1. Kaymakli Underground City
In case you have decided to tour Turkey and search for the best places to visit in Cappadocia, don’t miss the tour of this exceptional underground city. The locals of Kaymakli village have built their homes around almost 100 tunnels of this underground city.
This region’s inhabitants still utilize the most suitable places in tunnels as storage areas, stables, and cellars that they access by the courtyards. While Kaymakli underground city contains 8 floors below the ground, you can only visit 4 of them in which spaces are well-organized around the ventilation shafts.
Location - Kaymakli
Entry Fee/Price – 15 Turkish Lira
Timings –
- May-October: 8 AM-6 PM
- November-April: 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Checkout & Book: Turkey Trips
2. Goreme Open-Air Museum
Just outside of the Goreme Village is this UNESCO-protected site, the monastery cluster of monk-cells and rock-cut churches that hold amazing frescoes. There are many chapels and churches within this complex, however, the most significant are Apple Church (Elmali Kilise), with the Ascension fresco above the door and the chapel of St. Barbara (Azize Barbara Sapeli), with the red-ochre internal decoration. The majority of its churches are more than 1000 years old however have been preserved well that colors of its paintings are still deep and bright.
Location – Merkez, Muze Cd., Goreme 50180
Entry Fee/Price – 45 Turkish Liras (free for kids under 8 years)
Timings – 8 AM-5 PM
3. Ihlara Valley
This verdant, narrow valley at the bottom of 100 meters deep gorge in rage Southwest Cappadocia is a perfect place for all the nature lovers out there. During the Byzantine period, Ihlara valley was the favored retreat for the hermetic monk communities, who sculpted monastery complexes and churches into the cliff face. The Fragrant Church (Kokar Kilise), Snake Church (Yilanli Kilise), and St. George Church (Kirk Dam Alti Kilise) are the best 3, however, there are many others to witness along the way.
Location - 68500 Ihlara/Güzelyurt/Aksaray
Timings –
- 8 AM-7 PM (from 1st April-1st October)
- 8 AM – 5:30 PM (from 1st October – 1st April)
- The valley is closed on Tuesdays.
4. Zelve Open Air Museum
This Museum once accommodated one of the biggest communities in Cappadocia and in addition to this, it is a spectacular cave town that is combed with the dwellings, secular and religious chambers. A lot of fascinating chapels are there to view such as Grape Church (Uzumlu Kilise) being the most pristine and the rather scenic rock-cut mosque. However, this site’s real joy is winding down its cliffside paths, taking a good look at the beautiful vistas over the nearby countryside, and exploring the cave dwellings’ fire-blackened interiors.
Location - Ayd?nl? Mahallesi, Yavuz Sk. No: 1 D: No: 1, 50180 Aktepe/Avanos/Nev?ehir
Entry Fee/Price – 10 Turkish Liras (3 Turkish Liras for parking)
Timings –
- Summers: 8AM-7 PM
5. Uchisar Castle
Riddled with the tunnels, Uchisar Castle was used by villagers for centuries as the place of refuge when the enemy armies outstripped the neighboring plains. It is situated at the region’s highest point on the Nevsehir-Goreme road and is only approximately 5 km away from the Goreme city.
When you would travel to its top, be prepared to witness a splendid panorama of the adjacent area along with the Mount Erciyes in the distance. Enjoy the most magnificent view of the striking fairy chimneys and nearby towns with your friends and family.
Location - Tekelli, 50240 Uçhisar/Nev?ehir Merkez/Nev?ehir
Entry Fee/Price – 8 Turkish Liras
Timings – 8AM – Sunset
6. Derinkuyu Underground City
This underground city has more than 8 floors of underground, carved rock and is believed to house 20,000 people at one time. It is the region’s deepest underground shelter. Just like Kaymakli, Derinkuyu Underground city was utilized by early Christians for hiding from attack. There is also a vast chapel area along with several storages and living areas for exploration in the below-ground maze.
Location – Derinkuyu district, Nevsehir Province
Entry Fee/Price – 15 Turkish Liras
Timings –
- 8 AM-7 PM (summer)
- 8 AM-5 PM (winter)
7. Rose Valley
In this valley, the rippling and rolling rock face arc out throughout the countryside into the palette of yellow, orange, and pastel pink cliffs that are formed through a volcanic explosion in addition to the millennia of water erosion and wind.
Three individual attractions within this valley are Church of the Cross (Hacli Kilise), with the mammoth cross carved into cave ceiling, Columned Church (Kolonlu Kilise), and Church of the 3 crosses Uc Hacli Kilise, with the incredibly preserved ceiling carvings and interesting frescoes. Besides its bold beauty, Rose valley is also the paradise for hikers since there are a plethora of adventurous trekking trails.
Location - Goreme Yolu Uzeri
Entry Fee/Price – 6 Turkish Lira
8. Cavusin
One of the most aged settlements in the region is this village that lies midway between Goreme and Avanos, just at the foot of the Aktepe Mountain. The major attractions in Cavusin are 2 attractive Byzantine churches. By the entrance of the town is Cavusin Church, also called the Big Pigeon House Church that comes with the pretty interiors of the frescoes. In its old village center, after hiking high up on a ridge above the derelict houses’ tumble, is the St. John The Baptist’s Church.