For all you Instagrammers out there, I’m sure that Cappadocia has got a solid spot on your bucket list.
And for those of you who have never heard of it, I have no doubt that this blog will have you dreaming of a fairytale trip there yourself 💭
Cappadocia is a region made up of 5 cities located inland turkey. It’s not a beach destination, or a contender for the epic all inclusive resorts that the coast has to offer. It’s relatively small and there’s no direct flights there from the UK. But what’s fascinating about this little region, is that it 12 million years ago, the eruption of 3 volcanoes paired with years and years of erosion have created the most usual “other-worldly” looking landscape.
Because of it’s location, it was constantly under attack, so there are a series of underground cities in the region. The majority of the hotels are built from caves, and the best thing of all, is that EVERYDAY (weather permitting), over one hundred hot air balloons take off into the sky at the crack of dawn to offer one of the most unique sunrise views on the planet.
Typically, it’s a destination that most people would visit for a long weekend. As I mentioned, it’s pretty small and there’s a handful of unique things to see there that you could quite easily cram into 3 or 4 days. I actually decided to go for 9 days. I’m fortunate enough to work from home, and I was being stingy with my holiday allowance. So I decided to work from the Monday to Thursday while I was there, and explore Cappadocia on the weekends either side.
Even though it’s perfect for weekend breaks, getting there is a pretty long day. It’s a 4 hour flight into Istanbul, then around a 2 hour wait at the airport, a further 90 minute flight, then an hour drive to get to Göreme (the main tourist destination of Cappadocia). So if you account for travel time, it’s best to go for at least 4 days.
One thing there’s no shortage of in Cappadocia are Cave hotels. There’s about 400 in this tiny region, ranging from 5* luxury, to medium-range cave suites, to Airbnb’s, hostels and even apartments.
I stayed in a beautiful place called Adelya Cave Hotel that was recommended to me in a travel group. It did NOT disappoint! My bedroom was literally a cave, and I had this cute little shared-terrace area outside my door, which made a lovely view point for the hot air balloons at sunrise.
Lisa and Deniz were the perfect hosts, and during my 9 day stay, we pretty much became a little family. They were great at recommendations as well as arranging my tours and transfers. Also Deniz is a breakfast pro, it was included in the price and was INCREDIBLE!! So if you’re looking for somewhere to stay that’s right in the main town, great service and brilliant value for money, I’d highly recommend you send them an email directly. (Funny story, Lisa went on a trip there from New Zealand about 9 years ago and never left!)
The main town of Göreme is full of delicious restaurants, little cafes, carpet shops, ice cream stands, souvenir shops and shisha bars. I was surprised to see that there were no fast food places or kebab stalls. There’s such a lovely culture of restaurant-only dining (very affordable by the way) and brilliant service. Every meal is a complete masterpiece.
Keep your eyes peeled for my next blog which is ALL about my top recommendations of places to eat and things to do during your stay in Cappadocia.
If you haven’t yet added this destination to your bucket list, I highly recommend that you do! A magical place full of beautiful surprises and mouth-wateringly delicious food - What more could you want??
Check out my story highlights on Instagram to have a sneak peek at this spectacular destination;