Love Valley Cappadocia, Turkey: Everything You Need to Know
Love Valley Cappadocia (or Baglidere Valley) derives its name from the tall soft rock structures that resemble some interesting phallic shapes.
Yes, these rock formations are a bit funny, but they are also super cool to walk amongst (they can reach 100 feet into the air!). Love Valley Cappadocia’s unique landscape makes you feel like you are walking on the moon with its large mushroom shapes and arid vegetation.
One of the best valleys in Cappadocia, Love Valley Turkey has a lot to offer. From a great Cappadocia hike to the best Cappadocia sunrise experience, Cappadocia Love Valley is a must-see in the region.
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Love Valley was one of my favourite valleys of Cappadocia because of the sunrise experience I had here. Watching the hot air balloons fly over the otherworldly scenery and across the golden horizon is a memory I will always cherish.
This complete visitor’s guide will give you information on where Love Valley Cappadocia is, how to get there, what to expect and more.
Read More Cappadocia Travel Guides
Where to Stay + What to Do in Cappadocia
Pigeon Valley: Cappadocia’s Top Hike
Red Valley: Cappadocia Sunset Viewpoint
Cappadocia Quick Guide
Planning a last-minute trip to Cappadocia? Here are the best resources for Cappadocia. Turkey, plus top Cappadocia tours and the best places to stay in Cappadocia.
TURKEY TRAVEL INSURANCE
Check Prices of HeyMondo Insurance
CAPPADOCIA AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Nevsehir Airport Shuttle
Kayseri Airport Shuttle
WHERE TO STAY IN CAPPADOCIA
Luxury Cave Hotel | Sultan Cave Suites
Luxury Cave Hotel | Koza Cave Hotel
Mid-range Hotel | Argos in Cappadocia
Economy Hotel | Village Cave House
CAPPADOCIA TURKEY FLIGHTS
Check Flight Prices on Skyscanner
CAPPADOCIA CAR RENTAL
Check Prices on Cappadocia Car Rentals
BEST CAPPADOCIA GUIDED TOURS
Cappadocia Highlights Tour
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride
North Cappadocia Red Tour
Central Cappadocia Blue Tour
Cappadocia Sunset ATV Tour
Where is Love Valley Cappadocia Map
The Valley of Love Turkey starts in Goreme and ends in the old Greek village of Cavusin. Love Valley has multiple panoramic viewpoints that you can stop at along this road by car, or you can choose to do the Cappadocia hike starting at the base of the valley amongst the fairy chimneys starting at this turnoff from the main road.
Click the image below to interact with a Google Map to find the best route.
How to Get to Love Valley Cappadocia
There are multiple ways to get to Love Valley Cappadocia including an organized day tour, car and by foot.
Depending on what your priority is when visiting Love Valley Turkey, you may want to either visit the panoramic viewpoints or the base of the valley for a hike. Either way, you are going to take a different route depending on what your choose.
Love Valley Cappadocia Panoramic Viewpoint by Car
There are two different routes you can take to get to the best panoramic viewpoints of Love Valley in Cappadocia Turkey. If you are staying in Goreme, you can follow the Google Maps directions to this viewpoint and then follow along this road heading north to see multiple more views of Love Valley.
Detailed Guide on Renting a Car in Turkey (plus tips!)
Love Valley Cappadocia Hike by Car and Foot
If you are driving to the base of the Love Valley hike, you can start in Goreme town and take these Google Maps directions to the proper turnoff from the main road to the left.
You will see a large sign that says ‘Baglidere Vadisi’, so you know you are going in the right direction. Head down this dirt road and you still see the tall rock formations appearing over the brush. Keep driving down this road until you read a small cafe. Park here.
Follow the same directions to reach the Love Valley Turkey hike by foot.
WHERE | Goreme to Love Valley Hike
Best Tours of Love Valley Cappadocia
Due to the phallic nature of the rock formations in Love Valley, most day tour operators choose to eliminate this stop from their itineraries.
There are a couple of ATV tours that visit Love Valley Cappadocia or you can opt for a private customizable day tour like I did so you can choose to visit whatever your heart desires.
Recommended best Cappadocia tours of the Valley of Love Turkey:
Private Day Tour Starting at Sunrise
One of the coolest experiences I had on my trip to Turkey was watching the hot air balloon at sunrise at the Love Valley Cappadocia viewpoint.
I specifically arranged to start my tour early in the morning (most private tours leave at 10AM) and end my tour early so I could incorporate this Cappadocia sunrise.
