I had mixed feelings about visiting Cappadocia for the first time in winter, but since I was already in Istanbul, I couldn’t resist hopping the short (and inexpensive) flight to the the mystical region known for it’s “fairy chimney” rock formations. Even as I boarded the plane, I couldn’t help wondering whether Cappadocia would be worth the trip in winter. I found out quickly that even as temperatures plummet, there is still a ton of things to do. Upon our arrival to the city of Goreme, we headed straight to the Goreme Open Air Museum, an essential stop on any traveler’s itinerary to the region.
The “museum” is comprised of a vast collection of caves and rock cut churches whose interiors are filled with colorful frescos. I would recommend setting aside an hour, at the very least, to stroll through the open air museum.
After we explored the museum, we headed across the street (literally) to the trail head and began the two hour hike to Red Valley, known for the color of it’s rock formations. Following our hike, we strolled Goreme’s city center (which is small and can easily be explored on foot), before popping into a restaurant to order some piping hot salep, a delicious milky drink made from orchid root and topped with cinnamon. After warming up, we headed to Fat Boys for dinner. You probably wouldn’t guess from the bar/restaurant’s name, but Fat Boys serves authentic Turkish fare (as well as American delights if you’re craving something other than the typical mezze and meats) in a casual, fun atmosphere.
Beat from a week of fast paced travel, we retreated to our room at Aydinli Cave Hotel after dinner. If you travel to Cappadocia – you MUST stay in a cave hotel, and I would highly recommend that you choose Aydinli. The weather was chilly and it had started to snow, but our beautiful cave room was warm and cozy! Everything about our stay was perfect, but the highlight was talking about the Cappadocia region to the hotel’s owner, Mustafa Demerci. Mustafa was born and raised in the area (he literally grew up in one of the cave houses which has now become part of his hotel) and knows Cappadocia inside and out. In fact, he’s even featured in Lonely Planet’s Turkey guidebook as a local expert.
You can click here to check current rates for Aydinli Cave Hotel, book online or find a great deal on another Cappadoccia hotel.
The hotel itself is only about a five minute walk to Goreme’s center and was an incredible value by Western standards for such a luxurious hotel suite. Plus, the views of Goreme from the terrace will take your breath away!
Since we took our first day in Cappadocia rather easy and didn’t venture outside Goreme, our second day exploring the region was jam-packed. The day was supposed to start off with experiencing something that had been on my bucket list for quite some time – a hot air balloon ride over the fairy chimneys. Unfortunately, on this particular morning, all balloon flights were canceled due to high winds and poor visibility. Although I was disappointed (and tired from waking up before sunrise), I was still excited to get out and see more of Cappadocia.
Given our limited time and unlimited wanderlust, we decided that the best way for us to explore was to hire a private driver for the day through our hotel. Although this wasn’t the cheapest option, the price was fair ($100 USD for the day) and it allowed us to see the area comfortably and on our own schedule. Since many of area’s attractions are spread out, I would recommend that you rent a car or join a group tour if you’re traveling on a budget. Although the area is serviced by public buses, this option can be tedious and time consuming as there isn’t always a direct bus route from one attraction to the next. Our driver had a general itinerary planned for us, which we then tailored to best suit our interests. We started the day by exploring Kaymakli Underground City, which is the widest of the 36 underground cities in Cappadocia. Volcanic eruptions and erosion created Cappadocia’s landscape, but beginning in the 4th century A.D., people began to carve entire cities out of the soft rock. It was fascinating to explore the winding tunnels and see how the city’s inhabitants lived the majority of their lives underground. I would recommend that you hire one of the guides waiting outside the entrance since there is little signage and no explanation of what it is you’re looking at once you enter the tunnels. Given our limited time, (and the fact that I’ve been told that all the cities more or less look similar), Kaymakli was the only underground city that we toured.
Next, we headed to Pigeon Valley, named for the pigeon houses carved into the rocks. Years ago, farmers collected the pigeon droppings and used it as fertilizer. Lucky for us, it had snowed during the night and the sparkling dusting of snow enhanced Cappadocia’s dramatic landscape even more. Pigeon Valley also offers a popular half day hike should you have time.
