Like all places that repeated so many times in travel programs and posters of travel agencies, we think to reach Cappadocia would that disappointing feeling "that I already saw," and would not be as magical as we had been sold .
But we were wrong; Cappadocia is all that we saw in photos and more. Without a doubt one of the most special places in these 7 years of travel.
Many come just to make a balloon flight; but no! Cappadocia is not a place that he can do justice in one or two days; It is a huge area that includes towns, valleys, abandoned and inhabited caves, underground cities ... have to be here to believe it.
So you're not lost in the fog as you start planning your trip from now, we prepared this comprehensive guide to traveling to Cappadocia with our experience. The weather for the time of year, housing costs, tours, transportation, and our favorite places.
I can only say that you need to see this with your own eyes ...
HOW TO GET TO Cappadocia?
First of all, we have to leave this issue clear to no more confusion: Cappadocia is not the name of a city, but a region in central Turkey. Within this region there are cities and towns, but more interesting is around the two resort towns: Goreme and Urgup.
If you're going to make a short trip to Turkey and did not want to stop at Cappadocia, take into account that Istanbul is a long journey of 10-12 hours by bus.
Companies that make this stretch are: Nevşehir Seyahat, Metro Suha and Kamil Koc. The bus will leave you in Nevsehir and then going to take a mini-bus for free to people who want to go.
If you take a flight it is just over 1 hour. There are two airports that you can get: Kayseri and Cappadocia (Nevsehir) Airport. From either going to have to take a mini-bus to Göreme or where you're staying. From Kayseri is 1 hour to give yourself Göreme and Cappadocia Airport are 45 minutes.
Generally the cheapest Pegasus Airlines has them, but also checks with Anadolu Jet (only flies to Kayseri), Onur Air and Turkish Airlines.
Cappadocia-map
This map is for you to have notion of naming the places we go, but you can get a much more detailed when you get to Cappadocia
CLIMATE IN CAPPADOCIA AND WHEN TO GO?
Mid-December to mid-March: is very cold. Snowfall usually start in late December or early lasting until mid-March, and the wind blows hard, so it is normal that any balloon flights are suspended. Many hotels are closed because the heating costs are not justified by the amount of tourists there. The positive is that there being low season discount on accommodation, and if you can pull off a winter vacation here, you'll also have fantastic photos of Cappadocia snowfall.
Mid-October to mid-December / mid-March to late April: good time to travel; cold but tolerable, and there is so much tourism high season. We went in late October, and although we always had to be with diver and a warm jacket (sometimes hat and gloves as well), we didn't mind because at least we weren't dying of heat as we might have been had it been summer. The temperature was between 8 ° and 12 ° C.
May to late June / September and October: the best time to travel in terms of temperature. But since this is the peak season travel wise (where 90% of tourist come traveling to Turkey for the first time) forget the quiet walk through the most popular valleys, and prepare for long lines at all the attractions.
While Cappadocia is an arid place during these months it is when it rains and the weather is more changeable.
July and August: the sun heats with his ferocity in the summer of Cappadocia (above 35 ° C) and walking becomes intolerable. In mid August the temperature starts to drop.
WHERE TO STAY?
For us, it is best to stay in Goreme, because it has a great location in the middle of conical formations and there are many places to visit within walking distance. The negative is that the people live exclusively on tourism; every business is a hotel, souvenir stall, restaurant or travel agency. You'll always be surrounded by tourists and prices are higher.
Urgup is very much a one-oriented tourists Turkish people. It is bigger, much cheaper and with real options to eat, and not all restaurants have ridiculously inflated prices. The big downside is that the most interesting places far away.
We stayed six days in Göreme and three in Urgup. As we said, in terms of location, there is no rival to Göreme, so if you are staying a few days we recommend you stay here.
When we moved to Urgup we felt we were back in Turkey. We found cheap food stalls, bakeries, many teahouses and life beyond tourism, but would leave it as a second option.
In Cappadocia it is careful all the integrity of the area, so you will not see concrete monstrosities with tin roofs ruining the landscape, as seen in many places. One of the rules of conservation of UNESCO is that everything has to be done is built with local stone, thus maintaining a uniform color and style.
Most hotels are built as many as thirty or forty years ago were caves where people lived. Many rooms are actual caves renovated and others are new buildings inside are acclimated as such.
I imagine that there are options to spare, but everything depends on how much you want to pay.
PLACES TO VISIT FROM Goreme
♦ Göreme Sunset Point: is 10 minutes from the town center. It is a very good place to watch the flight of the balloons in the morning. Free.
The time off balloons varies depending on time of year, so you should ask for an agency to not wait for the dead early morning cold as happened to us the first time, we arrived before 6 and above They did not come out! For example, during our trip (end of October) they took off from 7am.
