak Hotel! Such a beautiful hotel and the rooms are inside of actual caves! We felt like Fred and Wilma during our stay, haha! The view from the rooftop is insanely beautiful during sunrise with or without the hot air balloons. We woke up at 4am every morning to see the hot air balloons take off, but due to the weather we were unable to. The staff is so friendly and the breakfast in the morning is also delicious! The second hotel we moved to was The Local Cave House. This hotel has a massive swimming pool right in the center and is a great place to spend the morning/ afternoon relaxing and soaking up some sun. The view from the pool is of the surrounding rocks. All of the hotels are very close to one another, yet they are all located on steep hills. Make sure to pack light as the trek from one hotel to another can be hard if you have a lot of luggage. Yes, all the hotels are very close and it was about a 10 minute walk between the two.

Goreme is a fairly small town, which is what makes it more beautiful! Let me break down our itinerary for you all. 

What to do:

If you are looking to get the most out of your stay and see as much as possible, then I would highly recommend booking tours! The tours we took were amazing and really gave us a feel for the culture and we got a chance to see everything! Self guided tours can be tough, especially in a place you are unfamiliar with. 

Day 1:

We booked a full day tour with Heritage Travel for the Cappadocia Heritage Tour. The tour picked us up from our hotel at 10am which gave us enough time to eat breakfast at our hotel, Henna Hotel. This tour was AMAZING! We got to see so many fairy chimneys and experience an authentic Turkish lunch in the midst of it all. All of the infamous spots you can think of were covered during this tour: Pasabagi, Zelve Valley, Love Valley, and more. You really get to see the beauty of Kapadokya. The tour involves a lot of walking and a bit of a hike so be sure to wear or bring comfortable shoes. 

The tour also took us to a carpet weaving school where women have been making Turkish carpets for centuries! I even got a chance to try and weave a part of a carpet they were making! We found a beautiful authentic handmade Turkish rug that we bought and took home with us. They also had handmade Turkish pottery here if that is something of interest, also. 

The whole experience was so wonderful and unforgettable! 

Day 2:

Checked into our second hotel, the Local Cave House and spent the afternoon at the pool sun baking.

Explored Goreme on our own by foot, and went to eat at local bakeries and cafes, and visited the infamous Sultan carpets, which is literally steps away from the Local Cave House Hotel. 

Horseback riding tour with Dalton Brothers Ranch was the activity for the second evening. They picked us up from our hotel at 5pm and took us directly to the ranch. Did you know Cappadocia/ Kapadokya means “Land of beautiful horses”? Which now I can confirm because the horses are so majestic and beautiful! I had gone horseback riding before, but that was over a decade ago and Malick had never been. I won’t lie this horseback riding tour was kind of scary because of the pathways on the mountains, but this was also one of the COOLEST experiences of our lives. During sunset you get to see the most magical views of the valleys while horseback riding through the mountains. The views are truly unexplainable and so gorgeous. The staff is highly trained so you feel safe, but if you are scared of heights and/ or afraid of riding a horse, I would rethink this tour. 

We really felt like we were living on the edge, literally! Photos and videos don’t do it any justice and you have to see the beauty in real life. 

One major tip is to be sure to fly to Cappadocia before Istanbul, to save you a trip back through the airport security.  Hope this helps you all and let me know if you have any questions! 

Xoxo,

Farheen