If you missed part 1 of this post series, go back, otherwise continue reading.
The format of this blog post will be quite different from the previous three. As our time in Cappadocia was limited, all the activities will be listed in chronological order starting from our 3:00am alarm.
1) 3:30am – Air Balloon flight
Pickup from our Hotel was scheduled at 3:30am. Tired & half asleep, we were impatient to have all the people joining us in the air balloon inside the bus. Once complete, we went to Gorëme to pickup the breakfast bags before heading to Ürgüp for take off.
At Ürgüp, we witnessed the air balloon get inflated; it took roughly 20 minutes to be ready. Shortly after, the group was inside the air balloon basket, excited for takeoff. The flight took roughly 1 hour, flying over the valley with a magnificent view of Gorëme, it’s mountains and ancient settlements at sunrise.
2) 10:00am – The Helios Cave Hotel
We arrived home at around 7:00am mesmerized & speechless but exhausted due to lack of sleep. We went straight to bed to nap a bit before breakfast (given that breakfast ends at 10:30am). Hours later, we woke up to an alarm tired yet excited for what the day had in store for us.
On a side note, I had to mention our hotel as an experience because it is not every day that one gets to sleep in a cave. Our suite was well ventilated yet had the right amount of humidity enhancing the quality of our sleep.
3) 11:30am – Underground city (Kaymakli)
Given that we are really into caves and exploring ancient cities, we decided to explore Kaymakli. It is an underground city that was used as a shelter by the aborigines of that time against different conquerors.
The entrance fee was 75TL per person. It took us around an 1 and a half hour to explore all the levels of this city. It is worth mentioning that Kaymakli can be kind of claustrophobic for people who don’t like narrow pathways or tunnels.
Once done with Kaymakli, we roamed around the area. There were a couple of cafés and souvenir shops. We enjoyed the vibes we were getting. We even tried a typical Turkish crêpe (Gozleme).
4) 2:00pm – Pigeon Valley
Once done with Kaymakli, we decided to go back on the road towards Gorëme. On our way, we discovered the Pigeon Valley and decided to check it out. The panoramic view was definitely worth the detour.
5) 2:30pm – Uçhisar
After a quick stop at Pigeon Valley, we decided to take a continue with the detour to Uçhisar. For us, this town is second best to Gorëme, definitely worth a stroll. It was a pleasant surprise, a hidden gem. We hiked, bought some dried fruits, and enjoyed the vibes.
6) 4:50pm – Pottery making/shopping
Before going to the meeting point for the ATV tour, we decided to make a quick stop to checkout a free pottery making show. Unfortunately, we missed it, so we went pottery shopping instead. Everything there was reasonably priced and handmade. It is located near the open air museum of Gorëme.
7) 5:30pm – 2-hour ATV Tour
After a day full of adventures, our last activity was the quad ride. Driving through the valley with sand/dust depositing on our faces, we laughed at each other as we turned from white to brown.
We drove for two hours until we reached the summit overlooking the entire valley, where we witnessed the sunset in each other’s arms. #couplegoals
8) 9:00pm – Ürgüp city center
It was the Champions league final (Liverpool vs. Real Madrid) and hubby wasn’t willing to miss that. In quest for a café that aired the match, we asked a couple of locals and we were guided towards Girgir Burger House.
It was difficult to find this place as not a lot of restaurants or cafes broadcasted the match, which was kind of a shock for us as Turkey is a country with a deep rooted football culture.
For what it’s worth, Girgir Burger House, had nice food, good vibes, and excellent Shisha service!
To wrap up DAY 4, here is what we would have done differently :
- Have more time to visit Ihlara Valley but regardless our stay was beyond magical.
PS. Parking the car was never an issue. There were car parks everywhere and the cost was either free or 5TL an hour.
NOTE TO SELF: Blog post has been initiated in Venus Hotel, Pamukkale. Started on 31/05 (Day 7) and finished on 05/06 (Day 12) – Istanbul Airport.
Yours truly, Yasmin 