Because some of the region’s roads were closed due to the snow, we weren’t able to visit popular Love Valley, so instead we headed to Pasabaglari, or Monk’s Valley, which also consists of some rather phallic rock formations.
Next, we strolled through Devrent, or Imagination Valley, which is known for rock formations shaped like animals, before we headed to Turasan Winery for a local wine tasting and tour. (I told you we modified the route to suit our interests)!
After the winery, we stopped at a lookout point with breathtaking views of the Three Beautiful Sisters.
Before heading back to Aydinli, our driver took us to the panoramic lookout point over Rose Valley and Red Valley just before the sun went down.
Beat from a long day of sightseeing, we were looking forward to a relaxing dinner on what was, unfortunately, our last night in Cappadocia. Mustafa recommended Top Deck Cave Restaurant, just a two minute walk from Aydinli. Not surprisingly, his recommendation was spot on. Top Deck is a cozy, atmospheric restaurant with delicious Turkish cuisine.
Related posts: A Guide to Istanbul – Where East Meets West; Turkish Bath Tips for the First-Tiimer; 3rd Time’s a Charm: Hot Air Ballooning in Lithuania.
So, was Cappadocia worth the trip in winter?
There are definitely some cons of visiting in winter – for instance, the fact that our hot air balloon ride was canceled due to weather conditions. This said, if you plan accordingly (i.e. make sure you have more time in the region allowing for alternate take-off dates), you’ll probably have better luck than I did. All things considered, I would say that the pros of visiting Cappadocia during the winter (low off-season accommodation rates, uncrowded attractions and the beauty of the landscape covered in snow) outweigh the cons. Although I’m disappointed I didn’t get experience my bucket-list hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia’s varied landscape, it’s okay because I know I will be back to visit in the future!
Is this magical region on your bucket list?
Check out these related posts: Where East Meets West: Your Weekend Guide to Istanbul; Turkish Bath Tips for the First-Tiimer; 3rd Time’s a Charm: Hot Air Ballooning in Lithuania.
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I was a guest of Aydinli, but my love for Mustafa’s beautiful cave hotel and Cappadocia is all my own. The hotel links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to book through the link I earn a small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support to keep this site up and running!
February 9, 2015
Thanks for confirming what I’ve been considering!
February 9, 2015
Let me know if you end up going and if you have any questions, Laura!
February 9, 2015
I am planning a Turkey Trip in November 2015; after reading your post I am tempted to include 2 days in Cappadocia in addition to 3 days in Istanbul!
Thanks for sharing the details…
Cheers,
Nishant
February 9, 2015
You should! Just let me know if you have any questions, Nishant! 🙂
February 10, 2015
I’ve been there in summer and loved it. Judging from your photos, it definitely looks worthwhile visiting in winter. The snow adds an extra dimension to the “fairy tale” landscape.
February 10, 2015
It sure does! 🙂
September 19, 2015
You have sparked my travel bug…I am taking my first solo trip next month!
September 19, 2015
Awesome, Luana! Have a blast!
October 22, 2015
Looks awesome. It seems like winter is not only worth it, but the best time to visit. I love avoiding crowds and it seems like it could get pretty hot during the summer.
October 24, 2015
Yes – if you don’t mind those things and have time to stay several days to make sure you can get on a hot air balloon ride, then it sounds like winter may be the best time for your visit, Amanda!
December 13, 2015
Hello, I am in Istanbul right now and planning for Cappadocia next weekend. Your post kind of alleviates my fear of the city being extra chilly and finding everything closed in Winters. It seems you did a lot of sight-seeing. How many days did you spend in Cappadocia?
I plan to do a quick-weekend trip : reach Sat afternoon and return Sunday night. Would you recommend having an extra night and morning instead i.e. reaching there Friday night? I am a solo traveler and would want want to cut down on local transport costs. How to find local group tours?
