We had our chance to visit Cappadocia in just 3 hours drive from Konya, place where we have business meeting famous with its whirling dervishes Mevlana Museum. So we decided want not to miss it!
Firstly, winter landscape in Cappadocia is amazing. Snow-white covered 'fairy-chimney' impressed us immediately after arriving to Göreme city - centeral city of all Cappadocia activities and tours. I have never seen something like this before.
For Info: Capapdocia 'fairy-chimney' is a rock formation produced by voluminous eruption deposits in a fluvio-lacustrine together with uplift and erosion. They are very soft, so were used by people as houses, churches and even cities hollowed out in rocks.
Second, we could get hotel in Göreme with cave and panoramic terrace in half price of normal. Hotels with Terrace in Cappadocia are usually overbooked in summer period and so rise the prices up. Tourists have to accommodate in nearest cities as Avanos, Ürgüp or Ortahisar. You will need hotel with terrace in Cappadocia to make unforgettable pictures with Hot Air Ballons background. Look the pictures of our hotel. Hotel owner (Lord of Cappadocia named Hotel) also offered us free update to delux room. By the way we could choose the most expensive one hotel in Göreme - as it was also very affordable in Cappadocia in Winter.
Tipp: In Cappadocia you need to remember that "Room with view" usually means that room has Windows! Room without view means NO WINDOWS at all, and probably it will be cave! If you are claustrophobic it is not you case! View here you have from any window! Go to link to see the pictures of Terrace and views with Hot Air Ballons
Third, we can get very easy all tours around Cappadocia without any booking in advance. If you are wonder what kind of tours you can expect in Cappadocia beside flying on Hot Air Ballon, then I need to tell you something.
Cappadocian has huge long history. It is an ancient region coming back to late Bronze Age (around 1500 BC). Cappadocia was one of the successor kingdoms of Alexander the Great's empire and later a province of the Roman Empire in Anatolia. Christians influenced by Constantinople build a lot of churches inside of caves with painfully decorated fresco, which are still existing.
Tipp: Citizen of Cappadocia also built houses and whole towns underground in caves. We visited one city museum called Zelve Valley with tour, and that was very impressive. Better to observe all underground towns with guide, otherwise you can lose yourself!
We took whole day tour of Cappadocia here. You can also check this one (a little bit longer).
Forth, and that is very important - no queues of tourists to main sightseeing and photo locations in Cappadocia. We visit some magic formations of chimney and rocks - as Love valley, Rose valley, 3 Beauty, Imagination Valley and etc. For this you can take different Cappadocia tours. In Love valley you can write your names on local ceramuc jug and put on big heart looking to Love valley. The name of Cappadocia valley seems to be coming from special shape of Chimneys ;) Ask you guide - what is his opinion).
Fifth, we even have time in Cappadocia to visit different local traditional crafts coming back to ancient time. Such as hand-made carpets and ceramic production. We have got our own guide in both places and chance to try yourself to produce ceramic bowl and tie threads of hand-made real Cappadocia carpet.
If you want to see main sights and photo-locations in one day as well as Avanos pottery place take this group tour or this one private tour and ask also to visit Cappadocia Carpet center.
Tipp: The sales personal of Craft factories are very obsessive in order to sell you something. Here you can get very unpleasant feeling of being forced to purchase something. Please take it as a part of Turkish culture and tradition. It is not necessary to buy something. But if you want to get something then bargain for each cent! Say NO to any price, leave the room until you will not get what you ready to pay for it.
And if you haven't purchased something give some Tipp to guide - he or she mostly living from commission of sales.
I was so impressed with Cappadocia Carpets handcraft that by returning back created a Collection of Phone Cases Cappadocia Carpets. Let me use Turkish sales traditions in best way and present you my collections;)
And how about Hot Air Balloon Fly in Winter in Cappadocia?
Yes Hot Air Balloon in Cappadocia in Winter is also possible in lower then high season price! The only what you need is to have 3-4 day of stay in Cappadocia in order to have for sure appropriate weather conditions. You can check daily info from Turkish Civil Aviation on web-site(red means NO FLIGHT). Hot Air Balloon Flight in Göreme and if you want small basket then take this one Hot Air Balloon Tour Small Group. Usuall basket has 16 perons inside.
You will definitely find what to do all that time in Cappadocia, and may be it will be not enough. I have not even started to write about restaurants and food.
Tipp: You need to try in restaurant Testi-Kebab - meat prepared in local ceramic pot. They will give you chance to open it yourself with saber.
Main Tipp: Enjoy it - Balloon Fly is not the most important in Cappadocia! The magic atmosphere and energy of this full of history and sights place you can feel only without crowds of tourists.
And what I wanted to do, but have had not enough time. Definitely will come back for this!
Whirling Dervishes Show. It was not allowed to have party due to sadness of earthquake in February 2023. I really missed that. At least I was visiting Mevlana Museum in Konay.
Turkish traditional dancing show. Also for the same reason it was not possible to do. But I have an point to come back again.