View from Sunset Point Goreme
♦ Uçhisar: even before arriving in Goreme, this town is the first thing you'll see in Cappadocia. The spectacular castle is the highest point in the area, and one of those images that are a must on any tourist brochure.
To enter the castle charge admission, but the best is the view from afar, rather than inside. For we do not need pay it.
It is 5 kilometers from Göreme. You can go the route finger (all uphill) and walk back to the Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi), which is very easy to do.
Uçhisar
♦ Çavuşin: the imposing rock Çavuşin is where the villagers once lived. The place is fantastic and is only 4 kilometers from Göreme. Free.
Çavuşin
♦ Network (Gulludere) and Rose (Kizilcukur) Valley: They are the two most spectacular valleys, especially at sunset. When we asked a local guide what was your favorite place to watch the sunset, she told us that there is nothing like the view from the balcony that is behind the church Haçli Kalesi, in the Rose Valley (there is a little stand that sells juices and tea next to the church). From the hills that separate the route of the valley also has a magical panorama.
The problem is that the signs of the walks is not very clear, and there are several divisions, so it is easy to miss.
The only way to be able to go walking well is because cuatricilos or bikes are not allowed on the trails, and the ground is not suitable for bicycles.
If you have little time in Cappadocia, this valley is definitely the one you can not miss. Besides the natural formations and caves, you'll also find several churches with crosses carved into the ceiling frescoes and formidable (the Haçli Kalesi is the ninth century).
Fresco inside Haçli Kalesi
♦ Love Valley: the Love Valley are sufficiently intriguing to make sense of the name.
Travel-to-Turkey-Cappadocia-Love-Valley
♦ Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi) is a short, easy hike to continue linking with Uçhisar Göreme. The name (Pigeon Valley) put it because there are several caves that until recently were used to feed pigeons and they gather dung, which serve as fertilizer and fertilizer.
Travel-to-Turkey-Cappadocia-3
♦ Open Air Museum: always full of tour groups, is the appeal is not lacking in any tour. We did not hear any traveler who didn't thoroughly enjoy this, so do not completely rule out even though it does cost a fair bit.
♦ If you have a whole day to spare walk from Göreme to Çavuşin (no need to go by the paved road, you can grab the dirt road that divides thereof). After visiting Çavuşin Rediscover the paved road and walk towards Göreme to the turnoff that goes to "Love Valley". There is a road that takes you inside the valley and another that goes up. The road that goes up is good because you go through a gazebo and you can better appreciate the scenery, but then becomes a normal way land; while below so you do not have good views but you're always in the valley.
After about 4 or 5 km walk you'll arrive at Uçhisar. Visit the village and volvé to Göreme by the "Pigeon Valley", which will be two more kilometers.
It is a long and tiring walk, but strongly recommended.
Travel-to-Turkey-Cappadocia-Love-Valley-2
PLACES TO VISIT FROM Urgup
♦ Mustafapaşa: is a town where even before the formation of the Republic, Greeks and Turks lived transmigration. This is evident in several typical Greek buildings, such as the church with Greek plates in the front and painted blue and white houses.
There is also an old church converted into a mosque, which clearly note the difference between the original building and the minaret added decades later.
Facing you'll see a madrassa (school in Arabic, usually referiendo to Islamic school) converted church. Note that on both sides of the entrance there spin columns; They are used in cases of earthquake to know if there was danger of collapse. If the columns are spinning then you will know all is well, but if you take a look and the happen to be locked you better run!
Travel-to-Turkey-Cappadocia-Mustafapasa
♦ Aktepe Hill (Sunset Point): no need to pay the entrance TL 2 for this viewpoint that are filled with tourists. Just before reaching the barrier to entry, grab the dirt road that goes left. After about 300 meters you'll arrive to a terrace where you'll have even better views of the Red Valley to pay, and well away from stacking up.
It's the best place to watch the flying balloons, but you'll have to wake up very early because he is 6 kilometers from Urgup. At that hour of the morning they do not charge admission (at least when we went).
♦ Ortahisar: a less touristy than the other people in the area, where only are some tours, but not do much more than get off, and go visit the castle. It is good to stay a while sitting watching life that no longer exists in Göreme.
♦ Imagination (Devrent) Valley and Pasabagi: from Urgup you can walk (about 10 kilometers.), Hitchhike or take a dolmuş to Devrent Valley, where it joins with another paved road, which is what you have to take. From there it is better to walk to not miss anything.
In the "Imagination Valley" you'll have to fair bit of imagination to find anything unusual in those rocks. After a couple of kilometers you'll reach Pasabagi where in one place you have a dream-team of rock formations; conical shaped rocks that resembled something a little more xrated, rabbit, a church dug in the rock and what comes to mind. Best of all is the office of the gendarmes across the path; for us there is no doubt that Hanna and Barbera were inspired here to create The Flintstones.