This tour is definitely worth the extra dollars to have a customizable and private experience.
BOOK | Customizable Private Day Tour of Cappadocia
Sunset ATV Tour of Love Valley Turkey
Driving around on an ATV is one of the best ways to experience the Cappadocia sunset, Love Valley and the region as a whole.
This speedy tour will have you zooming through Cappadocia valleys like Love, White and Red, and visiting the old Greek Village of Cavusin. The real cherry on top here is the sunset views from Rose Valley.
BOOK | Sunset ATV Tour of Cappadocia Valleys
Daytime ATV Tour of Love Valley Turkey
If you already have sunset plans, you can take this daytime ATV tour that will go through Sword and Rose Valley.
Make sure to take the 2-hour group tour as it’s the only one that goes through Love Valley. Note that this tour has a slower pace for people who like to learn about the history and make stops to admire the views.
BOOK | ATV Day Tour: Rose, Sword + Love Valley
Best Time to Visit Love Valley Cappadocia
Time of Year
Like most of the region, Love Valley in Cappadocia is best visited in the shoulder months of April-May and September-November.
I have also heard that winter in Cappadocia can be really nice, too. So don’t cross a visit to Cappadocia Love Valley off your list if you happen to land in the months of December-March. Just bring warm layers.
Planning an epic trip to Turkey? Check out this Ultimate 10 Day Turkey Itinerary
Time of Day
I visited Love Valley twice in November once during sunrise and once during the peak of the day. The sunrise time was chilly (bring a sweater!) but absolutely stunning.
If you decide to start at the main Valley of Love Cappadocia sunrise viewpoint, arrive before sunrise as the place gets quite busy with Instagrammers trying to take ‘the shot’.
The daytime visit was bright, sunny and warm. Perfect conditions for meandering through Love Valley Cappadocia Turkey.
Love Valley Turkey Entrance Fee
Like most valleys in Cappadocia, Love Valley Turkey is free to enter! Whether you are visiting the panoramic viewpoints or the base of the valley to do some hiking, you will not need to pay.
It’s always a good idea to bring some Turkish Lira with you though, since you will come across a few local businesses that you may want to support including cafes and souvenir shops.
Turkey Hot Air Balloon Festival
at Love Valley
Starting in 2019, Cappadocia hosts a yearly International Hot Air Balloon Festival in the region. More than a dozen countries participate and hundreds of balloons take off during a three-day period. Quite a sight to behold!
The date of the hot air balloon festival changes every year but usually takes place in either July or August. Make sure to book your Cappadocia hotel early once the official dates go up. And for something a little extra special, stay at one of these luxury hotels in Cappadocia.
What to Expect in Love Valley Cappadocia
Love Valley is most known for either a beautiful sunrise viewpoint or a great daytime hiking experience through the large rock formations.
Depending on when you visit Love Valley, you will need to bring a sweater for chilly mornings, and a reusable water bottle and sunscreen for hiking through Love Valley Cappadocia during the daytime.
Cappadocia Sunrise Viewpoint at Love Valley
Watching the hot air balloons fly at sunrise from the Love Valley panoramic viewpoint is an absolute must when visiting Cappadocia and is one of the best activities in Cappadocia.
If you decide against doing a hot air balloon ride at sunset, or you already have and you want to get another taste of this bucket list experience, this is the place for you.
Make sure to get there before sunrise as this viewpoint gets busy with photographers and Instagrammers. Stay for an hour and then venture back to Goreme town to start your organized day tour or self-drive adventure.
Do note that this view of the balloons Cappadocia has to offer has zero amenities or facilities available to you, so come prepared.
WHERE | This viewpoint off of the main road has one of the best views in Cappadocia
DIRECTIONS | Google Map Directions to Viewpoint
Love Valley – Best Cappadocia Hikes
Once you’ve made it to the small cafe in the base of the valley following my instruction in the ‘how to get to Love Valley’ section, you can park your Cappadocia rental car here. If you do decide to take a taxi, you will be dropped off at the main road and you will need to take a 15-minute walk in.
Here you will find a small cafe serving local food and drink called Keles Cafe. Unfortunately, this cafe can’t be found on Google Maps, but, we had a delicious fresh pomegranate juice (November is pomegranate season), and took a look around at the plentiful amount of fairy chimneys and skyscraping rock formations.
You can start your Cappadocia hike here and either walk all the way to Uchisar or walk halfway and back around to your car. Make sure to keep track of where you are going, as people have gotten a little lost on this trail in the past.
