Antalya to Cappadocia: Ultimate Guide 2024
LOOKING TO GO FROM ANTALYA TO CAPPADOCIA?
You’re in the right place as I’m going to tell you the best way to get from Antalya to Cappadocia in 2023.
Antalya is one of the most popular destinations to visit in Türkiye for a warm relaxing beach trip.
But it’s also hard to say no to Cappadocia, especially if you are already in the country.
If you’ve come across this post, the chances are, you want to make that journey between the two hotspots.
Unfortunately, it can appear quite intimidating trying to navigate transport in a new country. Especially when the two locations are so far apart.
Luckily for you, I’m a full-time traveller and I’ve actually made this exact journey myself.
So I created this ultimate guide on how to get from Antalya to Cappadocia.
Without further ado, let’s get straight into it.
Where is Cappadocia?
Cappadocia is actually a region in central Türkiye. A pretty big one too, around 5,000 square kilometres.
Many people mistakenly think Cappadocia is just a city or it’s the famous landscapes with the hot air balloons.
That’s in Cappadocia, but that isn’t exclusively Cappadocia.
The name you’re looking for is Göreme National Park. That’s the name of the landscape made up of “fairy chimneys” where all the hot air balloons fly.
So to answer the question of “where?”, Cappadocia is pretty much slap-bang in the middle of the country.
And Göreme is pretty much slap-bang in the middle of Cappadocia.
How far is it from Antalya to Cappadocia?
Antalya is southwest of Cappadocia. You can see it on the map above. It’s in the bottom left, in the province shaped somewhat like an ‘n’.
The distance between Antalya and Cappadocia is 500km of road.
This is the distance to reach Cappadocia’s label on Google Maps, which is conveniently very close to Göreme National Park.
So the distance between Antalya and the fairy chimneys is also 500km.
Antalya to Cappadocia Options
To get from Antalya to Cappadocia, you have a few options to choose from. There are 4 main options. They are:
- As part of a tour
- By bus
- Driving
- By plane
This is also the order of my recommendation. I’ll now dive further into each of the options and why I do or don’t suggest taking that option.
Antalya to Cappadocia Tour
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In my opinion, the best way to get from Antalya to Cappadocia is as part of a tour. The best option is the 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Antalya With Cave Hotel Overnight.
It includes a private air-conditioned bus journey from Antalya to Cappadocia, and back; 2 breakfasts and 1 dinner; entry to the Underground City; and a night in a cave hotel.
All of this is for only €55 per person. It’s an incredible deal and superb value for money.
Taking a tour also removes any stress of having to navigate the journey for yourself, as you are taken straight from A to B.
There’s also an expert guide on hand, to teach you all about Cappadocia on the way, and while you are there too.
Since Antalya is popular to visit all year round, including in winter, this tour runs all year.
Note that a hot air balloon ride isn’t included, but you can choose to take a hot air balloon flight on the morning of the second day.
I thoroughly recommend it, especially since the price of a Cappadocia hot air balloon is also good value for money.
All in all, taking a tour is the best option. It’s the easiest option too. So make sure to book the 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Antalya With Cave Hotel Overnight. Trust me, it will be the best experience of your life.
Bus
Another option for getting from Antalya to Cappadocia is to get a bus. I recommend using Flixbus which takes you straight from Antalya to Göreme National Park.
The bus journey takes 9-10 hours to get from one to the other, and it costs around €20 per person.
For a return, this is then €40. Plus, you need to navigate Cappadocia for yourself, pay for meals, pay for entry to the Underground City, and more.
This is why I recommend taking the tour from Antalya instead. It takes away all of the extra stress and prices, and it actually works out cheaper too.
If you want to DIY it, then I definitely suggest using Flixbus as they provide a great service, but personally, I would always opt for the tour.
Driving
The best option for getting from Antalya to Cappadocia in terms of flexibility is by driving yourself.
It means you can make stops wherever and whenever you want. And to be fair, the drive is pretty scenic with lots of places to stop.
The only downside is that you will have to pay for fuel, and renting a car. And obviously, have the stress of driving over 500km in a country where the roads are notoriously hectic.
If you do decide to make the drive for yourself, I recommend renting a car in Antalya with Discover Cars.
They compare all of the car rental companies and allow you to get the best possible price.
Again, I personally wouldn’t go for this option. But the option is there if you want it.
Plane
A fourth and final option for making the journey to Cappadocia from Antalya is flying.
It’s the fastest way to get between the two destinations, with the flight only lasting just over 1 hour. Compare this to driving and it’s incredibly quicker.
There are three main reasons I don’t encourage taking this flight. Firstly, it’s the most expensive option with the least benefits.
A flight from Antalya to Nevesihr (the closest airport) will typically cost about €55-70 each way. The tour from Antalya is cheaper and includes a lot of add-ons.
Secondly, the drive is actually very scenic from Antalya to Cappadocia. The Turkish natural beauty is breathtaking.
