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Cappadocia is a place that should be on everyone’s bucket list and is 100% worth the hype. I’ve been 3 times and each time I visit, I can’t believe how beautiful it is. It’s not just one of those “Instagram” photo destinations. I’ve put together the best itinerary combining everything I’ve done from my trips there.
3 days is the perfect amount of time to explore the area and see enough of the hot air balloons. I wouldn’t recommend less because you never know if the hot air balloons will fly and you want to give yourself at least one buffer day if the balloons get cancelled. Personally, seeing the hot air balloons from the ground is even more beautiful than in the sky but both are worth doing if you’re going all the way there.
I’ll share recommendations on where to stay and other activities to do since Cappadocia has historical significance beyond the hot air balloons. The actual town is called Göreme and super interesting to explore. Because there are so many natural caves, early Christians built underground cities here to avoid persecution and then to increase tourism, the hot air balloons began a few decades ago.
You can use Omio to find buses which can be overnight or during the day and a bus from Istanbul takes about 12 hours.
Here are 3 different options on where to stay based on budget level:
Where to stay on a budget (hostel): Seven Rock Cave
This is one of my favorite hostels I’ve ever stayed at with a pool and amazing Turkish breakfast with affordable dorm rooms. 
Where to stay in between (mid-range hotel): Osmanli Cappadocia
Affordable hotel in the center of town with a great location and an amazing rooftop view 
Where to stay ballin’ out (luxury): Avantgarde Refined Caves
This stunning hotel has cave rooms and the perfect place to stay. You can relax by the pool or with a massage in your down time. 
Day 0: Fly in from Neveshir or Kayseri airport or overnight bus from Istanbul. Flying and busing is pretty affordable.
If you have time, go to Love Valley for sunset after checking in to your accommodation and enjoy a local dinner at CanCan Restaurant in the center of town.
Day 1: Take the sunrise hot air balloon
It’s an early wake up but worth it for the sunrise hot air balloon. This is a buffer day because if the balloons are cancelled for whatever reason, you can postpone it to tomorrow. 
Book a hot air balloon ride here and you should be done by 9am. 
After breakfast and a nap, take a tour of an underground city and a pottery class.
If you have energy, you can take a sunset atv or horseback ride or just go to a sunset point in Cappadocia. 
Day 2: Watch the hot air balloon from the ground
If there’s a rooftop at the hotel, you can watch there or go to one of the take off points like Sunpoint Cappadocia. 
After breakfast, hang out by the pool and relax and enjoy the hostel or hotel.
Have lunch at a women’s cooperative called Kadin Kooperatifi which is a super local women’s run restaurant with very reasonable prices. 
Go wine tasting in the afternoon and try local wine and explore the fairy chimneys. Here is a good tour.
For dinner, enjoy a Turkish show with dancing and a delicious meal.
Day 3: Use this day as a buffer in case the hot air balloons didn’t fly the first two days or wake up early again for sunrise or use one day to sleep in!
Get ready to leave for the airport or the bus.
