Cappadocia With Kids – An Unforgettable Family Adventure
Is Cappadocia worth visiting?
I’ll be honest with you, I found myself welling up when we arrived in Cappadocia, as soon as its enchanting landscape came into view, filled with intricate rock formations looming straight out of the ground, like a scene from another planet. It had been on our bucket list for so long, even before having kids, that it seemed unreal that we were finally ticking it off as a family. I also shed a few tears when it was time to leave, after spending an unforgettable few days, exploring the region and discovering this place not only lives up to its incredible reputation but completely exceeds it in our opinion.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site, sculpted over millions of years from volcanic activity and erosion from the elements, is such a unique place, with its history being superbly preserved for visitors to see and delve into. The environment in Cappadocia for those visiting with children is honestly an adventure playground, full of rock scrambling, fairy chimneys, caves and underground cities to explore. So, is Cappadocia worth visiting you ask? Wholeheartedly YES! It’s a phenomenal place, packed with magical experiences that will captivate you without a doubt.
Cappadocia can be found in the Central Anatolia region of Türkiye, and as opposed to being a town or city as we had originally thought, before researching it in more depth, it is, in fact, a 5,000 sq. km area. It’s made up of five provinces; with the capital being Nevşehir, which is the prime area that attracts visitors.
Best time to visit Cappadocia?
Cappadocia is a semi-arid environment, with summers being hot and dry, and winters being cold, with possible bad weather. It is, however, a year-round destination, depending on your preferences. We chose to visit in Spring, to coincide with the UK Easter holidays and we were pleasantly surprised with the mild climate and sunny days. On average at this time of year (April – June), you’ll be greeted with temperatures between 15°C -25°C, which is perfect for sightseeing with kids, plus the spring flowers are blooming, so the landscape is more colourful than in the winter.
The same applies to Autumn (September – November), bringing cooler temperatures, which will allow you to get out and explore more comfortably. There are fewer crowds, meaning the whole area is quieter and less stressful and the golden autumn foliage brings a lovely flare of colour.
Summer (July – August) gets spicy hot, reaching 30°C and may pose problems if visiting with children, in our opinion. Let’s be honest, what child (or parent) wants to be walking around in the blistering heat when they could be on a coast somewhere enjoying the beach and cooling off in the sea? If the summer is the only time you can visit, however, then we’d strongly suggest aiming to book accommodation in Cappadocia with a swimming pool. This will give you the option to go out and explore in the morning and late afternoon when the temps have decreased, with a welcome opportunity to cool off in the pool during the mid-day heat. Another problematic factor with visiting in the summer is its peak season, which sees hordes of visitors in the area and inflated accommodation prices.
Winter in Cappadocia gets cold and often sees freezing temperatures and even snowfall at times. If you’re not too fussed wrapping up in your woollies and the idea of very few crowds and cheaper accommodation prices is appealing, then this may still be a good time to visit. We can only imagine how magical the landscape looks covered in snow!
The hot air balloon flights, which the area is famous for, are a year-round activity, so you’ll be pleased to know that whenever you decide to visit, from January to December, there is the possibility of seeing this spectacle. There are, however, certain weather conditions, which we discuss in more detail later on, which need to be met, for the balloons to be able to take flight safely. These weather conditions are most frequently met in the spring months, another reason why we chose to visit in April.
The thousands upon thousands of visitors that flock to Cappadocia each year demonstrates how safe the area is for tourists, and we can also echo this, having felt incredibly safe whilst we were there. Obviously, just like with any place you visit, you should always have your wits about you, be aware of your surroundings, stay vigilant and exercise caution when it comes to looking after your valuables and possessions, however, there’s nothing unusually dangerous to worry about when visiting. Make sure you check with your local embassy for travel restrictions and advice before going and inform them of your visit, so they can contact you in case of an emergency.
We found the locals extremely hospitable and always ready to assist us, whether they were serving us in a coffee shop, giving us directions, teaching us about their local area or interacting with and making a huge fuss of the kids. Maybe it was from the fairy lights hanging from the trees and shop fronts, or maybe it was from the dim glow of lights illuminating the cave dwellings. Whatever it was, it evocated a strange sense of nostalgia and we loved it, feeling very safe and at ease.
