Cappadocia in winter
A few notes about traveling to Cappadocia in winter/off-season.
1. A car is essential, whether in winter or summer. We flew (from Istanbul) to Kayseri Airport, having booked a car there in advance (we found an option without a deposit or credit card, as we didn't have one :)
2. Why Kayseri Airport instead of Nevsehir? Because the city of Kayseri itself is also very worth visiting. It boasts examples of Seljuk architecture (mosques, madrassas, mausoleums) and an excellent castle. Plus, flights from Istanbul to Kayseri were more convenient :)
3. Weather – that's where it all depends. We had sun on the first day, cloudy on the second, and snow on the third. Cloudy weather is the worst – it's not very pretty in that weather. When there's snow and sun, it's beautiful.
4. There are very few people in the off-season. That's great. We walked peacefully, almost alone, around all the sights. That's a plus. 5. On the downside, you'll only get a hot air balloon ride if you're really lucky with the weather (sun and no wind), and the chances are slim. It wasn't a big deal for us :)
6. Route/sightseeing tips:
1. Goreme Open-Air Museum (where the churches are) - definitely a must. Entrance is €20, but that's fine. They accept Union Pay cards from unauthorized banks. :) Parking is also €100, but you can just park a little ahead on the other side of the road and walk 100 meters. :) Inside, there's a separate entrance to the Dark Church for €6. We went, but it's not really necessary; if we'd known, we wouldn't have gone. :)
After these churches, you can skip all the others. Objectively.
7. Pasabag and Zelve Valleys. A combined ticket is €12, and they also accept Union Pay. Definitely worth a visit. Important: parking is free at Pasabag, 100 lira at Zelve, and we park the same way, 50 meters from the entrance. :) Along with the standard 450 lira tickets, they also try to sell headphones so you can listen to the audio guide (which you have to download separately). So-so. :)
8. You have to climb one of the castles. :) There are two - Uchisar and Orthisar. The first is lower and costs 400 lira, the second is higher and costs 100 lira. :) We chose Orthisar and didn't regret it (and yes, we were there completely alone. :)
9. Driving and taking photos of the valleys (love, pigeon, sword, etc.) is only worth it in sunny weather. We've been there both sunny and cloudy - it was a joy and a disappointment, respectively.
10. Underground cities. This is a complex topic. There are four of them: the larger Derinkuyu and Kaymakli (entrance fee €20 each), and the smaller Özkonak (€8) and Mazi (€3). We decided to try the smallest one (Mazi) first, and we didn't regret it, because after we walked a little further from the entrance and began descending through these narrow tunnels... and again, there was no one else there except us... So, we practically ran back to the light of day, although in ordinary life, no one is ever afraid of confined spaces :)
11. Nevsehir. Nothing to do, no need to waste time. We climbed up to the fort (it's not old, unlike the ones described above). There's an underground city, but only a small section of it is open (although it's larger than Derinkuyu).
12. Monasteries. The most interesting is Gumusler. There's actually an entire city there, and a monastery within it. A must-see. Entrance fee: €3
13. We also went to the town of Nigde. Just so we could say we'd been to nowhere :) There's nothing to do there per se, of course. There are a few Seljuk buildings, but that was all in Kayseri. The town itself is a dud, with no tourist infrastructure whatsoever. But the "Nigde" magnet is probably worth it :)