Cappadocia is a real life fairyland. It’s iconic fairy chimneys dot the landscape and between the hot air balloons and the desert caves it is definitely magical.
I was so excited to visit Cappadocia that when I was planning our trip (we covered 6 European countries!) I allowed 4 nights in Cappadocia which was more than any other stop!
Getting to Cappadocia with Kids
We flew to Cappadocia on Turkish Airlines and they had the most kid-friendly service including separate family check-in with hopscotch, step stools, and Paw Patrol boarding passes! Plus the Istanbul airport has tons of playgrounds! Once we landed in Kayseri we rented a car and drove the hour to Cappadocia. Having a car makes getting around way easier (especially with kids!) since things are a bit spread out even when you arrive in Cappadocia.
Where to Stay in Cappadocia with Kids
The two main areas to stay in are Göreme and Uchisar. Our hotel was in Uchisar near the castle and we loved it! It was more laid back then Göreme. I definitely wanted to stay in a cave hotel but we were also on a mid-range budget so after exhaustive searching at the options we went with Pinhan Suites which turned out to be amazing! I loved this hotel! The cave rooms were beautiful and the outdoor patio was so nice for a glass of wine with the baby monitor.
Funny story: We checked into a gorgeous and spacious room and it was bedtime and we needed to give the boys a bath. There was no tub so we put a washcloth over the shower drain and let it fill up a bit since it had a large lip. The boys played in the shower and we even called it the hammam! The next morning we noticed some leaking in our room so they switched our accommodations. It was a bit of a downgrade but still nice. The owner assured us it was nothing we caused but we’re still unsure…
What to do in Cappadocia with Kids
Visit Uchisar Castle
We arrived to Cappadocia right as the sun was about to set and we raced to the top of Uchisar Castle. The view is spectacular! We drank fresh squeezed orange juice from a roadside stand and listened to fellow travelers play live music as the sun set over the fairy chimneys…what a welcome to Cappadocia! Pure desert magic.
Explore Goreme Open Air Museum
This place was so cool! You wander around caves and can see secret churches. The tunnels were perfectly kid sized and we had a blast. Pay extra to enter The Dark Church, the frescoes are still preserved due to the lack of light. I found this place fascinating!
Eat at a beautiful rooftop restaurant
There are many to choose from but we really liked Seten. Location in one of the nicest hotels, Sultan Cave Suites, it was our way to get the benefits without staying there! The sunset view is fantastic and romantic. Like much of Cappadocia it also has the set up for an Instagrammable breakfast table with the sunrise and hot air balloons in the background. I’m not into manufactured and merely performative experiences like this, but I see why they chose this spot. It is stunning and a great vibe!
Fly in a hot air balloon! (Or at least watch)
We visited Cappadocia right after Father’s Day and Grant has always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon so this was his gift! We would have accompanied him but the kids weren’t old enough. (Most companies’ age limit is 6 years and older). Considering this is “the thing” to do in Cappadocia we definitely didn’t want to miss it! We woke up at 4:30 and headed out to watch him. Me and the boys wore our jammies and it was so fun. We sipped hot chocolate and watched the sky fill up with colorful balloons as the sun rose.
However, it was more of a scene than I expected. There were women in full blown hair and makeup having photoshoots and nervous boyfriends getting ready to propose everywhere!
Kid tip: If you do wake up your kids to watch the balloons, you must make everyone go back to sleep. Marin insisted he wasn’t tired and Grant was still high on adrenaline but I made us all go back to bed and crash. The good news is a cave hotel is nature’s blackout curtains!
Visit the Derinkuyu Underground City
This wasn’t high on my radar but was so cool. There are miles of intricate tunnel systems large enough to shelter 20,000 people! Be sure to get a guide so he can tell you what you’re looking at. We hired a guy for cheap on the spot.
It was a trip going through the caves. It would be so easy to get lost if you took one wrong turn! I do not consider myself claustrophobic but there was one tunnel that was sketch! It wasn’t even tall enough for us to stand up. Thankfully, Toddler Marin wasn’t scared (we heard another little girl screaming) and Baby Hobie wasn’t phased.
Take a Cooking or Pottery Class
Like I mentioned we had more time in Cappadoccia than any other city we visited so we fit in some extra things like cooking and pottery classes. This isn’t something we typically do but I went down a rabbit hole on Airbnb Experiences and next thing you know I’m rolling manti in some Turkish granny’s kitchen! The cooking class was okay (definitely not as good as the one in Oaxaca!), but it was more fun that making the boys sit through another restaurant dinner.
While I loved to cook, pottery is definitely out of my wheelhouse (no pun intended!), but the pottery class was really fun and Marin loved getting messy! It was the perfect toddler activity.
Experience a Turkish Bath and Massage
We took turns getting massages and a Turkish bath (hammam). We get a lot of massages at home so it’s not something we prioritize when traveling but I loved the hammams in Morocco so I had to try it! I chose the Panoramic Cave Spa based on good reviews and while the hammam was underwhelming the massage was top five of my life. Amazing! While Grant got his massage I took the boys to a nearby playground and they got ice cream while I got mine. It may take some logistics but it’s worth it to tag team and take breaks when traveling long-term with kiddos.
Hike in Imagination Valley
We had beautiful weather when we visited Cappadocia. It was hot but there were blue skies for days! We had so much fun hiking around the big rock formations. It reminded me of my beloved Joshua Tree.
Imagination Valley gets its name from the rocks shaped like camels and other animals. With a little imagination, you can see just about anything in the rock formations, a perfect activity for little ones! Be sure to grab a coffee from the cute food truck on your way out. The view is perfection!
Watch the sunset over the Red Valley
We did this on our last night in Cappadocia and it was a great way to end the trip. There are a few cafes but most people were tailgating so we just parked and join them! Pull up a camper chair and enjoy the view.
What we didn’t plan to do in Cappadocia: Visit the doctor
Baby Hobie was only 10 months old when we visited Turkey. In Istanbul we noticed that he had a little bump on his hand but by the time we were in Cappadocia, it had gotten much bigger and looked infected. I searched for an English speaking doctor online and we were so lucky to find this amazing pediatrician. He helped us and even followed up after we left to check on Hobie.
At this point in our travels, we’ve been to hospitals in the Galapagos and Phillippines, doctor’s offices in Portugal, and heck I even had two babies in Costa Rica! I am continually impressed with the compassion and cost-effectiveness of healthcare in other countries! The US should take notes.
While you don’t need four nights in Cappadocia (I think three would be sufficient) it’s nice to slow down and enjoy the little things with kids. Cappadocia is a great place for a family vacation.
Feeling like a fairy,
-Ray