How to get to Cappadocia
Fly to Cappadocia
Those of you short on time, who have the budget and are desperate to stay away from long car journeys, will most probably prefer flying to Cappadocia. This will probably appeal to those travelling with kids and was the form of transport we chose to take to get out of the region and back to Istanbul, ready for our return international flight back to the UK. Most internal flight times from major cities within Türkiye, like Istanbul, Ankara or Antalya are roughly 1 hour, so time in the air is pretty short.
Nevsehir or Kayseri Airport to Cappadocia?
Nevşehir Airport (NAV) is the closest of the two airports to the centre of Cappadocia, taking 45 minutes to drive there, whereas Kayseri Airport takes just over an hour. Nevşehir Airport is therefore the most conveniently located if you are short on time and wish to jump straight off your flight and begin exploring the area as soon as possible. Kayseri Airport, however, is the biggest of the two, so offers a wider range of flight times and cheaper prices.
Self Drive to Cappadocia
If you’ve got enough time on your hands, and are happy spending a fair few hours in the car, then this is a strong contender to get to Cappadocia. If you’re travelling as a group, hiring a car and driving there will work out cheaper than booking individual flights for everyone and will give you the flexibility to travel around Cappadocia as you wish. You won’t, therefore, need to book taxis or book a hire car whilst there, on top of flight prices, which will save you money overall. We decided to self-drive to Cappadocia, despite flying out of the area and we were happy we chose this option. The main highways and roads in Türkiye are great to drive on, Google Maps responsive and have clear road signs. There are plenty of service stations along the way, many with play areas, which help the kids burn off steam.
Here are the prime routes to get to Cappadocia, along with their drive times (without any service breaks included). Remember, these routes can be reversed, in case you wish to travel the opposite way to what we have suggested.
Istanbul to Cappadocia
From Istanbul, it takes 8-10 hours to complete the drive, with most visitors stopping off in Ankara for 1 night, to break up the drive. From Istanbul to Ankara, it’s a 5-hour drive, then from Ankara to Cappadocia it’s an additional 3-hour drive.
Antalya to Cappadocia
You may wish to travel to Cappadocia from the Turkish Riviera, so we’re giving Antalya’s central south coast location as an example. This drive takes just over 6 hours and is similar to what we chose to do on our Turkish road trip.
We drove from our Airbnb in Kalkan, heading for Capadocia, which was a 9-hour drive in total. We split this lengthy drive into two sections, driving from Kalkan to Lake Eğirdir, which is halfway there, taking 4.5 hours. We spent the night in Lake Eğirdir, which turned out to be the perfect stop-off, offering beautiful views to wake up to from Fulya Pension, with the opportunity to see another part of the country, renowned for being Türkiyes Lake District. We then continued the 5.5-hour drive to Cappadocia the following day, arriving in the evening, in time for dinner and a good night’s sleep.
Bus to Cappadocia
Bus routes between major cities to Cappadocia are the cheapest form of transport but understandably take the longest time to reach the destination. Like us, this may be out of the question for you if you’re travelling with children as it’s too long and dramatically eats into your holiday time (unless you travel on a night bus). Most intercity buses offer reclining seats, a rest room and aircon, with some night buses also offering pillows and blankets.
Buses from Istanbul to Cappadocia, whether a night or day bus, take a whopping 11-13 hours. From Istanbul to Ankara, they take roughly 7 hours and from Ankara to Cappadocia they take around 3 hours. We’d recommend using Bus Bud to book your tickets online, which will search a range of bus companies for you, providing available times and competitive prices.
Train to Cappadocia
The high-speed train from Istanbul to Ankara takes 4.5 hours, which is faster than driving, however, it’s getting from Ankara to Cappadocia where the work really starts. You must catch the express train from Ankara to Kayseri, taking 7 hours and then from Kayseri, you still have a 1-hour drive to get to the hub of Cappadocia, being Goreme. In total, this takes 13 hours, without factoring in the time it takes to switch trains and find a taxi. With this in mind, we’d recommend steering clear of this mode of transport to get to Cappadocia.
