sketching Cappadocia, Turkiye
2025

Tuesday July 22nd - wednesday july 30th
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8NIGHTS /9DAYS

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Imagine a landscape sculpted by both nature and time -
this is the rare and breathtaking Cappadocia in Turkeye.

I just adore Turkiye, so I’m designing this tour for people who’d rather stay in one extraordinary place and do fabulous day trips.
Enough traveling around every few days, sketching only a little of what’s there and packing your bags every other day. That’s not for us.

Our personal tour guide and driver will take us somewhere fascinating on most days and bring us ‘home’at the days end.

The other difference in my tours is this.
I like a small group of likeminded folks - as sketchers tend to be - and as few as 4.
This makes a much more personalised tour and everybody can be fully involved.

We also get to know much more about the lesser known places of wonderful historic interest, but not at all crowded, and where we can sketch happily.

Then we’ll come home, tired and happy, after a gorgeous time, put our feet up, have a drink at our luxurious cave hotel and have dinner on the terrace. Soo relaxing and out of this world.
That’s how I like my tours to be, and I know you do too.

If you don’t know Cappadoccia, you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
Cappadocia’s terrain is a surreal masterpiece shaped by volcanic eruptions and eroded by wind and water over millions of years.
The result is a dramatic landscape of ‘fairy chimneys’— towering rock formations that rise like ancient sentinels from the earth.
These natural structures, formed from soft volcanic rock capped by harder stone, seem to be painted in a palette of soft pinks, oranges, and ochres that shift with the light, creating an ever-changing canvas.

For thousands of years, Cappadocia has been a haven for religious communities
seeking refuge and solitude.
Beginning as early as the 4th century, early Christians fled Roman persecution and found shelter within Cappadocia's rugged terrain.
Here, they carved out extensive cave dwellings, monasteries, and churches directly into the rock, creating a hidden world of spirituality amidst the wilderness.

COSTS
Single in double room with ensuite - €3950pp
Twin Share - double or twin room with ensuite - €3450pp
Deposit: €800pp (non refundable, but may be transferred to another EH Tour within 12 months)

Please note: If sharing a room, please nominate who you’ll be sharing with and each person completes a booking form.

About our 9 Day Sketching Cappadoccia Turkiye Tour 2025
Tuesday July 22nd to Wednesday July 30th
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WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Sketch Tutoring daily with Erin - approx 4hrs per day
4* Accommodation at Aya Kapadokya Hotel with ensuite bathroom
Airport Pickup and Drop-off at Kayseri Airport
Private transport every day to and from our locations from our hotel.
Organised and fully guided to all locations with our favourite local tour guide.
Full Breakfast daily
Tea coffee or lemon water anytime
Entry tickets to places of interest
Hot Air Balloon over the Fairy Chimneys
Free time for shopping and exploring
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WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Flights to and from Istanbul and to Kayseri Airports.
(If you’d like to stay in Istanbul first, I have some suggestions below - scroll way down)
Sketch Kit
Travel Insurance (essential)
Lunches, dinners, (although Emre and Begum do cook amazing Turkish dinners which we can opt for)
Drinks, wine, cocktails etc
Personal spending

WHO IS IT FOR:
Anybody who loves travel and sketching. No experience needed however I work at all levels.
Then this tour is for everyone, whether on your own, with friends, couples.

Let’s make sure we are reasonably fit as there are lots of cobbled surfaces and steps.
Make sure you read the Terms and Conditions in our booking form.
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ITINERARY:
Here’s the itinerary for the moment, although sometimes we may need to change the order of things. There is sooo much to see and sketch. 😀

