Unforgettable things to do in Cappadocia | 8-Day Fethiye-Goreme road trip

As our year in Turkey nears its end, we figure it’s time for a few more adventures before we leave next month. First up? An epic road trip from Fethiye to Cappadocia, an otherworldly place that looks unlike anywhere we’ve ever been. In this post, we’ll share our road trip adventure from Fethiye to Cappadocia, including our top ideas for things to do in Cappadocia.

Excitingly, we met my sister Claire and her husband Will there. Claire was the last family member we saw almost three years ago (very briefly) before we visited the Philippines (Cebu City and Bohol). But it has been over three years since we spent quality time with family.

(We spent time with Claire and mum in Hoi An, Vietnam more than three years ago).

Here’s what we get up to on the way to, from, and in Cappadocia over our eight-day road trip!

(This is the first of three adventures to finish our time in Turkey – for now!).

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Day 1: Fethiye – Side via Olympos

We’re taking the scenic route to Cappadocia? Instead of going directly inland, we decided to see one or two destinations on the coast we hadn’t seen yet.

So, instead of a nine-hour drive to Goreme, it’s around 12 hours of driving time but split over two days.

Today’s main destination was Cirali and Olympos, a beautiful destination on the coast, about 3.5 hours from Fethiye. We managed to get there in four hours with just one power chuck.

We arrived at the Chirag-chimera picnic area at 12:30 pm and enjoyed our yummy picnic lunch before heading for a walk up the hill.

Walk up to see the burning hill and ruins

This is a rather special hill called Yanartas. After 1km of walking uphill (about 20-30 minutes), you’ll reach an area with flames coming straight out of the rocky terrain.

These flames have been burning since ancient times, and it’s believed this could be where the first Olympic torch was lit.

Earthquakes caused cracks, which enables the flames to burn through from a natural gas reservoir below.

It’s pretty fascinating! One guy went prepared on the walk and cooked sausages and eggs over the flames.

At the bottom of the fire area are the remains of Hephaestus’ temple, the God of fire (and metalworking, according to Ayla and her Poseidon’s Academy book series).

Amazingly, the forest doesn’t catch fire. Aside from the rocky path, it’s a very green area.

The beautiful beach at Olympos

After our walk, we headed to the gorgeous Olympos plaji and swam in the most crystal clear and calm water; it was just beautiful.

The area is gorgeous, and we would have stayed longer if we could. I could see myself chilling out in the quant cafes there, and we would undoubtedly have seen the ruins with a bit of extra time. It’s a lovely chilled place surrounded by nature.

We spent 4.5 hours there and then had to hit the road for another 2.5 hours drive to Side. Then, it was time for a late dinner and somewhere to rest our heads.

Day 2: Side – Goreme

The girls got in a quick pre-breakfast swim at our hotel (because we can’t stay at a hotel with a pool without using it) before eating and hitting the road again.

Our sightseeing attraction for today was the Managvat waterfall, about a 10-minute drive from where we stayed.

The waterfall was gorgeous and makes for a nice 10-minute stop. But honestly, it felt very over-touristified and was more about the side shows and people lining up for their perfect Insta-shots.

So you’ll find lots of souvenir-type places, skin-eating fish, coffee spots, a restaurant, and some playthings for the kids. We let the kids jump on the trampoline and then left because it didn’t feel much like being in nature. Plus, they wanted slushies and donuts… things we didn’t want to buy with a whole day ahead of us!

Long, straight roads en-route to Cappadocia

Next, we set off on the six-hour drive to Goreme. Heading inland from the coast, we wound up through gorgeous green hills. But for the last few hours, it was straight roads with plains for miles.

Luckily, the dull scenery ends when you arrive in Cappadocia. We got our first glimpse of the fascinating landscape adorned with intriguing rock formations and the buildings that have been carved from them.

Tonight, we arrived when it was still light, so we managed to snap a shot or two from the car window and the rooftop terrace at our cave hotel.

Day 3: Hiking around Goreme

We had a relaxed morning and then waited in anticipation to meet Claire and Will for lunch. After three years of not seeing each other, we picked up where we left off, and it felt like we hadn’t not seen each other!