Tour to Cappadocia
Maybe you’re lacking the confidence to make your own way to Cappadocia, maybe it’s the driving that’s putting you off, or you simply have the budget to splash out a bit. A package tour to Cappadocia may be just the answer for you. There are group tours and private tours that you can book onto, that will organise the travel logistics out for you, get you from A to B and show you around Cappadocia with tailored explanations and information on the area.
We personally dislike this form of travel, as we feel it restricts us as a family, dictating when we have to move around and having to mould to someone else’s time constraints. We also love the whole concept of planning our trip ourselves, the travel, accommodation and daily activities, with the flexibility to be able to cater to our children’s needs, including toilet breaks, and nap times (if they’re younger), when we see fit.
How many days in Cappadocia?
Some visitors come to Cappadocia on a literal flying visit, for one or two days only, which although is possible, and will give you a very brief glimpse into the area, is too short, if you ask us. We only spent 4 nights/5 days there and all agreed that this wasn’t enough time, but it did allow us to see a good range of the top attractions Cappadocia is famous for.
If seeing the hot air balloons take flight is top of your list, or even flying in one (if your children are over the age of 6), then you really should aim to spend at least 5 days in Cappadocia. You see, the balloons only go up in certain weather conditions, with optimal wind speeds needed to maintain safety. Quite often, if the wind is too strong, the balloons don’t fly, and anyone booked onto a cancelled balloon flight will have to have their experience rearranged for the next safe day.
When we arrived in Cappadocia, we were devastated to hear that due to high winds, there had been no balloon flights for 10 days before our arrival! We went to bed that night feeling anxious if we would get the opportunity to see the spectacle but were told by our accommodation that the next morning there was a 50% chance the balloons would fly. We woke up at 5 am, got ready and rushed out the door to see the first few hot air balloons having successfully taken off, flying above our heads. We hit the jackpot and were so thankful we got the see them, but the moral of the story, give yourself enough time in Cappadocia, in case of cancellations.
If like us, you enjoy exploring, hiking and discovering hidden off-the-beaten-path gems, you’ll definitely want to visit Cappadocia for longer than 5 days, especially when you see the substantial list we’ve made under ‘Top Things To Do With Kids.’
How to get around Cappadocia
Rental car/self-drive
This worked out brilliantly for us, being able to set out when we pleased, go wherever we liked and fill our car boot with day-out essentials, like walking boots, spare changes of clothes and snacks, without the need to weigh down our backpacks, carrying them around all day. The car also acted as a bed, allowing our youngest to have a mid-day nap, while we made our way to the next point of interest.
If arriving in Cappadocia car-free, either on a flight or via bus or train, there’s the option to hire a car from the major towns like Göreme and Ürgüp. If you’ve hired your car out from another location, before arriving in Cappadocia, there’s the option to leave your hire car at one of the Cappadocia airports, allowing you to fly out, which is what we chose to do. Just remember, however, you’ll have to pay the one-way drop-off fee, similar to if you collect your hire car in Cappadocia, and continue driving it to another location.
When we visited in April, we found it pretty straightforward to find parking, only having a spot of trouble parking near our accommodation in the centre of Goreme, on two occasions. The result was having to park a 1-minute walk away, which was no trouble at all. All of the prime tourist attractions like Goreme Open Air Museum, Love Valley and Uchisar Castle had plenty of parking available at that time of year.
Taxis
Taxis are readily available in main towns like Göreme, Ürgüp, and Nevşehir, where you can either flag one down, find them at designated taxi stands, or book them online at Goreme Taxi
Dolmuş
This is the official transport option that most of the locals use, being a shared minibus, which follows specific routes between main towns and popular attractions. It’s the cheapest way to get around, being very budget-friendly.
Guided Tours
Joining a guided tour may be a good bet if you are short on time, and are looking for a hassle-free way to get around. There are plenty of tours on Get Your Guide, that offer transport included.