DAY 1. Tuesday July 22nd.
Arrive at Aya Kapadokia Hotel in the afternoon. Please advise your flight arrival time (and departure time) so we can organise our driver to pick you up at Kayseri Airport.
You’ll meet Emre and Begum who are the delightful hotel owners and who will show you to your rooms and tell you about everything you might like to know about this extraordinary place.
Drinks on the Terrace at 6.00pm and we’ll chat about our week ahead.
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DAY 2. Wednesday July 23rd
We’ll get together after breakfast on the Terrace at our hotel - as we’ll do each morning -
and get to know our sketch kit - and each other. We’ll also do our first sketch.
Late morning we’ll get Kutluhan our guide to take us to
Uchisar, a charming village very near our hotel.
We’ll have lunch at one of the local cafes and take a look at Uchisar Castle, the impressive rock castle, which has a panoramic view over the whole Cappadocia region!
We also love the narrow streets and traditional stone houses, which could well be our afternoon sketch.
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DAY 3. Thursday July 24th
Today we’ll be going to view the extraordinary The Göreme Open-Air Museum,
a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We’ll be finding a gorgeous little cafe where we can sit and have coffee and look over the valley first then to the wondrous landscapes in the Göreme Valley.
Lunch will be somewhere where we can look at the amazing ‘Chimney’ shapes all around us.
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DAY 4. Friday July 25th
Kutluhan will take us to Avanos, a town famous for it’s classic Turkish hand made pottery and we’ll feel we’re going back in time.
Pottery was practiced in Avanos since the days of the Hittites and you can sense the history in every piece you look at.
We’ll stroll the narrow streets and observe how the artisans create their work.
After lunch, we will take our sketch books and choose some of the traditional and beautifully patterned displays as our sketch inspiration.
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DAY 5. Saturday July 26th
Today will be one you’ll never forget!
The Hot Air Balloon ride.
It will be an early start so we’ll have needed our beauty sleep the night before.
We will be riding high over the pink and cream coloured fairy chimneys below. It’s so gentle and so quiet you’ll hardly realise we’re rising.
Unique rock formations and hidden cave churches make this a visual feast from the air.
We tend to take loads of photos as it’s not easy to sketch and take in this magical otherworldly experience.
We’ll have the afternoon at home and do some sketching from the top terraces of the hotel.
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DAY 6. Sunday July 27th
Today we’ll drive to Ihlara Valley, a lush gorge carved by the Melendiz River.
The valley is dotted with hidden rock-cut churches, many of which feature well-preserved frescoes. The combination of steep cliffs, green vegetation, and ancient religious sites offers a rich variety of subjects for us to sketch, from tranquil river scenes to dramatic canyon walls.
We’ll also see orchards of walnut, apple, and apricot trees in this fertile valley.
There’ll be some great sketch stories in our books from here.
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DAY 7. Monday July 28th
Saran Caravanserai
I’ve picked something a little different and rich in history for today.
Saran is a restored 13th-century Seljuk caravanserai
(a roadside inn where travelers and traders rested).
The imposing architecture, with its large courtyard, arched doorways, and stone walls, offers a glimpse into the region’s history as a crossroads of trade.
In sketching this ancient structure we’ll capture the feeling of
the intricate details of Islamic architecture
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DAY 8. Tuesday July 29th
Sobesos Ancient City
Our last sketching day and we’re off to Sobesos, an ancient Roman-Byzantine city discovered relatively recently.
There are remnants of a Roman bathhouse, mosaics, and a basilica.
We’re going to love seeing the intricate mosaic floors, in particular, and are an excellent subjects for pattern sketches.
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DAY 9. Wednesday July 30th
After breakfast we’ll say our fond farewells and promise to keep in touch with each other.
Your transport will take you to the airport in time for your departure.
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 WHAT YOU'LL NEED
*Sketch Kit - Available to order online if you’re in Australia, or get similar in UK, USA and France.
I’ve designed this custom sketch kit to be minimal and fit into your shoulder bag,
ready at any moment.
It contains everything you need. Don't be tempted to bring more.
* Bring a folding stool if you like, a hat, sunglasses, sun lotion, money for incidentals, such as drinks and meals not included.
* Come with a big happy smile and willingness to learn.

* You will find the shopping genuinely authentic and amazing value - everything from the fabrics and clothing, carpets and cushions, pottery and homewares, jewellery and fashion items - so you’ll need a big extra bag to take home your purchases.

LOOKING FORWARD TO SKETCHING WITH YOU SOON 

I’ve put up some helpful info for those who’d like to visit Istanbul before flying to Cappadocia.

SUGGESTIONS FOR A STAY IN ISTANBUL

You may like to visit Istanbul either before or after our Cappadocia Tour.
If you arrive at the main Istanbul Airport, do make sure you book either a taxi or shuttle to the city.
It’s about an hour away.
If you’re joining us in Cappadocia, you’ll be booking your flight from Istanbul to Kayseri Airport - where we will have you picked up.

I always stay at Hotel Alzer, right on the Hippodrome.
You are central to everything.
It’s 3* with charming rooms, - some have an amazing view of The Blue Mosque, an excellent breakfast, and good old fashioned kind and helpful service - as all Turkish people seem to be.

There is also a cafe at the front which serves excellent food and all kinds of drinks pretty much all day. Try the Pomegranate juice, made fresh right there. I’m hooked!

The Basilica Cistern is absolutely worth a visit. You can see how beautifully it’s been restored and lit from the pic above.

The Grand Bazaar is another ‘must do’ experience. There is sooo much to see from food and drinks, silver and gold, homewares and gifts, clothing and fabrics. Too much to mention!!
Take an extra bag - the shopping is out of this world.
If you feel unsure about doing things on your own, ask at reception for a guide to take you to all the best places.
It is definitely worth the small amount you’ll pay.

See you in Cappadocia for some amazing sketching.

Click the little icons below to see loads of my sketches on Pinterest and Instagram