To be honest, Philly has never been on my radar as a ‘must visit’ place. The only reason we were lucky enough to visit this incredible city was because we wanted to visit my unlce, and let me tell you, I was definitely taken by surprise when we got there!

Getting there

To get to this wonderful city, we took a train from New York (Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station) to Philadelphia (William H Gray III 30th St. Station). The tickets cost $19 USD each, and in one hour and twenty minutes were stepping foot into the beautiful, 1920s style train station in Philly.

Accomodation

We stayed with my uncle, well and truley in the outer suburbs of Philly, which was not too convenient for exploring the city. If I could recommend an area to stay in, I would suggest staying in the area pictured below. As we were told, the far North and far South of the city can be a little dodgy, so its safest to stay in the middle (that is where you want to be anyway!).

Museums, Galleries and Historical Sites

Reading Terminal Market

When the name “Cappadocia” translates to “The land of beautiful horses”, how can you not experience a horse ride through the valleys at dusk?!

This experience was affordable, lasted for 2 hours and was great fun! I don’t think experience with horses is necessary, however you do have to have a cool demeanour because horses can feel when you start to freak out… We were led by guides at the front, the back and the sides of the group, and made our way through the scenic golden landscape on horseback.

Tips: wear a sports bra, pants and enclosed shoes.

Hike on the Appalacian Mountain trail

If you are not afraid of heights (or are trying to conquer the fear), this is an absolutely incredible activity to tick off your bucket list. I booked the experience through Turquaz Balloons, for $300 AUD - which included pick up from hotel, breakfast and drop off. A 4.15am start was quite a shock to the system, but it really is worth the sleep depravation!

To see the experience, watch my vlog on Tik Tok or read a more in-depth blog here.

Pay a visit to Longwood Gardens

This Turkish cooking class was an absolute treat, and I couldn’t reccommend it more, whether you are in a big group, a couple, or travelling solo!

We were picked up from our accommodation in a horse drawn buggy and taken to King’s Valley, where local women taught us how to make traditional Turkish dishes. Once the food was ready, we had a sit down meal, including desserts and Turkish coffee.

The whole experience took around 6 hours, and is a great activity to immerse yourself in the local culture.

Where to eat

NBA Game at Wells Fargo Center

Although we visited Cappadocia towards the end of summer, the temperature still rose to about 32-35 degrees celscius during the day. Because of this, I found two beautiful spots to hang out and swim by the pool, the first one being Local Cave House Hotel (who did charge us €15 to go in) and Aza Cave Hotel, which we could enter due to staying in Koza Cave.