Cappadocia Travel Tips And A Real Talk Travel Planning Guide

UPDATED FEB 2020. Put your hand up if you want to plan a holiday to Cappadocia but don’t know where to start? I see you. It can be overwhelming so let me, your trusty (& goofy) travel blogger, take the stress out of trip planning for you. Phew, you can breathe a sigh of relief now! In today’s post, I am compiling all of the Cappadocia travel tips you need to plan an extraordinary visit. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below.

Cappadocia Travel Tips And A Real Talk Travel Planning Guide

Disclaimer

There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.

Do you need a visa?

You will need to do a little research for the specific information on the visa you will need because it is relative to where you are from.

The process is easy, you can apply online, pay the fee and they send you an email with confirmation and the visa.

You can also purchase the visa at the desk opposite passport control at the airport. However, for a smoother travel day, I would recommend organizing it online prior.

What is the currency?

Turkish Lira is the currency that you can take out easily at ATMs.

Which airport should you fly to?

There are two main airport options for flying into Cappadocia – Nevşehir, and Kayseri.

Nevşehir is a little closer to the main areas of Uçhisar and Göreme, so it will be cheaper to transfer to. Most hotels will offer a shuttle from either airport and either way it’s pretty cheap so no need to stress too much about which airport to fly into.

What language is spoken?

While Turkish is the official language, many people speak English so it is easy to communicate.

I always try to learn a couple of greetings in the local language everywhere I go.

I will say I tried to say ‘teşekkür ederim’ instead of ‘thank you’ while visiting Cappadocia and it took a few goes to get it right.

You might want to listen to the pronunciation on Google translate to get it right because it’s a tricky one!

How long do you need to visit Cappadocia?

I think 3-4 full days there would be a great amount of time if you are traveling in Cappadocia.

This also allows for fudge time in case there is bad weather and the balloons are canceled.

It’s a magical sight that you need to see while you’re visiting. With 3-4 days you have a little wiggle room so if there is bad weather one day, at least you still have other days to hope it clears up.

I also recommend planning your balloon ride for the start of your visit so that it can be rescheduled in case of bad weather.

When is the best time to visit?

There’s not really a bad time to visit because it depends on what you want from the trip.

I visited in early June and got a great deal booking.com because it was during Ramadan (the following week everything was double the price!)

On the shoulders of summer (March-early June-ish and September-October-ish) are usually the most ideal for good weather, lower prices, and fewer crowds.

Where to stay in Cappadocia

I stayed at Rox Cappadocia which was an incredible experience.

It has the ultimate viewing platform for the flight of the hot air balloons with their rooftop terrace, the famous breakfast spread will blow your mind and, well, sleeping in a 350-year-old cave is just cool.

For more information, check out my review of this amazing cave hotel in Cappadocia.

Is Cappadocia safe for solo female travelers?

I wrote a full list of tips for solo female travel in Cappadocia here which would be useful for anyone, even if you aren’t traveling alone.

Definitely check that out for more detailed information on safety tips.

What to wear in Cappadocia

Cappadocia is a place with a conservative dress code so to be a respectful guest, both males and females should be covered from shoulders to knees and in clothes that are not too form-fitting.

I wrote a full post on what to wear in conservative countries here if you need more tips.

Try the apple tea!

I feel like I should rename my blog to Katie’s traveling tea show or something because I’m always recommending people try this tea or that tea.

Whether it is the hibiscus tea in Egypt, mint tea in Morocco or tea and scones in England – they’re all good!

The apple tea in Cappadocia is another must-try so if you get the opportunity, make sure you try some.

Should you take a tour in Cappadocia?

As far as things to do, there are a lot of great tours that most hotels will be able to arrange for you.

I did the green tour and red tour which were arranged through my hotel with Flinstones Travel. This way I got to see as much as possible and they were both awesome.

For more information, here’s my guide on things to do in Cappadocia.

I appreciate you reading and hope to have helped to make your trip planning a little easier with these Cappadocia travel tips.

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