Cappadocia is an area in central Turkey with the perfect blend of natural beauty and a rich cultural history. With its unique landscape featuring fairy-tale-like rock formations and ancient cave dwellings, Cappadocia is one of Turkey’s most popular destinations. Visitors are captivated by the breathtaking views of the region from high above during sunrise hot air balloon rides. Figuring out how to get to Cappadocia is the first step in experiencing this picturesque town and escaping your everyday life.

Where is Cappadocia?
When people refer to Cappadocia they usually mean that place where they’ve seen photos of hundreds of hot air balloons in the sky over cool rock formations. Cappadocia is actually the name of the region in central Turkey. The two towns in the region where people visit are Uchisar and Gรถreme.

How long to stay in Cappadocia
Most people going to Cappadocia want to take part in the sunrise hot air balloon ride but there are so many other things to do while there. You can hike through dozens of different valleys, visit an ancient underground city, go horseback riding, take a sunset atv ride, and watch the sunset from the top of hills. Depending on what you want to do, 1-5 nights in Cappadocia is ideal.
One Night: If you’re short on time and are just interested in the hot air balloon ride then you really only need 1 night in Cappadocia. The balloon ride companies pick people up from their hotels between 3:30am to 4:30am and the whole event is over by 8am. This would also give you some time to see a few things such as the Gรถreme Open Air Museum and check out some of the views over the valleys before leaving.
Two Nights: If you’re interested in taking part in some of the hikes such as the Pigeon Valley or Love Valley hike then you should add another night to be able to add at least one of those in your schedule.
Three Nights: Three nights in Cappadocia will give you time to add in one or two more hikes, visiting Uchisar Castle, and an afternoon of horseback riding or an atv excursion.
We stayed in Cappadocia for 5 nights and were able to see and do almost everything we wanted. We had already been in Turkey for 2 weeks at that point traveling every day or every other day to a new city so we enjoyed slowing it down and taking in all of Cappadocia.


How to get to Cappadocia Turkey
Getting to Cappadocia is pretty easy and all options are available from flying, renting a car, taking the bus, or going to Cappadocia on a tour. From Istanbul you can be in Cappadocia as quickly as 1.5 hours.
Flying into Cappadocia
Traveling to Cappadocia from Istanbul by air will be the fastest way to get there. There are two airports in the Cappadocia region: the Kayseri Airport and the Nevsehir Airport.
The Kayseri International Airport is the largest airport in the region and is just 60km from Gรถreme, or a 1 hour drive. There are typically more daily flights into Kayseri Airport than Nevsehir Airport. You can fly into Kayseri Airport from other major airports in Turkey such as Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara.
Airlines that fly into Cappadocia airports are Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, and SunExpress. There are also limited direct flights from a few other international airports such as Frankfurt and Cologne.
Nevsehir Airport is closer to Gรถreme, just 35km or a 30 minute drive away. However, there are less daily flights into Nevsehir than Kayseri Airport.
The flight to Cappadocia from Istanbul will take approximately 1.5 hours. Flights range from around $40 up to $350 one way. The higher prices will be during the busier season of the summer. Outside of that you can find much cheaper flights.
Once you arrive at the airport, you can either take a bus or shuttle into Gรถreme or rent a car. If you choose not to rent a car while in Cappadocia there are plenty of taxis everywhere that can take you wherever you want to go.
Taking a bus to Cappadocia
Turkey has a good bus system and it’s a very affordable way to get around Turkey. If you are spending a few weeks in Turkey but don’t want to fly from one place to another then taking a bus from city to city is another way to travel.
While it is the most budget-friendly way to get around in Turkey, it’s also the slowest. But the buses are nice touring buses with air conditioning and wifi onboard. It’s a great way to travel if you’re looking to save some money.
You can take a bus to Cappadocia from Istanbul or from any other city in Turkey. The bus from Istanbul will take between 10-12 hours. You have the option of taking a daytime or overnight bus. The daytime bus will give you the opportunity to see the countryside on your drive but the overnight bus will save you a night in hotel fees. A one way ride to Cappadocia from Istanbul will cost around $40.
If you’re along the southern coast of Turkey, you can take a bus from Antalya to Cappadocia for around $22 and it will take between 9-12 hours depending on the bus. A bus ride from Ankara to Cappadocia will only take 4 hours and cost about $17.

Driving to Cappadocia
Renting a car in Turkey is really easy and affordable. It allows you to be more flexible with what you want to see and to be able to stop and see places along the way.
We rented a car from Istanbul through Discover Cars for 3 weeks and the total cost was around $550. That included unlimited miles. We ended up driving around 2500 miles total.
If you are driving straight from Istanbul to Cappadocia it will take around 8-9 hours to drive. Of course if you’re renting a car for your entire stay in Turkey and are visiting longer than a week then you can break up that drive by visiting other towns along the way.
Taking a tour to Cappadocia
If you want to leave all the details to someone else then you have the option of booking a tour to Cappadocia. You can take a 2-Day All Inclusive Tour with flight from Istanbul, a day trip from Istanbul (no hot air balloon ride), or even a 2 Day Tour by Bus if you prefer not to fly.
If you want 3 days in Cappadocia then there’s a Tour that includes your flights, hotel, meals, and tours. The hot air balloon ride would be something you need to schedule on your own. It’s a great way to see everything in Cappadocia without having to worry about making the arrangements yourself.

FAQ’s – How to Travel to Cappadocia
What is the best way to get from Istanbul to Cappadocia?
The quickest way to get to Cappadocia from Istanbul will be flying. It’s also very affordable with flights starting around $40 for a one way flight.
What airport do you fly into to go to Cappadocia?
There are two airports near Cappadocia: the Kayseri Airport and the Nevsehir Airport.
Once I arrive at the airport in Cappadocia, how do I get to Gรถreme?
You can take a bus, shuttle, taxi, or rent a car at either airport in Cappadocia.
When is the best time to visit Cappadocia?
Spring and fall are the optimal times for visiting Cappadocia. The weather will be warm but not too hot to hike. It’s also less crowded than the summer months.
What is the best way to get to Cappadocia from Istanbul?
If you’re short on time then you’ll want to fly to Cappadocia from Istanbul. Flights are around 1.5 hours so that is the fastest way to get there.
If you’re on a budget then you should take a bus. It will take about 12 hours to arrive but if you take an overnight bus then you will save some money on a hotel for that night.
If you have some time to spend in Turkey then renting a car is the best way to go. You’ll be able to take your time stopping in a lot of the amazing cities in Turkey along the way.
