One day in Cappadocia

Day by day

1. Day 1: Hot-air balloon flight and Göreme Open-Air Museum

   Hot-air balloon flight, Göreme Open-Air Museum, Love Valley and Derinkuyu Underground City, then Sarıhan Caravanserai in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hot-air balloon flight

      Book your flight for your first morning so that, if it is cancelled, you can rebook on a later day of your stay. Allow 3–4 hours including pickup.

   2. Late morning

      Göreme Open-Air Museum

      Arrive at opening time before tour buses, and don't miss the Tokalı Church below the entrance, which many visitors skip. Allow 1.5–2 hours.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pottery kebab

      Restaurants in Göreme, Ürgüp and Avanos; some need ordering a few hours ahead.

   4. Afternoon

      Love Valley

      Watch the balloons from the rim above the valley at sunrise; it is a short drive or a 30-minute walk from Göreme. Allow 1–2 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Derinkuyu Underground City

      Avoid it if you are claustrophobic or have back problems; some passages require crouching. Allow 1 hour.

   6. Evening

      Sarıhan Caravanserai

      Attend the sema in silence and avoid applause and flash photography during the ceremony.

Before you go

• Hot-air balloon flight: Book weeks ahead for spring, summer and autumn, choosing a licensed operator with clear cancellation and refund terms.
• Sarıhan Caravanserai: Sema evenings are usually booked through hotels or agencies a day or more ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Kaymaklı Underground City (Kaymaklı): If you can only see one underground city, Kaymaklı is a little easier going for children and older visitors.
• Swap in Avanos pottery workshops (Avanos): Visit independently rather than on a tour stop to avoid pressure to buy, and haggle in the showrooms.
• Swap in Wine tasting in Ürgüp (Ürgüp): Try an Emir white; it is rarely exported and is the region's signature grape.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–10 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.5 hours in December to 14.9 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. From Göreme you can hike to the Open-Air Museum and through Rose, Red, Love and Pigeon valleys on marked and unmarked trails.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Cappadocia
• 3 days in Cappadocia
• 5 days in Cappadocia

Questions travellers ask