If you ask yourself what to do in Cappadocia, your answer is endless! Even simple activities such as taking a walk in the magical atmosphere of Cappadocia can turn into deep experiences.

Therefore, our recommendation is that you do the Cappadocia activities that we mentioned here while making your trip plan about Cappadocia. In addition, since almost all of them are in places you want to see, you can do more than one activity in a short time. Hot air balloons in Cappadocia, horse riding in Cappadocia, atv tour Cappadocia etc.

If you are ready, we start Cappadocia activities.

  1. See Underground Cities

Exploring the underground cities is as important as getting on a balloon during the Cappadocia tour. One of the most impressive historical settlements you have ever seen in your life.

In history, the Cappadocians, who were faced with constant raids and plundering, found the solution to dig a second village under their village where they could take shelter. We call it Cappadocians because all civilizations that came here, from the Hittites (1650-1200 BC) to the Byzantines, maintained and developed this order. Inside each house there is a landing under the ground. Later, these underground villages were connected to each other with tunnels and transformed into underground cities.

You should read about the underground cities of Cappadocia:

Underground Cities in Cappadocia

  1. Join a Free Pottery Making Workshop in Avanos

Avanos is the place where ceramic workshops are densely located, where the soil is shaped and pots are smuggled.

Pottery making in Cappadocia, which has been continuing since the Hittites, is the most important cultural value of the region.

While making pottery, you should know that soft and oily clay soils from the mountains of Avanos and in the old regions of the Kızılırmak River are used. The soil is sifted and kneaded and turned into mud. The mud is shaped on the loom called the wheel. The bowls made in the workshops are first dried in the sun, then in the shade, and then baked at 800-1200 degrees in an oven fired with straw and sawdust.

During your Cappadocia tour, be sure to drive to a pottery workshop.

  1. Photo Break at Galerie İkman

This is Galerie İkman. An ethnic carpet-rug gallery in Göreme. Since taking pictures at this rug shop is a popular activity around the world, we wanted to let you know. It is so popular that you have to make a reservation to take a photo. Still, it is a truly fascinating place.

Even if you are not going to take a photo, we say stop by to see the environment.

Address: Hakkı Pasha Square, Next to the Roman Castle.

  1. Take a Nature Walk in Pigeon Valley

Güvercinlik Valley is one of the most ideal places for trekking in Cappadocia because it has an already arranged hiking trail and red-marked directions. Thus, you can do a trekking here by following these directions on your own without being dependent on any tour.

The entrance of the track is on the road between Uçhisar and Göreme and takes about 4 kilometers / 2 hours.

  1. Stay in Cave Houses

One of the most unique experiences in Cappadocia is staying in cave houses. Because most private stay here in Turkey. When you come here, instead of classical options, you will find magnificent cave houses and mansions inspired by the caves where people stayed in primitive conditions centuries ago.

Watching the passing of colorful balloons in the first light of the morning from the terraces of these houses and having breakfast against that view is a unique experience in itself.

  1. Have breakfast while watching the balloons

Would you like to see the balloons up close, watch them take off and have your breakfast at the same time? So we have a great suggestion!

While the hot air balloons take off towards the sky, you can watch them from here and have breakfast while watching.

There are a couple of patisseries / bakeries that open early because the balloons start early in the day. Ask the day before and find out which one so that you don’t miss the balloons while trying to find a place to shop in the morning. The balloons will fly so closely that you can share your meals with them.

Here is the location.

  1. Take a Gondola Ride in Kızılırmak

One of the most popular activities in Cappadocia is taking a gondola tour on the river. You can take a gondola or boat tour on the Kızılırmak River.

The gondola tour takes about 15 minutes. Except Sunday, all other days start at 13:00. You have to make a reservation before you go. The gondola can accommodate six people at a time, and the boat can accommodate up to forty people. The payment does not vary according to the number of people, so whether you get one person or six people to the gondola, you pay the same amount.

  1. Eat Dinner in Restaurants Carved Out of Rocks

Having dinner in authentic rock restaurants in the evening is a must in Cappadocia. As there is a lot of demand by group tours, make sure to make reservations everywhere in case you cannot find a suitable place.

  1. Learn How To Make Wine And Taste Wine In Wine Houses

Cappadocia’s soil structure feeds the grapes needed for wine production. These fertile lands are among the most ideal places in Anatolia for viticulture, grape production and therefore winemaking, but its cultural and economic value is just emerging.

If you pay attention, one of the first things that come to mind when you think of Cappadocia in the last ten years has started to be their wines. Especially in the vineyards of Nevşehir’s Ürgüp district, boutique wines produced here from local grapes are the signature wines of Cappadocia.

