Mornings start early for the balloons, afternoons are for walking the valleys, and the last day goes underground before the flight home. Göreme is the base: most of the sights are a short drive or a walk away.
Arrive & the valleys at sunset
14:00
Check in in GöremeCave hotels sit on the slope above the town; most are a short walk from the bus station.
16:00
1Walk Love ValleyA flat hour and a half among the tall rock pillars; start from the Göreme end.Open in Maps
18:30
2Sunset at the Red & Rose Valley viewpointThe cliffs turn red as the sun goes down. In summer come early: it gets busy.Open in Maps
Balloons & the open-air museum
05:30
Hot-air balloons at sunriseFly (book a few days ahead; flights depend on the wind) or watch them rise from the hills above Göreme.
09:30
3Göreme Open-Air MuseumChurches cut into the rock, with frescoes. The Dark Church is a separate ticket, and worth it.Open in Maps
13:00
Lunch and pottery in AvanosA town on the Kızılırmak known for its red clay; the workshops let you try the wheel.
16:30
4Paşabağ (Monks Valley)The fairy chimneys with mushroom caps, ten minutes from Avanos.Open in Maps
18:30
5Sunset from Uçhisar CastleThe highest rock around, with the whole valley below it.Open in Maps
Underground & home
09:00
6Derinkuyu Underground CityEight levels dug into the rock, deep enough to hide thousands of people. Narrow and low in places.Open in Maps
12:30
7Walk the Ihlara ValleyA green canyon along a stream, with churches in its walls. Walk from Ihlara to Belisırma and have lunch by the water.Open in Maps
17:00
To the airportAbout an hour and a half to Nevşehir's airport, two hours to Kayseri's.
1 Love Valley2 Red & Rose Valley viewpoint3 Göreme Open-Air Museum4 Paşabağ (Monks Valley)5 Uçhisar Castle6 Derinkuyu Underground City7 Ihlara Valley
This is the kind of plan I write. Tell me yours, where, when and who's coming, and I'll check the roads, the stays, the weather and the costs.