Renting a bike or ATV
There are a few shops in Goreme where you can hire bikes or ATV’s , or better still book on to an ATV sunset tour, where you’ll be guided across trails, through the valleys in the area. J and Carmen did this together and they both loved it, for the fast thrill and the amazing views!
Where to stay in Cappadocia
Cappadocia has a number of different towns for you to choose from to stay in for your trip. Some are more touristy, some more traditional, some quieter, and others more scenic. Below are listed the main towns we’d recommend you consider staying in and the reasons why.
Göreme
This is the most popular town in Cappadocia and the one we chose to stay in when we visited, primarily because we wanted to be surrounded by the very scenery we had come to see. There are fairy chimneys all over the place, with many of them having been built into, creating the hotels and guest houses in the town. It’s in a central location, making it nice and easy to explore the surrounding area and within a short drive, you can get to many of the main attractions, like Göreme Open Air Museum, Love Valley, and the Fairy Chimneys, making it ideal for sightseeing. Göreme used to be known as the backpacker’s paradise of Cappadocia, offering cheaper accommodations, but nowadays it’s developed a more upmarket feel, offering a wide range of accommodations for all budgets, ranging from budget-friendly guesthouses to luxury cave hotels.
We particularly loved the buzz about the place, with lots of restaurants, coffee shops and gift shops, with beautiful lanterns hanging from all the trees, it actually felt a bit Christmassy and so, so cosy. You’ll need to remember though, that we visited in April, when it wasn’t peak season, so in the high season expect more crowds, which may make this area feel overwhelmingly busy and too intense.
Ürgüp
This is the second most popular town in Cappadocia, having been overtaken by Göreme in recent years, it offers tons of accommodation choices with a good central location. It’s less touristy than Göreme, with a more raw authentic vibe to it, where locals go to work and go about their business and children go to school. Ürgüp is surrounded by vineyards, so if you’re a wine lover, this place will appeal to you! It’s quieter than Göreme, which maybe would appeal to us more in the busy peak summer season, but in all honesty, when we visited in April, we felt this town lacked a bit of va-va-voom when compared to Göreme.
Uçhisar
Home to the famous Uçhisar Castle, with the most spectacular panoramic views across Cappadocia, this town is a perfect choice to stay in if you’re after a luxury cave hotel to stay in. It’s a really peaceful area, with a calmer atmosphere in comparison to Göreme, with some great hiking trails nearby, like Pigeon Valley and White Valley. Although we didn’t stay here, the time we spent visiting Uçhisar Castle was a main highlight of our time in Cappadocia. You honestly can’t miss it, it’s so impressive, seriously just like something straight out of the Flintstones!
Avanos
This was our second favourite town we visited in Cappadocia, built on the banks of the Red River. It’s famous for its pottery, on display throughout the town, with beautiful colourful ceramics hanging from all the shop fronts. It has a much flatter landscape compared to some of the other towns, but we liked how quaint it felt and loved its charm.
Its nearby Zelve Open Air Museum and Özkonak Underground City are well worth a visit and less touristy when compared to Goreme Open Air Museum and Kaymakli Underground City. Whether or not you choose to base yourself here, make sure you visit and take part in a pottery class, it’s a lot of fun getting covered in clay and having a go at using the pottery wheel, the kids will love it!
Ortahisar
Another lovely town in Cappadocia, with scenic views over the picturesque landscape, and an impressive rock citadel towering over the area. Many of the accommodation choices have panoramic views over the surrounding landscape, where you can see fairy chimneys. Ortahisar tends to have a calmer feel than neighbouring towns and a slower pace of life, so it may just be a good bet in the busy summer months.
Cappadocia accommodation
With a wide range of accommodations in Cappadocia, it’s important to know what’s on offer, so you can make sure you’re stay is as comfortable as possible and fits your budget.
Luxury Range Hotel
Just like most popular bucket list destinations, you’ll find stunning luxury hotels in the area, for a hefty price tag. Most of these hotels in Cappadocia will be built into the fury chimneys themselves, so will offer bedrooms inside the caves, as a really unique experience for guests. They will most likely also have swimming pools and rooftop terraces, giving incredible panoramic views over the enchanting landscape.