You can easily find white wines produced especially from Emir grape, even on any market shelves in Istanbul. There are two main local wine producers in Cappadocia: Kocabağ and Turasan. Wine tasting tours that you do by visiting the factories of both producers and seeing traditional winemaking are among the most popular activities of recent years.

  1. ATV Safari

Traveling in the valleys of Cappadocia by trekking, hiking, flora walking, horse tour, ATV safari, jeep safari, bicycle tour, camping in the valley will allow you to see every part of Cappadocia and make your holiday more meaningful.

Spend half a day to get lost in Cappadocia valleys with ATV bikes and wander among fairy chimneys.

  1. Horse Safari

One of the most beautiful things to do in Cappadocia, which means “Land of Beautiful Horses” in Persian language, is horse riding.

Meet the people who tamed the Yılkı horses in Erciyes and go on a horse safari. There are many places that organize horse-drawn safaris. You can join daily or a few days horseback tours in Cappadocia.

On daily horse tours, you tour the valleys where the most iconic landforms can be seen, such as Kızılçukur Valley, Güllüdere Valley, Love Valley, Bağlar Valley and Kılıçlar Valley. On their website, you can make reservations by specifying your tour dates, tour type, number of people, and whether you have any previous riding experience.

  1. Watch Colorful Balloons at Sunrise

If you came to Cappadocia, you should definitely participate in one of the activities before sunrise. If you do not come to Cappadocia and watch at least 100 – 150 hot air balloons take off at sunrise, the Cappadocia tour will be incomplete.

Balloons pass near many hotels, if the location of your hotel is suitable, you can watch them directly from your hotel or watch the balloons from Güvercinlik Valley, Kızıl Çukur Valley, Uçhisar Castle, Lovers’ Hill.

Balloon flights can also be made during the day if the weather conditions are suitable. Of course, sunrise is a much more legendary experience when you are in one of those balloons, but whether you get on the balloon or not, wake up one morning and go to one of these beautiful hills and watch the balloons.

Read about hot air balloons: Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Tour

  1. Take a Balloon Ride

If it is suitable for your budget, definitely join a balloon tour in Cappadocia. On the balloon tour, you take off with at least 100-150 balloons at the same time, everywhere you look is beautiful and of course you have the chance to see wonderful photos and valleys from above.

When you decide to take the balloon at Cappadocia, you need to make a reservation, no matter which company you choose.

The flight schedule is the same in every company. The company service takes you from the hotel you are staying to their offices, you have breakfast here, and after the flight approval is given, you go to the area where the balloons will take off.

After the pre-flight briefing, the balloons are prepared and you get on the baskets, your belts are fastened, then you start to fly. When you land, champagne and snacks are offered. If you do not use alcohol, they also open non-alcoholic champagne. After receiving your participation documents, they drop you off to your hotel by vehicles.

  1. Watch the Sunset in Kızılçukur Valley

If watching the sunset gives you pleasure, you should go to Kızılçukur Valley.

Take your chairs and your table with you, and have fun with whatever you like to eat at sunset. If you prefer wine, you can buy it from the wine houses here. We are sure that there will be a painting that you cannot erase from your memory.

  1. Collect Grapes from Vineyards

Cappadocia is famous for its vineyards and wines produced by local producers from local grapes. September is the vintage period in Cappadocia.

The wine-making culture, which has been around for centuries in this region, is still alive today. The month in which the vineyards are harvested for that year’s production in September every year. In this period, which coincides with the second week of September, Nevşehir Municipality has been organizing the Ürgüp International Grape Harvest Festival for 50 years. This festival takes place in the Üç Güzeller area, there are concerts, shows and tasting events. There are also competitions among local winemakers such as the best quality grape and the fastest grape eating contest.

We think it is a great idea for wine lovers to coincide with their Cappadocia trip to the vintage period.

  1. Go to Festivals in Cappadocia

Cappadox Festival is held in May every year. If your self drive tour is in May, we recommend you to attend this festival.

If you like cycling, this festival is for you! There are competitions, meetings and activities for both amateur and professional cyclists. You can register for the festival on the website.

  1. See the Hair Museum

The Hair Museum in Cappadocia, which is ranked 6th in the category of the strangest museums in the world in the Guinness Book of Records, should definitely be seen.

There are hair left by more than 16,000 women in the museum located in the potters market. This is actually a part of the pottery shop of Chez Galip, the famous pottery master of Cappadocia.

The difference of this museum from other museums is that it has a special story. A French woman, who is beloved by Galip Bey, cuts a lock of her hair and hangs it on the wall while returning to her country, and the people who visit the store start to leave this hair from their hair and it becomes a place with about 16 thousand hairs. Day after day, visitors continue to cut their hair and leave it here. People who want to participate in the raffle held twice a year write their personal information on a piece of paper and hang them with their cut hair.