And lastly, it’s bad for the environment. As a full-time traveller, I fly a lot more than most people. But I still don’t see the point in flying when you can make your way there in a cheaper and a more exciting way, which is honestly better too.
But if you do choose to fly, as always, use Skyscanner to find the cheapest prices possible. I use it to book every single flight I take.
3 Best Antalya to Cappadocia Tours
As I’ve said throughout this article, taking a tour is the best way to get from Antalya to Cappadocia, experience Cappadocia for what it is, and get back to Antalya.
But I don’t want to limit your options to one. So I’ve compiled my top 3 recommendations for taking a tour. You can see the pros and cons of each tour and then decide for yourself which option you want to go for.
1. 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Antalya With Cave Hotel Overnight
⭐RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (35+ reviews) | 🎈 BOOK NOW
Throughout this article, I’ve continuously recommended the 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Antalya With Cave Hotel Overnight but I’ll now give some more information on what the tour actually looks like.
First and foremost, you might have some concerns that 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Antalya With Cave Hotel Overnight is too good to be true. Well, it’s a rare case where it’s actually true.
The above review highlights that exact concern and how good the tour actually is.
Not only does the tour include transport to and from Cappadocia, it includes a lot of bonuses too.
Both breakfasts are included, and one dinner too. By the way, the food in Cappadocia is delicious.
There are also a load of activities you can choose to do too. The most obvious is a hot air balloon flight, but you can also choose to go horseriding, take a pottery class, explore caves and more.
You also get to spend a night in a cave hotel in Cappadocia- it’s a lot more comfortable than it sounds and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people.
And who could forget all of the amazing places you will visit and get to see?
The Underground City, Uchisar Castle, Pigeon Valley, the Three Beauties, and more.
Cappadocia is truly one of the most beautiful places in the whole world.
And 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Antalya With Cave Hotel Overnight offers the best way to see the region from Antalya.
2. From Antalya: Cappadocia 2-Day Guided Excursion
⭐RATING: 4.4 out of 5 Stars (25+ reviews) | 🎈 BOOK NOW
Another really good tour option is the From Antalya: Cappadocia 2-Day Guided Excursion which offers a similar experience to the first option, but costs a bit more. Some might say that the higher price leads to a better time though 🤷♂️.
Like the first tour, it also includes transport from Antalya to Cappadocia and back again, and offers the opportunity to do lots of activities along the way.
The options for this tour are a hot air balloon flight, a panoramic balloon-watching experience, a Turkish night show (a fascinating display of Turkish culture), and more.
Entry to the Underground City is included in this tour. It’s included in the first tour too, by the way.
And in terms of meals, a breakfast and dinner are also included.
Personally, I think it’s a more authentic experience to stay in a cave hotel in Cappadocia, it’s part of the whole experience. That’s why I prefer the first tour to this option.
Nonetheless, From Antalya: Cappadocia 2-Day Guided Excursion is still a very good option and should definitely be one to consider as you make a decision on how to get to the region.
3. From Antalya: 2-Day Cappadocia, Cave Hotel, & Balloon Tour
⭐RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (35+ reviews) | 🎈 BOOK NOW
A third and final option is the From Antalya: 2-Day Cappadocia, Cave Hotel, & Balloon Tour which is also highly rated with a 4.5/5 score.
To give you an idea of how jam-packed the itineraries are for these 2-day trips, this tour includes 20 different bullet points.
Some highlights include Pigeon Valley, Valley of Love, Valley of the Monks, Uchguzel, and of course, the Underground City.
A personal favourite of mine is the rock city of Chavushin. It’s spectacular.
Antalya to Cappadocia: FAQ
Below are some questions related to getting from Antalya to Cappadocia along with my answers.
Yes, you can definitely do a day trip. The journey takes about 9 hours by car, so if you want to do a day trip, it would be best to fly which takes just over 1 hour. If you have the time though, spending a night in Cappadocia is a special experience.
The distance between Antalya and Cappadocia by plane is approximately 413 kilometres. Note that to fly to Cappadocia, you fly into Nevesihr airport which is the closest airport to Göreme National Park.
It’s hard to choose between two extraordinary destinations. It also depends on what your ideal travel destination has. That being said, you can visit both in one trip. There are tours which take you from Antalya to Cappadocia and back. It’s actually really affordable too.
Getting a taxi from Antalya to Cappadocia is an extremely long journey as it’s over 500 kilometres of road. Most taxis will charge over $300 USD for a journey this long. If you want a taxi, 12go is the best option.
Final Thoughts: Antalya to Cappadocia
And there you have it, a complete guide to getting from Antalya to Cappadocia.
Remember, you have four main options: by taking a tour, by getting a bus, by renting a car and by flying.
I personally recommend the 2 Days Cappadocia Tour From Antalya With Cave Hotel Overnight which offers the complete Cappadocia experience from Antalya.
Enjoy your trip to Cappadocia, it’s a magical place!