These hotels normally allow guests to witness the hot air balloon spectacle from the comfort of their rooftop terrace, bedroom balcony, or even outdoor hot tub. This is far easier than having to head off early to travel to one of the public viewpoints if your accommodation doesn’t offer you this luxury. A few accommodations in this price range are:
Mid Range Hotel
Mid-range will inevitably offer less luxury but still give amazing comfort, optimal location and overall a very nice experience. You’ll still have the option to stay in a cave bedroom, and many hotels provide lovely rooftop terraces to take in the views. Here are a few to tickle your fancy:
Budget Range Hotel
If you simply need somewhere in Cappadocia to lay your head, that is comfortable, cosy and more affordable, then rest assured there are many budget hotels, set right in the prettiest towns. Location doesn’t have to be compromised and many have amazing reviews, like the ones we’ve given below. Double-check that any budget accommodation you’re interested in offers aircon, (if you’re visiting in the summer), as although the cave bedrooms rooms are noticeably cooler than standard rooms, you may still prefer to have aircon.
Bed and Breakfast
Although most of the hotels mentioned above, only quote for bed and breakfast, many do have the option to have dinner there for an additional fee, so if you like the convenience of eating all meals where you sleep, they will be a good bet for you. However, with the huge amount of amazing restaurants in Cappadocia, across all of the towns in the region, it’s no surprise that eating out is a whole experience in itself. So, if you enjoy picking a different place to eat at each night of your trip, then we’d recommend staying at a bed and breakfast, so your breakfast each morning is organised, but it allows the freedom to visit delicious restaurants.
Self Catering
Self-catering normally gives more space, with separate bedrooms, connected to a living room, kitchen and dining facilities. You can prepare your own meals, get the kids to bed at a reasonable time and even crack open a bottle of wine and watch a film before bed. We normally always gravitate towards self-catering, but due to being in Cappadocia for only 5 nights and planning on-site seeing every day, we wanted to stay somewhere with a reception and staff who could help us plan our itinerary.
We’re huge Airbnb fans and would recommend you check out the wide range of self-catering accommodations listed on the site.
What to wear in Cappadocia?
Depending on what season you visit in, will determine what you should pack in your case. Walking boots or sturdy trainers are a must whenever you go, due to the terrain being rocky, hilly and very dusty.
More specifically, if going in Spring or Autumn, take a range of breathable clothes that you can layer up, on cool mornings and evenings, or if the weather deteriorates. We actually did a lot of exploring in our sandals at this time of year and although we managed it without any twisted ankles, we did wish on numerous occasions, that we’d tackled the day out in our trainers.
If visiting in Summer, it will be piping hot during the day, so shorts and a T-shirt are best, but remember to take a jacket to wear in the evenings when the sun goes down. Also pack your swimwear, especially if your hotel has a swimming pool, but even if your hotel doesn’t, there may be hotels in the area which let you use their pool at a small fee. We know those travelling with kids would benefit from a splash to cool off!
In terms of footwear, we’d still recommend exploring in something robust and supportive like trainers or boots, however, take a pair of flip-flops or walking sandals if visiting flatter towns, your feet will thank you in the heat.
Winter visits will require you to pack your warm gear, lots of layers, thermals, hats, gloves and a good insulated, waterproof coat.
Additional things to take to Cappadocia
- A map of the area – In case Google Maps stops working, especially if you are going out on a hike through one of the off-the-beaten-path areas of Cappadocia.
- A torch – Some of the caves and underground cities can get dark. The back streets in many towns are dotted with potholes and uneven roads, so if you’re walking back to your hotel, watch your step and use a torch.
- Binoculars – The landscape is fascinating, and children and adults will love investigating it.
- Travel adapter – If you’re travelling from outside Türkiye, bring a travel adapter so you can charge your electronics.
- Portable charger – keep your devices charged all day without running the risk of a flat battery.
- Reusable water bottle – No more single-use plastic. You can even bring a thermal flask if visiting Cappadocia in the winter, which will be perfect for a brew on a cold hike.
- Sun protection – Think suncream, sun hats and sunglasses.