After an extended lunch and looking at the upcoming weather forecast (set for rain in the coming days), we decided today would be an excellent choice for hiking.

We took Ayla with us and left Colin and Romy behind (sorry, Colin!), and headed off to see the remarkable rock formations around Goreme.

Aynali church, Meskendir Vadisi, Red valley, and the Rose valley

We loved exploring Aynali church. Carved from the rock, we were given a torch to explore through the narrow passageways that led to different rooms.

Then we continued onward to enjoy the landscapes of Meskendir Vadisi, Red Valley, and the Rose Valley before heading back to Goreme for dinner (but not before a shower as we were covered in dust).

If you’re looking for things to do in Cappadocia, we’d recommend hiking as an excellent way to get around and explore. You can cover a fair bit over a few hours. We also saw several horse riding tours, which is another option.

Day 4: Private day tour of Cappadocia from Goreme

What a treat… Today, Ayla and I piggybacked on Claire and Will’s tour to see more of this incredible region.

Goreme lookout, Monks valley, and Devrent Vadisi

First up was the Goreme lookout for a view down into Pigeon Valley and all-around breathtaking panoramic vistas.

Then we explored Monks Valley, which was full of fun exploration opportunities and featured a precariously positioned rock that won’t be perched so high past next winter.

Devrent Vadisi was another explorer’s paradise and the perfect place to let your imagination run free. The main feature was a rock that some call a camel, but others see as a snail. Perhaps you’ll see kissing ducks or something else hidden among the rocks.

Ozkonak underground city, pottery, Cavusin village, and Goreme open-air museum

The Ozkonak underground city is one of several underground museums in the area. We scrambled through low passageways and got a small glimpse of what it might have been like to live underground for weeks at a time, without sunlight, when it was necessary to hide from enemies.

We walked through beautiful pottery shops and saw artists painting the most intricate details on their work before it was glazed and finished (a process of several weeks from start to finish).

Finally, we explored Cavusin village and the Goreme open-air museum. At the latter, we entered several tiny chapels. Those adorned with Christian paintings had the faces scratched out, evidence of the changing face of religion over time in this region.

How many places we covered in one day without a three-year-old in tow is unbelievable. This was somewhat different from our usual life or travel days. We had loads of fun, but I missed the three-year-old, tantrums and all, so tomorrow, we take things slow again.

Day 5: Hot air balloons, castles, and Valleys

If you’re looking for things to do in Cappadocia, don’t miss the incredible opportunity to get up for sunrise and watch the hot air balloons take off.

We drove to the launch site with Romy still in pajamas and watched the magical spectacle of the balloons taking off one by one and sometimes cheek to cheek.

You could also watch them from any rooftop terrace or walk up one of the hills. We decided to drive around the valleys, following them and watching them land. It was pretty comical watching a team of strong men pulling a balloon full of people down and tying it to a trailer while the balloon still wanted to be in the air!

After watching the early morning balloons, it was time for coffee, breakfast, and a quiet morning. For the three-year-old, that meant the first of several long baths for the day, which was clearly her favorite thing about this trip!

Book your hot-air balloon ride here if you prefer to soar into the sky rather than watch them from the ground!

Things to do in Cappadocia | Climb up Uchisar castle

Just before lunch, we drove to Uchisar castle to meet Claire and Will, who had walked there. Colin and Romy napped in the car while we walked up the castle and enjoyed terrific panoramic views.

The nappers joined us for lunch, which was actually a second delicious Turkish breakfast, looking across and down into the gorgeous valley below.

Colin and Romy had their turn at Uchisar castle in the afternoon, while Ayla and I joined Claire and Will for their afternoon hike through Love Valley.

Hiking through Love Valley

We meandered along an easy trail through a somewhat green valley with wavy walls of white rock on either side. From a distance, they look like delicious meringues.

A few friendly dogs followed us, but they did not last long before they returned to their afternoon naps.

The last 500 meters of Love Valley feature tall, narrow, pointy rocks resembling asparagus spears. Or maybe they look like something else, and this is where the valley perhaps got its name.

