Cappadocia 3 Days Tours from Istanbul

Depending on the number of travellers in the group, this tour departs from Istanbul by plane. Your airport would be either Nevsehir or Kayseri.

Day  01 – You will arrive at either Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport from where you will visit Devrent Valley. You will walk through the valley seeing many fairy chimneys in different shapes. You will move on to Pasabagi or Monk’s Valley where the fairy chimneys are shaped like multi-stemmed mushrooms, unique to this region.  There will be a visit to Avanos, famous for its pottery, which is made from the red clay of the Kizilirmak River. Following a lunch break, you will go to Goreme Open Air Museum where you will see early Christian churches and settlements from the 10th to 12th centuries cut into the rock with colourful frescoes adorning the walls. (Dark Church is excluded; entrance requires an additional admission fee) There will be photo opportunities in the neighbouring valleys before returning to the hotels. (L, D at only some hotels)

Day 02 – From the hotel in the morning, you will travel to Rose Valley which is a well-known and beautiful hiking area with rose-coloured rock where you will see the strange rock formations of fairy chimneys, old cave churches and stunning views. At the old Greek village of Cavusin, you will find the Church of St. John dating back to the 5th century and is the oldest church in the area. After a break for lunch, you will stop at Ortahisar Castle which was cut out of the rock by the Romans and has cool-air storage caves. You will also visit Kaymakli Underground City which is the largest underground city where early Christians settled, and Pigeon Valley, a lush green valley with many pigeon houses carved into the fairy chimneys. Here you can sample Cappadocian wine in a local winery before returning to hotels for an overnight stay in Cappadocia. (B, L, D at only some hotels).

Day 03 – This trip takes in the striking Ihlara Valley which is a 16 km ravine carved out of the volcanic rock of Mount Hasan by the Melendiz River in Belisirma. You will walk through the ravine to Selime which has fairy chimneys on the hillside and a citadel and churches cut into the rock. You will visit the village of Yaprakhisar for a photo opportunity before going to Derinkuyu Underground Village. This fascinating site comprises at least eight levels with churches, wineries, houses, stables, refectories and cellars which were the homes of Christian communities. You will then be taken back to the airport for your return flight from Cappadocia back to Istanbul. Your hotel transfer will also be provided in Istanbul.

An optional hot-air balloon tour can be added to this program. Please enquiry!

Tour Code: PLN012DY3