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Thinking about visiting Cappadocia in the winter? Well, you’ll be in for a winter wonderland. Cappadocia is an area in Turkey known for its famous hot air balloon tours that take off during sunrise. This region is in central Turkey and is actually made up of a hand full of small towns, the most popular being Göreme. It is typically a dry climate with not much rainfall making it very hot in the summer and cold in the winter. However, as this region is best explored with outdoor activities, visiting during the winter months shouldn’t be overlooked.

There are numerous valleys and ancient cave villages to explore all over the region. Planning your trip during the winter months will guarantee you cooler temperatures that are ideal for hiking. If you visit during the summer, you’ll likely be a sweaty mess all day because temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius.

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Where is Cappadocia?

Cappadocia is located in central Turkey. It is not a specific town, but an area made up of many smaller towns. There are two airports that service is area.

The first one, and the bigger one, is the Kayseri Airport (ASR). There are flights from all major Turkish cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, and Izmir. This airport is further away and takes a little over an hour to reach in the car. A majority of the hotels in Cappadocia will offer airport pick-up and drop-off services. You just need to notify them in advance.

Second is the Nevsehir Airport (NEV) which is much smaller and has fewer flights. However, it is closer to Goreme. This airport only takes 40 minutes to reach by car. Again, airport pick-up and drop-off services are offered by most hotels.

If you don’t feel like taking a plane, there are also buses that stop in Goreme from all over Turkey. You can easily check bus timetables at the bus station from where ever you are coming from. There are multiple daily buses available. Popular bus companies in Turkey are Pamukkale, Metro, and Kamil Koç.

What to do in Cappadocia in the Winter

Now, while Cappadocia is generally more popular during the warmer months, the best thing about visiting Cappadocia in the winter is the off-season pricing. You can expect to pay as much as 50% less than in high season, which is such huge savings by itself.

Let’s go through some of the most popular things to do in Cappadocia.

1. Tours, Tours, and more Tours

Hands down the most popular tour is the hot air balloon tour. During high season there can be up to 150 balloons taking off for sunrise. The prices definitely reflect the demand, as the average price for a balloon ride during high season is €250, not cheap.

Luckily for you, during the winter months with low demand, tickets are only €60 on average. Visitors usually don’t pay any more than €100.

Also, be sure to schedule one morning when you are on the ground during sunrise to get pictures of all the balloons. I definitely recommend going to Rose Valley for pictures.

Another popular tour in Cappadocia is horse riding. After all, Cappadocia means ‘land of beautiful horses,’ so it’d be a shame if you never saw some horses during your visit.

Horse-riding tours can be scheduled for almost any time of the day, but I recommend sunset. I booked my horse riding tour for sunset in Red Valley. The tour lasts about 2 hours. You’ll be taken with a group of fewer than 20 people into Rose Valley. All the horses follow each other in a single file line. They know where to go!

It might feel a little scary going through tight passages on a horse or being really close to the edge, but overall, it’s a fun and memorable experience. Once you get to the top of the valley, you’ll be helped off your horse and can explore the ancient cave churches. A majority of these churches still have the color that decorated the ceilings and the walls all those years ago.

Green Tour vs Red Tour

The two main day tours in Cappadocia are the Green and Red Tours. Both last a full day. The only difference is the location. The Green Tour takes you to the southwestern part of Cappodocia and includes places like an underground city, the Ihara Valley, Selime Monastery, and Pigeon Valley.

The Red Tour covers the northern part of Cappadocia and includes places like Goreme Open Air Museum and Uchisar Viewpoint.

When I visited Cappadocia in the winter, I decided to take the green tour because it covered more spots in a short amount of time. Most of these locations are difficult to get to by yourself and will cost a lot more if you decide to hire a driver.

2. Stop in Avanos

Avanos is a neighboring town just north of Goreme. The Red River (Kızılırmak) is the longest river in Turkey and runs through the town. Avanos is famous for its earthenware pottery, where the clay is supplied by the Red River. There are many artists that live here and have their own galleries and shops. The town itself is bigger than Goreme and a bit more modern.

During my visit to Avanos, I stopped by Chez Bircan’s studio where he gave me a demonstration of how he makes all his pottery. He has been an artist for many years and speaks Turkish, English, and French. Making pottery has been a family tradition that is past down and taught to the younger generations. It is mesmerizing to watch how fast they can whip something up.

I got to try to make a small pot, but it definitely didn’t turn out as good as I hoped.

3. Stay in a Unique Cave Hotel in Cappadocia

Cave hotels are the most popular places to stay in Cappadocia year-round. During the winter months, nightly rates for rooms are lower compared to the summer. On average rooms go for about €70 in the winter.

Now, don’t be fooled because not all cave hotels are the same. Nearly every hotel has the words ‘cave hotel’ in its name but it’s not actually located in a cave. Be sure to check the reviews of the hotel and pictures to make sure it’s in a real cave.

Visiting Cappadocia in the winter means that you’ll want to make sure that your hotel has heating in the room. Otherwise, it will be quite cold. Some hotels, like Koza Cave Hotel, are closed during the winter months.

A good majority of the hotels include breakfast. And if this is your first time in Turkey, breakfast is something not to be missed. Some hotels will offer more than others, but generally, you’ll get bread, tea, eggs, borek, cheese, olives, jam, cucumber, tomato, and cold cuts.

What to Expect in Cappadocia in the Winter

I visited Cappadocia not only in the winter but also during the coronavirus pandemic, which decreased the number of people around.

Of course, traveling during a pandemic is a risk that not everyone is willing to take. You should definitely take precautions and travel at your own risk.

Due to the current virus restrictions in Turkey, restaurants, and bars are only open for take-away. This gave me a very different experience on what kind of dining options I had.

Of course, most restaurants were open, especially during the week, but options were more limited over the weekend. Since it was cold outside most people took their food back to their hotel to eat in the dining area or in their rooms. Others would eat outside on one of the many benches along the streets in Göreme.

Tours had a maximum capacity limit due to the coronavirus which works in your favor when touring cramped spaces like the underground villages.

Hiking in the many valleys of Cappadocia with significantly fewer people leaves the spaces much more tranquil and peaceful. It’s nice not having people swarm around the Instagram spots just for a photo.

There were times while I was hiking around Pigeon Valley when I never saw another person for a least an hour.

Weather in the Winter in Cappadocia

The weather ranges from cold at night to mild during the day. Temperatures are between -3 Celcius and 10 Celcius. There were times when there was some frost on the ground in the morning but by lunchtime, it was gone.

Don’t expect snow in December because it doesn’t get cold enough. The snow usually comes in January and February.

There is more snow in the valley, so plan accordingly if you’re going to go trekking. You’ll definitely need some good waterproof boots and thick socks.

Experience Cozy Winter Nights

When it snows in the winter in Cappadocia, it’s definitely a real treat to see everything covered in a blanket of snow.

During the evenings, many restaurants offer hot wine while you’re walking around in the main street.

Hot wine is made with red wine, pomegranates, and oranges. It’s also known as mulled wine. It’s a nice treat to have while shopping in the evening.

If hot wine isn’t your thing, you can always grab a hot chocolate.

If you start to feel too cold, don’t worry because there is a warm fire pit close by. These are great places to meet new friends and not feel like an icicle.

If you don’t feel like hanging out in the town, stargazing on the hotel terrace in the evenings so also a great way to pass the time. The sky is very clear during the winter in Cappadocia.