Cappadocia is as beautiful in real life as it is on social media (asides from the over edited ones). This gorgeous place in Turkey is famously known for the hot air balloons in the sky at just the right time with just the perfect weather. While this is true and I definitely recommend going, there are a few key things you must keep in mind to ensure 100% satisfaction on this trip.
Behind the scenes:
- Cappadocia is approx. a 2 hour flight from Istanbul, but not very frequent (per day) so plan accordingly
- I recommend getting an airport transfer to your hotel (if you book excursions via a tour company, this will be an option)
- If you want to see the hot air balloons in the sky (and take those insta-worthy photos) AND take a balloon ride up yourself, then you’ll need at least two days in Cappadocia. Hot air balloons only fly once a day at 7am for sunrise, so one morning will have to be spent watching, and one morning riding
- Just a heads up – there is a chance that your balloon ride will get cancelled due to weather/wind conditions. You won’t be charged anything, but if you’ve only booked one night/morning in Cappadocia, then you won’t be able to postpone your ride
Final thoughts:
You don’t need a lot of time in Cappadocia (only a few days) – it makes sense to combine it with a trip to Istanbul as that’s most likely the main connecting hub for those travelling from other countries (from London, UK you fly via Istanbul). Cappadocia caters to tourists and the hot air balloons mainly, but there are also other excursions like the valley tours (there are so many “colours” to choose from but we did two, and personally, they both felt the same), ATVing, and horse back riding to name a few. It was nice to do a few excursions combined with the hot air balloon ride.
PS – not Cappadocia specific, but when you go to Turkey you have to buy ice cream from a Turkish ice cream vendor. This isn’t just any ice cream, it’s an experience. Ask for Dondurma (they should understand what you’re talking about). Just don’t Google it or it’ll ruin it!
