Cappadocia
A surreal landscape of fairy chimneys and cave dwellings in central Turkey - honeycombed with rock-cut churches and underground cities, and famous for its dawn balloon flights, a UNESCO site.
Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map
Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
UNESCO World Heritage
Cappadocia is one of the most surreal landscapes on earth, a region of central Turkey where soft volcanic rock has been eroded into a fairytale of cone-shaped fairy chimneys, valleys and pinnacles. For centuries people carved homes, churches and entire underground cities into the rock, and today it is world-famous for the hundreds of hot-air balloons that drift over its otherworldly valleys at dawn.
What you actually see
- The dawn balloon flight - the hundreds of balloons over the valleys at sunrise.
- The Goreme Open-Air Museum - the rock-cut churches with Byzantine frescoes.
- The fairy chimneys - the surreal cone-shaped rock formations.
- The underground cities - the vast rock-cut cities like Derinkuyu.
When to go
Spring and autumn for the mildest weather and the best balloon conditions; summer is hot and winter cold, though snow on the chimneys is magical. Balloon flights depend on calm weather and can be cancelled, so allow a few mornings.
Honest expectations
The famous balloon flights depend on calm weather and are often cancelled, so build in spare mornings and expect a high price; they also book up far ahead. It is very popular, so the valleys and cave hotels are busy in season. A few days let you explore beyond the balloons.
Nearby
The underground cities and the Ihlara Valley are nearby; central Anatolia spreads around.
What to pack for Cappadocia
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
