Sunrise balloon rides are at the top of the list when it comes to romantic activities in Cappadocia. However, this region of central Anatolia offers many more possibilities if you’re looking for a handful of memories to cherish (both in your brain and in your phone’s photo gallery).
The most romantic moments here are undoubtedly the sunrises and sunsets, although the evenings also offer rewarding surprises for smitten couples. We must also mention the charm of the restaurants and also the rooms of some hotels, where the rooms have been carved into the volcanic tuff.
Here are some of the most romantic things to do in Cappadocia and the best places to experience them.
- Enjoy Cappadocia from the air
- Sunrise in a classic car
- Quad biking at sunset
- Fairy chimney horse riding route
- A traditional Turkish bath for two
- Dinner in a cave restaurant with a show
Enjoy Cappadocia from the air
Despite being slightly overcrowded (sometimes over 150 hot air balloons hover over Cappadocia’s most popular valleys), this activity is undoubtedly the most romantic experience in the area.
The companies that organise them pick up guests from their hotels before sunrise. By the time the sun rises, the couples will have spent some time enjoying the colours and incredible beauty of these landscapes, tinged by the pastel colours of the sun’s rays on the volcanic rocks.
To complete the experience, visitors usually have breakfast outdoors on one of the hills in the area, while admiring the natural (and human) spectacle from a different perspective.
Sunrise in a classic car
For the less daring (or the more glamorous) couples, there’s the option of following the hot air balloons from the mainland, watching the sunrise but doing so from inside a historic car. They come in a variety of models, including some convertible coupés from the 1960s. All of them are chauffeur-driven and usually come with a food and drink service.
To immortalise the moment in style, several local companies offer the chance to hire flowing silk dresses to emulate the great stars of the silver screen and take photos in truly enchanting locations and settings.
Quad biking at sunset
If the sunrises are spectacular in Cappadocia, the sunsets are no less so. During the hottest part of the year, this time of day is the ideal time to get to know the area, avoiding the hottest and brightest hours.
A good option to reach remote places that are difficult to access is to do so on board a quad bike. There are several local companies that offer this opportunity. Each couple rides in a vehicle and the guide leads the way to avoid anybody getting lost and to make the experience safer and more comfortable.
The activity can be done in small groups, with personalised experiences on offer, and the people in charge of the activity usually go to the accommodation where the participants are staying to pick them up and take them back at the end of the activity.
Fairy chimney horse riding route
The striking fairy chimneys, geological formations that are actually called kales (castles), are a feature of several valleys in Cappadocia, mainly around Aktepe. One of the best and most romantic ways to reach these picturesque landscapes is on horseback.
The activity usually takes place at sunrise and sunset and usually in small groups. As this is a guided (and very peaceful) excursion, you don’t need to have any prior experience riding horses. As with most of the romantic plans in Cappadocia, the activity leaders pick up the participants at their hotel door or at well-signposted locations in the area’s main tourist towns.
A traditional Turkish bath for two
The hammam ritual in Turkey is something that goes beyond being just a hedonistic and pleasurable experience. In reality, in addition to being a necessity for health reasons, it’s also an important time in terms of social and family relations. Traditionally, however, the bathing rooms have been gender-segregated.
In recent times, influenced by the tastes and preferences of foreign visitors, bathing centres and hotels have begun to crop up, offering the chance to enjoy the hammam as a couple. This is undoubtedly one of the most popular romantic plans in Cappadocia as well as one of the most relaxing.
The Turkish bath offers various treatments in rooms with different temperatures (the water temperature also varies). These include an exfoliating massage and a revitalising massage.
Dinner in a cave restaurant with a show
One of the most delicious romantic experiences in Cappadocia is a dinner in one of the many restaurants located either in caves or on terraces overlooking the area’s unique landscapes.
With regard to cave restaurants, you can combine the experience of dining at an intimate carved wooden table, dimly lit and surrounded by stone walls, with the enjoyment of a traditional Turkish music and dance performance.
Restaurants such as Cave and Uranos offer such a combination, and although you can book directly with them, it’s ideal to have a local company (or your hotel) organise your transfers to ensure a carefree romantic evening.