Thanks for your blog! It really helps a lot 🙂
December 13, 2015
So glad it helped, Mohit! If you’re wanting to do the balloon ride, I would give yourself the extra morning. It would also make your schedule less rushed. I didn’t do any group tours, but I bet your hostel or hotel could give you great recommendations. You’ll have a great time! 🙂
January 3, 2016
I went in November and want to go back first week of Feb. Pumpkin restaurant have said they are closed then. Do you know if much else is open
January 3, 2016
I’m not sure Lorraine… I went at the end of November and everything was open! You could could try contacting Mustafa at the hotel? He would know!
February 29, 2016
thanks for your info regarding cappadocia , i just got here for 3 days
in fact i will be following exactly the same itinerary as u mentioned above
starting tommorow
February 29, 2016
Excellent! I’m sure you’ll enjoy Cappadocia. Have a fantastic trip, Ali!
April 30, 2016
Hi. U guys have been very instructive and enlightning. My family and i ( 4 altogether ) were mulling around wit the idea of visiting turkey from 25 dec for bout a week or so. We would defnitly put Cappadocia on our wishlist if we do. We come from a sunny clime and are a bit apprehensive of the brrr. 2 questions : how many days would you recommend in cappadocia if we had about 10 fays or so avlbl in total for turkey and then what kinda costs shud we budget for ito accom and general sightseeing per day on average….? Any other advive wud be welcome too. Thank you.
May 1, 2016
Hey Bob! It really depends on what you want to see, both in Cappadocia and elsewhere in Turkey, but I would say at least two full days. The costs depend on whether you rent a car and self drive, join tours or hire a driver. You’ll notice that you can find cheaper accommodations, you’ll certainly want to make sure you dress warmly! 🙂 Have a great trip!
June 3, 2016
Hi,
I really liked your post especially the picture where you are standing in front of Goreme open air museum. I couldn’t believe that visiting Cappadocia would be so exciting!!
I wish I could ever get time to visit this amazing place. Thanks for motivating me to explore Cappadocia and its near by places because I have heard (from my friends) that this place is worth to visit.
June 9, 2016
You’re welcome, Mevlut!
October 21, 2016
I was considering a visit this February and was skeptical about it. But thanks for alleviating my fears, Feb really seems a fun time to be in Cappadocia except for the uncertainty of a balloon ride.
October 24, 2016
It really just depends what you like, Neeharika. I really enjoyed the trip, so I would think if you don’t mind the cold and prefer non-crowded off season then you would too!
October 26, 2016
Your trip to Cappadocia does sound magical, even in winter, just as you indicate. The Devrent, Imagination Valley, region seems especially mystical.
October 26, 2016
It really was a beautiful place, Christina.
October 26, 2016
Your trip to the area does sound magical. The Devrent, Imagination Valley, region sounds especially mystical.
December 1, 2016
It does look absolutely gorgeous even during the winter!!!! My favorite places in Cappadocia are Uchisar Castle and Pasabag!
December 1, 2016
Cappadocia is magical! I would love to go back and see it during summer or spring too!
January 16, 2017
Cappadocia is a very unique place both for its landscape and also history that goes back thousands in Bc.
January 17, 2017
Absolutely!
June 10, 2017
Thank you for the post! I’ve just booked the same hotel, staying over Christmas, based on this recommendation. Now the difficulty of waiting 6 months to actually experience it… Fingers crossed the weather will allow us to get up in a balloon! Did you organise your driver through the hotel? If you’re able to share his details, that would be helpful, would love to follow a similar itinerary, including the winery.
June 12, 2017
Hi Emma – Yes, the hotel organized the driver for us. Both the hotel and the driver assisted us with finalizing our itinerary and were very helpful! Enjoy your trip – you’ll love it!
December 5, 2017
We will be spending Christmas in Turkey. Just wondering if it is worthwhile to go up in the balloon as I believe Cappadocia will be covered in snow and the scenery will be just a white patch….
December 5, 2017
I wasn’t able to do the balloon bc weather, like the post details, but I hear the “fairy chimneys” are very pretty when it snows!