If you still went to Çavuşin, you can keep walking for another 3 kilometers.
♦ Walk all day beginning in Urgup walk down the path to the side of Ortahisar. A 1 kilometer there is a viewpoint overlooking three conical hat formations called "3 Beauties of Urgup".
I followed him to Ortahisar (about 5 km. More) and take a tour of the village. Rediscover the main road and turn in the road leading to Göreme. After 500 meters you'll arrive at Kaya Camping. Just before the entrance to the campsite there is a dirt road that enters the Red Valley. You can do the entire walk through the valley to Çavuşin or end at the viewpoint of Haçli Kalesi and return the same way.
If you stay to watch the sunset we do not recommend trying to get back on the road to Kaya Camping in low light because it is very easy to miss.
OTHER PLACES
We include them if you see them on maps or itineraries of tours and you wonder whether they will be interesting; but all we saw near Goreme and Urgup liked more than these. We went because we were invited to a tour, but they are far and we do not miss much if you do not know.
Derinkuyu Underground City: TL 20 to be charged entry puts high expectations, and this underground city seems not met. It is the deepest of the 36 that exist in all Cappadocia (the largest is Kaymakali), with 14 floors underground from which you can visit seven.
Of course it is incredible to imagine how people lived thousands of years underground, and walking toward the center of the earth we imagined these claustrophobic, terrifying tunnels, but we were greeted with were empty caves and many tourists. This is 35 kilometers from Göreme.
Sobessos: the discovery was that a farmer, in 1963, found one of the most important historical buildings in the history of Cappadocia. Working in the field he uncovered what looked like the beginnings of ancient ruins, but for years no one listened. Only in 2002 the authorities finally decided to listen and began to dig. "Geez, the old man was right!" They said, when uncovered the ruins of the only city in late Roman and early Christian era (mid S.IV SV) throughout the region.
The importance of the place is undeniable, but what you will see are mosaics and bases of columns and walls. Unfortunately it still has not been fully restored due to lack of funds. Only for history buffs.
The site is near Sahinefendi, more than 30 km. Göreme.
OUR TOP 5
5- Love Valley: fulfill the dream of many by walking the valley of the rocks-penis or watching it from above; as it is spectacular.
Imagination 4- (Devrent) Valley and Pasabagi: if we're staying with the fixed idea after the Valley of Love, here you will be able to free your imagination.
3- Çavuşin: no excuses not to go, it is beside the Göreme and the carved huge rock is truly fabulous.
2 See the balloon flight at dawn from Aktepe Hill: hurts wake to such inhumane hours, but well worth the burning eyes. Watch the forecast and the sky before going, because if you went down there and do not go is very hard!
1- Red and Rose Valley: undisputed winner. Be sure to watch the sunset from the viewpoint Haçli is behind the church.
"MUSEUM PASS" PASS GENERAL FOR ALL PAYMENTS ATTRACTIONS
If you want to visit several of the places for which no entrance fee, you can get the Museum Pass, which costs 45 TL and includes the Göreme Open Air Museum (with Dark Church); Zelve Open Air Museum; the subterránes cities of Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı and Özkonak; Soganli Valley; Ihlara Valley (more than 80km from Goreme), among others.
You have in mind that it is only valid for 72 hours.
We believe there is no need to pay for these "museums" because the beauty of Cappadocia is its fantastic nature, and that you can watch for free.
BALLOON FLIGHT
The gondolas of Venice, camel ride at the Pyramids of Egypt, walking in flip flops by Mar del Plata and ... ballooning in Cappadocia! There are people traveling to Turkey almost exclusively to do this tour, we all saw the documentary and tourist brochures. So romantic, it was incredibly influential in the boom of tourism in this area.
To give you an idea, flights with Anatolian Balloons, one of the most recommended companies, start at 160 Euros for 45-60 minutes in a basket of between 20 and 25 people.
HOW TO MOVE AROUND Cappadocia?
As I said before, the best to go well is walking valleys remain until you legs like those of Pupi Zanetti. Well, maybe a little less, but we mean that you can walk get you to places you could not with a vehicle.
Public transport there, of course. The dolmuş (mini-buses) cover all people, but the frequency is not the best. Each trip costs about TL 3, depending on the distance to do.
The tours are definitely not our thing, so we do not recommend those. They may sound tempting if you have little time and covering several places, but there's nothing more boring than going in a van with other tourists up and down in the same places.
So we say:
Walking everywhere!
Walking everywhere!
Tourism not work for Turkey, but we hope we have done our part to convince travel to Cappadocia.
Any questions, update, complaint, declaration of love or revolutionary idea, leave it in the comments that our dedicated team of two full time employees be given the importance it deserves.
Have a good trip!
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