This was my second time visiting Turkey, so I was eager to explore a new region. After a bit of back-and-forth, I settled on Cappadocia, and even though choosing it meant skipping other local wonders, I didn't regret it for a second.
We arrived in the early afternoon at our hotel, the Rose Valley House, located in Çavuşin. After the traditional welcome with a complimentary tea, we settled into our room (we even got a free upgrade, which was awesome!) and tried to find a restaurant nearby to grab a bite. The tourist season was just starting, and we ended up at Word of Kebap. It felt more like someone’s private home than a restaurant, which led to a lot of laughs with the other tourists who joined us in the "living room." This spot became our running gag for the rest of the trip, but I have to admit, the food was actually pretty good!
Back at the hotel, we decided to follow our host's advice and head out for a quick 
hike in Rose Valley. After getting a ride to the top (top-tier service from our host, I tell you!) and receiving a few pointers, we just had to follow the trails back to the village. It was a lovely, easy introduction to the local landscape. The hike takes about 2 hours and is quite manageable (there are a few spots where you might slip a little, but nothing dangerous), and we took the opportunity to snap tons of photos. There are even small cafes along the way if you need to cool off. We eventually popped out in the center of the village, where we wandered around a bit before heading back to rest. We were supposed to catch the sunset, but the rain and clouds convinced us to opt for some downtime and a nice dinner at the hotel instead.
The next day, the weather was iffy, so we were recommended the "Red Tour: Cappadocia Tour," which involves less walking than the "Green Tour." Our hotel works with Andromeda Agency, which seemed pretty good to us (though maybe a few euros more than the prices recommended online?). We were able to see the following sites: Uçhisar Castle, the various buildings (well, caves!) of the Open Air Museum with their rock paintings, a stop in Çavuşin (our famous sunset viewpoint!), Pasabag Valley, Ürgüp with its fairy chimneys, and Devrent Valley (or Imagination Valley), where you interpret the rocks as clouds. All of this was broken up by an included lunch break. We also visited a pottery workshop in Avanos, which was quite nice because we got to watch a demonstration, see some impressive pieces, and, most importantly, they didn't pressure us to buy anything. A carpet shop was also on the agenda, but it was optional. Again, if you don't have anything better to
do, it’s interesting to learn a thing or two. The sales pitch is a bit more "encouraged," but even then, it wasn't forced. Then, we were driven back to the hotel to rest up after a very busy day! We tried for the sunset again by climbing the trail to the viewpoint, but… still too cloudy to really enjoy it.
The following day, the weather looked clearer, so we started the "Green Tour: Ihlara Tour." After a panoramic stop in Göreme, we visited the Derinkuyu Underground City, 
which is quite unique. We followed that up with a healthy little walk in Ihlara Valley, which ended with a well-deserved lunch. We continued with another panoramic stop in Yaprakhisar (whose landscapes were supposedly used as a backdrop in the early Star Wars films, though they didn't have filming permits on-site), before heading to the Selime Monastery. One last quick photo stop at Pigeon Valley, and then we finished with the least interesting part: a shop where they demonstrate onyx carving (that part was fine), but it’s really just a giant, overpriced gift shop (with prices that didn't always make sense). A bit of 
a shame to end on that weak note, but it was a nice day overall. We were finally able to go back and rest a bit, and because we don't give up easily, we tried the climb up the trail in Çavuşin one more time in hopes of an unforgettable sunset and… well, it was pretty, but we’ll probably forget it in the end!
One last dinner at our hotel, one last night being woken up by the call to prayer, and then we were off for a full day of travel, including shuttles, buses, and a flight. But it was worth it, because I’ve never seen landscapes this exceptional, not even in Tunisia, where I saw a few similarities. In short, three days in Cappadocia is a must-do in Turkey!
Recommendations:
-The arrival was a bit of a hassle because I had the brilliant idea to fly out of Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (the further of the two) and arrive at Kayseri Airport (the furthest from Göreme) just to get a cheaper flight with FlyPegasus (even after factoring in the 20 euros for the round-trip shuttle). So, if you can, book an Atatürk-Nevşehir flight to save on travel time (and cost)!
-Hot air balloon tours: We didn't do it (my travel buddy is afraid of heights…), but those who had booked had to cancel for the two mornings we were there because of the rain. So, you need the budget, and above all, good weather, otherwise you’ll be waking up at the crack of dawn for nothing.
-Our accommodation, the Rose Valley House in Çavuşin, was top-notch! It might be better to stay in Göreme if you want to be in the heart of the action, but we were very happy with our little home base (ignoring the minaret right next door). Great service, the option to have your meals on-site (and they are very good!), breakfast included… and it was among the cheapest in the region!
-We tested a few places to eat in Çavuşin, and in the end, we found that the food was better at our hotel and slightly cheaper (20 TL per person for an appetizer, main course, dessert, and a large bottle of water for two). But it was still fun to "test out" other spots.
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