They say the best way to see Cappadocia is from the window of a climate-controlled tour bus, following a guide with a neon flag. We chose a different path. A year spent studying in Turkey on Erasmus taught us that the real magic happens the moment you let go of the steering wheel.
Our “ticket” to the Goreme National Park wasn’t issued at a kiosk; it was a lift in a massive lorry. The cabin smelled of incredibly strong black tea (the kind served with five cubes of sugar) and blue nazar beads danced under the rearview mirror to ward off the evil eye.
Cappadocia isn’t just a destination. It’s a state of mind—a place where reality bends as much as the surreal rock formations themselves.
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Cappadocia Goreme Park
Pasabag
When Monks Moved into Mushrooms
In Pasabag, also known as Monks Valley, the rocks look like giant stone mushrooms. There’s something beautifully Dadaist about it. Once, monks carved their cells high up into these “chimneys.” Imagine waking up, looking out of a window hewn into the rock, and facing a silence you can actually hear. No notifications, no spam—just the wind and the sand. It reminded us of the cave dwellings of the Guanches in Gran Canaria. It’s the perfect spot to contemplate why we insist on making our lives so unnecessarily complicated.
Devrent
A Gallery Sculpted by the Wind
A short distance away in Devrent Valley, nature has clearly lost all inhibitions. There are no churches or castles here, only pure imagination. The rocks resemble animals, figures, and fever dreams. It’s like a life-sized Rorschach test. Do you see a camel? Or is it just a reflection of your own longing for the exotic? In this land of “fairy chimneys,” the line between what is real and what is a heat-induced mirage becomes dangerously blurred.
Kaymakli
Eight Storeys into the Self (and one’s own claustrophobia)
If you suffer from claustrophobia, Kaymakli will be your personal purgatory. An underground city carved into soft volcanic tuff as far back as the Hittite era. A labyrinth of tunnels where Christians once hid from invaders. Today, four storeys are open to the public. As you walk through these narrow passages, you feel the heavy yet strangely protective embrace of the earth. It’s fascinating that humans built an entire world beneath the surface just to survive. Sometimes I wonder if we aren’t hiding in similarly narrow mental tunnels today—only ours are digital.
Rose Valley and Cavusin
Where Colours Tell Stories
A walk through Rose Valley is best served at sunset. The rocks shift colours, moving from a soft blush to a dramatic crimson. It’s a visual poem.
Then there is Cavusin, one of the oldest settlements where the cliffs look like Swiss cheese. The ancient Church of St. John the Baptist stands as a silent witness to a time when pigeons were more important than a Wi-Fi signal. Locals kept them in rock-cut dovecotes for fertilizer—a symbiosis we city-dwellers have long since lost. Today, those holes in the cliffs are empty, save for the echo of our footsteps and the occasional scent of the past.
Cavusin town
Ihlara and Selime Monastery
An Oasis of Green in the Dust
Just when you think you’ve seen enough stone, Ihlara Valley appears. A lush canyon carved by the Melendiz River. Suddenly, there is greenery, the sound of running water, and fragrant churches hewn into the cliffs. Selime Monastery at the end of the valley is staggering. It looks like a film set from Star Wars (even though it wasn’t actually filmed there, the vibe is undeniable). Massive kitchens, stables, galleries—all carved out of a single piece of rock. It’s a monument to human persistence and the will to create something beautiful out of the toughest materials.
Goreme National Park
Farewell to the Horizon
We ended our day on the ridges of Goreme Esentepe. As the sun dips below the horizon, Cappadocia turns into a mosaic of shadows. The whites, yellows, and greys bleed into one unforgettable image. It’s all about that feeling—sitting in the dust, kilometres in your legs, and a profound silence in your head.
Cappadocia taught us that if you truly want to see something, you must occasionally step out of your comfort zone, hitch a ride with a lorry driver, and let the landscape lead the way.
FAQ: Practical Tips
for Your Cappadocia Visit
The ideal times are spring (April–June) and autumn (September–November). The weather is perfect for hiking, and you avoid the blistering summer heat or the freezing, snowy winters that can grounded the hot air balloons.
Yes, if you plan to visit more than three major sites (e.g., Goreme Open Air Museum, Kaymakli or Derinkuyu underground cities, and Ihlara Valley). The pass saves you time in queues and significantly reduces your overall entry costs.
For maximum freedom, we recommend renting a car or a scooter. If you’re on a budget, local minibuses (dolmuş) run regularly between the main towns like Goreme, Avanos, and Uchisar. However, many of the best valleys, such as Rose Valley, are best explored on foot.
Balloon flights in Cappadocia are among the most strictly regulated in the world. Pilots must be licensed, and every single launch is approved by the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority based on real-time weather conditions. If the wind is too strong, flights are cancelled without compromise.
Kaymakli is wider and features more horizontal passages, making it slightly easier for those who are a bit nervous about tight spaces. Derinkuyu is deeper (up to 85 metres) and feels more vertical. Both, however, offer a fascinating glimpse into ancient engineering.
