Cappadocia With Kids: Balloons, Underground Cities and Clay

Cappadocia with kids works because the whole region feels like an adventure. Think tunnels under the ground, chimneys of stone, a potter’s wheel and balloons at dawn. Keep the days short, and build each one around a single big moment. Here is what children enjoy most, and how we plan two family days.

Is Cappadocia good for kids?

Yes, Cappadocia is good for kids, because many of its sights work on two levels. Parents see the history, while children see caves to climb into and tunnels to explore. With your own guide and driver, the plan bends to nap times, snacks and how far small legs can walk. For the whole country, read our guide to Turkey with kids.

What do kids love in Cappadocia?

Cities under the ground

The Kaymaklı underground city has eight levels, and four of them are lit for visitors. Families once hid here from raiders with their animals and their food. Stone doors could roll shut across the corridors. So children explore the tunnels and rooms with your guide beside them. The passages are narrow and low, so leave big bags in the car.

Balloons at dawn

At dawn, the sky over the valleys fills with balloons. Watching them rise from the ground, or from a cave hotel terrace, works at every age. If you would like to fly with children, tell us their ages. Then we check with a licensed operator. Flights depend on the wind, so keep a second morning free.

The potter’s wheel in Avanos

In Avanos, the clay comes from the old beds of the Kızılırmak River, and iron oxide gives it its red color. A potter shows the children the wheel, which the locals call the çıkrık, and then they try it themselves.

Fairy chimneys and an easy walk

At Paşabağ, stone chimneys stand in clusters, some with two or three dark caps. Then walk a short, easy stretch of Pigeon Valley, where the cliffs are full of old pigeon houses. Let the children choose the path, and your guide sets the pace.

A 2-day plan for Cappadocia with kids

Day one. Go down into Kaymaklı in the morning, while everyone is fresh. Then walk a stretch of Pigeon Valley, have a family lunch and finish at the potter’s wheel in Avanos.

Day two. Watch the balloons rise at dawn. After breakfast, see the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ, then keep the afternoon for rest at the hotel. All of these valleys belong to a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where should families with kids stay in Cappadocia?

Stay in a cave hotel in Göreme, Uçhisar or Ürgüp, so every stop is a short drive away. For the choice between the towns, read our guide to Cappadocia cave hotels. We also provide a child seat in the vehicle on request.

Our suggestion

Plan one big moment a day, and let the rest be slow. Our Cappadocia family tour puts Kaymaklı, Pigeon Valley and the potter’s wheel into one day. For a whole week, our Turkey with kids tour in 8 days joins Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Antalya coast.

Would you like to show Cappadocia to your children? Tell us their ages and your dates, and we will plan the days. See also our family travel service.