Cappadocia 3-day Itinerary
Turkey
Where to go and what to see in Cappadocia to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Jeremy Seal.
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Overview >Bucket list experience:
Mountain biking in Cappadocia [quad biking]
Central Anatolia, Turkey
Last updated: 29 May, 2023
Cappadocia boasts some of the best single track – paths rather than vehicle tracks – mountain biking in the world. The super-soft but gritty volcanic stone makes for smooth riding, often steep but with plenty of traction, through landscapes that are both spectacular and varied, with the panoramic views from the open uplands giving way to amazing wooded canyons, caves and carved tunnels.
The network of tracks is extensive, with ascents and descents to suit every level. Many of the valleys are easily accessed from local centres like Goreme and Uchisar. In the high season, should the like of the Red and Rose Valleys get busy with walkers, there are plenty of lesser-known ones to escape to in the Meskendir and Gomeda Valleys.
Quad biking tours are also available and increasingly popular (if more destructive); these tend to be shorter, faster and limited in routes. To truly explore and connect with this remarkable landscape and its people, opt for the mountain bike.
While you’re there
Many of the valleys are speckled with beautiful churches and other rock-cut buildings – a chance to appreciate the region’s amazing rock architecture without the usual crowds.
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Destination Guide >Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: 3+ hours
Getting there & doing it
The best way to explore on two wheels is with an organised tour, led by experienced and multi-lingual guides like Biking in Cappadocia. There are trips of all length, from day tours focused on the popular Goreme region, to full biking holidays across Cappadocia. Groups tend to be small, commonly of four or five, and never more than twelve.
Expect to cover, depending on the topography, between 20km and 50kms per day. On day tours bikes, helmets and lunch are provided, with prices reducing the bigger the group; the biking holidays include transfers, accommodation and full board.
There will undoubtedly be charming en-route stops for refreshments. The Cappadocian valleys are notable as enterprising locals who set up stalls offering tea, beer, juices and sandwiches, at or near favoured panoramic stops. These do not operate set hours or seasons but your guides will know which of them are open.
When to do it
May to June and September to October are the optimum months for mountain biking in Cappadocia, though beware that the trails can get dusty by the end of the summer and the weather is often hot. April and November are also possible, though with a greater likelihood of rain.
Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Quad ATV Cappadocia 2 hours Guided Tour from Goreme
Goreme
A great way to get right off the beaten track! Take a guided tour through the most beautiful of Cappadocia's spectacular rock-cut valleys on...
€35 | Rating 4.92 / 5 [124 ratings]
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Tour supplied by:
Cappadocia ATV (1 Quad Bike) Tour - 2 Hours
Goreme
Explore the off-the-beaten-paths around Goreme on a sturdy ATV (quad) bike. Our half or full-day escorted tours provide an exciting adventur...
$35 | Rating 4.95 / 5 [96 ratings]
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Tour supplied by:
Cappadocia Sunset Guided ATV-QUAD Tours
Goreme
Adventure that you will not soon forget
If you are looking for a new way to explore the natural wonderland of Cappadocia, ATV is the right ...
€37 | Rating 4.98 / 5 [162 ratings]
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ATV (Quad) Tour in Cappadocia-2 Hours
Goreme
Almost Everyone knows about Cappadocia’s beautiful sights and famous landmarks.
But is that what makes cappadocia an attractive city and one...
$40 | Rating 4.16 / 5 [12 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Argos in Cappadocia
Uchisar, Central Anatolia, Turkey
Chic, fully serviced boutique hotel combining impeccable looks, memorable setting and among the best views in Cappadocia.
Official star rating:
Ariana Luxury Lodge
Uchisar, Central Anatolia, Turkey
Hyper-stylish eco-escape in a secluded location. with a fine restaurant, dramatic views – and a central setting between the towns of Uchisar and Goreme.
Official star rating:
Esbelli Evi
Urgup, Central Anatolia, Turkey
Cappadocia’s original boutique cave, in a convenient Urgup location and as stylish as ever.
Official star rating:
Hezen Cave Hotel
Ortahisar, Central Anatolia, Turkey
Experience authentic Anatolia at this cosy boutique B&B, in a working Cappadocian community.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cappadocia
Central Anatolia, Turkey
Surreal shaped landscapes rich in troglodytic ruins, walking trails and delightful cave hotels in the ancient heart of Anatolia.
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Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Goreme Open-Air Museum
Goreme, Central Anatolia, Turkey
A remarkable natural amphitheatre of rock-hewn, fresco-filled churches and monastic dwellings dating back to Byzantine times. Cappadocia’s most visited site.
Best for ages: 13+ | £10 | 2 hours
Walk the Pigeon Valley
Goreme, Central Anatolia, Turkey
A spectacular 4km stroll through fantastical, magical landscapes. The trail links two of Cappadocia’s best-known towns – Goreme and Uchisar.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free | 1-2 hours
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Walk the Rose Valley
Goreme, Central Anatolia, Turkey
A beautiful and undemanding 6km valley trail, with rock churches and formations galore, that offers walkers a grand glimpse of the surreal Cappadocian back country.
Best for ages: 8+ | Free | 3 hours
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Overview >Whirling Dervishes of Saruhan
Avanos, Central Anatolia, Turkey
The famed dance of the Whirling Dervishes, performed in the atmospheric surroundings of an atmospheric 13th-century caravansaray.
Best for ages: 10+ | £10 | 40 minutes
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
Galerie Ikman
Goreme, Central Anatolia, Turkey
An Aladdin’s cave of a carpet shop, a warren of rooms packed with flat-weave kilims both from the region and Turkey’s other renowned carpet regions, piled, hung and draped in picturesque profusion.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
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Experience
Walk through the Zelve Open-Air Museum
Goreme, Central Anatolia, Turkey
This 2km walk (from the ticket office) leads you through this beautiful Cappadocian valley, inhabited until the middle of the 20th-century, taking in churches, stables, and monks’ refectories.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free | 1+ hours
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Experience
Guray Museum
Avanos, Central Anatolia, Turkey
Huge underground ceramics museum, with impressive collections of ancient clay pieces and other archaeological artefacts displayed in illuminated halls, plus pottery demonstrations and sales.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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Experience
Ihlara Valley Walk
Aksaray, Central Anatolia, Turkey
An idyllic riverside walk along a wooded valley dotted with rock-carved chapels, many bearing some of Cappadocia’s most beautiful and intact medieval frescoes. About two hours’ duration, but with longer options if desired.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 2 hours
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