Love Hiking? Try the Pigeon Valley hike in Cappadocia
If you came by foot, you can make your way to Goreme by walking towards Uchisar and veering off to the left, up the side of the valley and over to Goreme. Be careful if you decide to do this as climbing up the side of the valley doesn’t follow the most sure-footed path.
Making the Love Valley hike Cappadocia on foot starting in Goreme, walking to the valley base and back around to Goreme will take approximately 3 hours.
The majority of the hike is flat with small hills. Exposure to the sun is the most dangerous thing in Love Valley Cappadocia. It’s important to wear sunscreen, a sun hat and bring a reusable water bottle.
Other than the small cafe at the start of the hike, there are no amenities available to you in the Cappadocia valley of love.
NOTE | Organized group tours of the region only go to the panoramic viewpoint, not into the Cappadocia valley.
Interested in Turkey’s top destinations?
Istanbul
Pamukkale Thermal Pools
Ruins of Ephesus
Where to Stay in Cappadocia
(Goreme + Uchisar)
Goreme Hotels in Cappadocia
All of the recommended Goreme hotels below come with great views of the hot air balloon at sunrise and are centrally located for visiting all of the Cappadocia highlights.
Situated with a great view over Goreme town and Pigeon Valley, this luxury Cappadocia hotel features a main terrace, perfect for watching the hot air balloons fly in the morning.
Koza Cave Hotel rooms come with traditional Turkish rugs and cozy beds with several rooms boasting living rooms with fireplaces, spa baths and private terraces. The hotel has a quality onsite restaurant.
MY TOP PICK! Situated on the top of the Goreme town valley, Sultan Cave Suites features a large panoramic terrace, great for morning photoshoots (do note, that a lot of Instagrammers stay here). Most rooms come with a modern en-suite and seating area.
Sultan Cave Suites has a top-rated restaurant on site called Seten, a great place for date night.
Antique Terrace Suites is a mid-range accommodation that features a main sunrise terrace, a great buffet breakfast and cozy cave rooms for an economical price.
Uchisar Hotels in Cappadocia
If you decide to stay in Uchisar instead of Goreme, these wonderful Cappadocia hotels are highly recommended. Both come with views of the hot air balloons at sunrise (albeit a bit further away) and quality rooms.
The Museum Hotel is a member of Relais & Chateaux, which means you can expect a very high standard of service and accommodation here. It has a beautiful outdoor pool, a terrace with panoramic views and all the amenities you could possibly need.
The onsite restaurant offers locally produced fruits and vegetables harvested on-site. Museum Hotel is also pet-friendly!
Rox Cappadocia is located right next to Uchisar Castle and enjoys panoramic views of Goreme and Pigeon Valley from its terraces.
Although Rox is not a cave hotel, it comes with stone rooms (which allow for a more economical price) that mimic this feeling and is a great experience.
What to Bring to Love Valley
Many of the valleys of Cappadocia feature dry dirt paths and a lot of sun exposure. It’s important to come prepared with the proper equipment.
My recommendations:
DAY PACK | Since I spend my days as a full-time travel blogger, I carry my camera wherever I go. The WANDRD PRVKE 21L backpack comes with an optional camera cube, side access quick draw, and plenty of room for your sustainable water bottle, hat, shoes, sweater and anything else you may want to bring on your day trip. It also makes a great carry-on bag with its two padded technology sleeves.
DIGITAL CAMERA | Yes, you can definitely use your camera phone on your trip to Cappadocia (the latest phones have amazing cameras by the way!), but if you want to up your photography game I’d recommend investing in a digital camera with mirrorless technology, which keeps it lightweight and less cumbersome.
I use the Sony A7III every day and I couldn’t be happier. You can also check out my guide on the best cameras for bloggers to see what best fits your needs.
CAMERA LENS | If you are looking for a great complimentary camera lens that can be a jack of all trades, the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 ART Lens is highly recommended. This beast of a lens is a perfect choice if you only want to carry one lens.
SELF CLEANING WATER BOTTLE | Nowadays I don’t go anywhere without a self-cleaning reusable water bottle. It’s great for eliminating plastic and also to get clean drinking water wherever I go. I particularly enjoy my LARQ water bottle because of its easy self-cleaning technology and sleek design.
SUNSCREEN | Sunscreen is a necessity for most Cappadocia attractions since the majority of them are outdoors. I opt for the mineral based reef-safe 50 SPF Sunscreen from SunBum.
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