As the rain set in, it was time to head back and run another bath for Romy before heading out to Pumpkin, a must-visit, highly recommended restaurant in Goreme, for dinner.

Day 6: Kaymakli underground city, and a second visit to love valley

On the final morning of our fun adventure staying in Goreme, Cappadocia, we all headed to the Kaymakli underground museum to let Colin and Romy have a chance to explore. This one was much more extensive than the one we visited on the private tour. Romy didn’t even have to duck through the passageways, and Colin was glad he’d recently started practicing squats again!

Then, it was time for a chilled afternoon. Claire and Will headed off for another hike, and we drove to the top of Love Valley to get a different perspective from yesterday’s hike. It’s a somewhat touristy affair up the top with camels, ponies, and extortionately priced coconuts.

Our final afternoon in Cappadocia

This is a favorite spot for those looking for the perfect IG shot. Choose from various swings and hearts with the Love Valley backdrop and pose away!

Ayla and Colin explored the valley while Romy and I enjoyed watching the chickens, trying to get a cuddle from a puppy, and playing with her toys.

Romy and Ayla got the photos they wanted before we returned to the hotel to take yet another bath. It was a lovely, relaxed way to spend our final afternoon here before finishing with dinner at another superb restaurant.

Day 7: Goreme – Side via the Ihlara valley and Konya

We got up to watch the balloons, but they didn’t fly. That’s a good reason to spend at least a few days in Cappadocia. You must be prepared to move your balloon-watching or flying to another day in case it’s canceled. They didn’t fly on at least two of our five days there.

Still, that allowed us to visit two sites on today’s road trip since we hit the road so early.

The gorgeous Ihlara Valley

Our first stop was the Ihlara Valley, a gorgeous canyon a little over an hour from Goreme. Some tours include this in their itinerary. No matter how you get there, we highly recommend arriving early. We got there a little after 8 am, and it was brilliant.

We had the steps down into the canyon to ourselves and loved taking in the peaceful surroundings before the tour loads hit us an hour later!

You could turn your visit to the Ihara valley into a hiking mission and make the most of the 17km of valley before you. Or, simply enjoy running around amid nature as we did. There are plenty of opportunities to explore, including several cave churches.

The Konya Science Center

Our other main stop for today was in Konya. We highly recommend visiting the science center if you’re looking for things to do in Konya.

The big dome-like building looked deserted outside, but we were pleased to see plenty of life inside.

The entry fee is so low. It was about 1 USD for us all to enter!

And there is plenty to keep the family busy for three or four hours. We had about two hours to explore the interactive exhibits, from the human body, to forces, robots, and more. As an unschooling mama, we’d love to visit this place regularly if we were staying longer.

The idea was to arrive in Side early enough to explore the ancient city, but after a challenging final few hours on the road, it was dark when we arrived.

The kids are maybe beginning to understand the concept of time and how we can only get so many things in (especially when moaning about being in the car forces us to stop in the middle of nowhere and takes up a good chunk of time).

Day 8: Side to Fethiye with Rock climbing!

What a way to finish our wee road trip adventure! Today’s excursion was a rock climbing stopover near Antalya.

We met up with a family we’d spent time with in Fethiye who travel around visiting the best rock climbing locations. They kindly offered to take us climbing for the day, an activity we’ve enjoyed on a few climbing walls as a family and only once on a real rock face. We were excited to see them again and have the opportunity to pursue this activity further as a family.

We walked to the climbing location, a little adventure in itself, including a wee hike and a climb up a rock ladder.

Watching Ayla scale the cliffs with determination, and Romy having her first experience in a harness was so wonderful. Colin also put in a top effort!

We ran out of time for me (Elly) to have a go, but I loved seeing the kids in action. Plus, I got pretty lucky with the hikes in Cappadocia, and a solo adventure awaits me next weekend.

Climbing was an excellent way to finish our road trip from Fethiye to Cappadocia and back again. We hope you’ve gained some fabulous ideas for things to do in Cappadocia from this post. Maybe you’ve even got some inspiration for how to turn your visit into a fun road trip!

If you plan to visit other areas of Turkey, check out these fantastic things to do in Pamukkale.

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