Top 5 Places to See in Cappadocia

Cappadocia looks like another planet: soft volcanic rock carved by wind into chimneys, valleys and cliffs, with churches dug into the rock and whole towns hidden underground. Most visitors base themselves in Göreme, which is walkable and close to four of these five sights.

Cappadocia is a region, not a single city. Its main towns are Göreme, Ürgüp, Uçhisar and Avanos, and the nearest airports are Kayseri and Nevşehir.

1. Göreme Open-Air Museum

A cluster of rock-cut monasteries and churches, some more than a thousand years old, decorated with Byzantine frescoes. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and the best introduction to Cappadocia’s history.

Tip: Pay the small extra fee for the Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise). Its frescoes are the best preserved because almost no light got in. Go at opening time to beat tour groups.

More info

• Time needed: 1.5–2 hours.
• Tickets: Paid, with a separate ticket for the Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise). Accepted on the Museum Pass Cappadocia.
• Getting there: About 1.5 km from Göreme town: a 20–25 minute walk, mostly uphill, or a short taxi ride.
• Nearby: Tokalı Church (just down the road, included with the main ticket), the El Nazar Church trail, Göreme town.
• Good to know: Photography inside the painted churches is not allowed, to protect the frescoes. Tour buses arrive mid-morning, so go at opening time.

2. Uçhisar Castle

Not a castle in the usual sense: a huge rock pinnacle riddled with rooms and tunnels, and the highest point in the area. From the top you can see across the valleys to Göreme and Mount Erciyes.

Tip: Sunset from Uçhisar is beautiful, and the village around it is quieter than Göreme for an evening drink.

More info

• Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Tickets: Small entry fee.
• Getting there: In Uçhisar village, about 4 km from Göreme. Take a taxi, a dolmuş (minibus), or walk the Pigeon Valley trail from Göreme (about 1 hour).
• Nearby: Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik Vadisi), Uçhisar’s cave hotels and restaurants, Love Valley viewpoint.
• Good to know: The last stretch is steep, uneven rock steps. It gets windy at the top, so hold on to hats.

3. Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

This is where you’ll see the classic “fairy chimneys”: tall rock columns topped with darker stone caps, some with two or three heads. Early Christian hermits carved cells into them, which gave the valley its name.

Tip: It’s small and takes 30–45 minutes. Combine it with the pottery town of Avanos nearby.

More info

• Time needed: 30–45 minutes.
• Tickets: Small entry fee.
• Getting there: On the road between Göreme and Avanos, near Çavuşin. Most day tours stop here; by car it’s about 10 minutes from Göreme.
• Nearby: Zelve Open-Air Museum (2 km), Çavuşin village and its cliff church, the pottery workshops of Avanos.
• Good to know: The paths are short and easy. Go in the early morning or late afternoon for softer light on the rock.

4. Red & Rose Valleys

The best walking in Cappadocia: easy trails through pink and red rock, past hidden cave churches and pigeon houses. The views at sunset are the reason many people come.

Tip: Start a couple of hours before sunset and finish at the viewpoint above the valleys. Bring a headlamp for the walk back, or arrange a taxi.

More info

• Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on the route.
• Tickets: Free to hike.
• Getting there: Trails start from Göreme and Çavuşin, or near the Kızılçukur sunset viewpoint, which has parking.
• Nearby: Çavuşin, the Kızılçukur sunset viewpoint, Meskendir Valley.
• Good to know: Trails are not well signed and the paths split often, so download an offline map. Bring water, and a headlamp if you stay for sunset.

5. Derinkuyu Underground City

People carved entire cities underground to hide from invaders, and Derinkuyu is one of the deepest, with ventilation shafts, stables, chapels and huge rolling stone doors that sealed the levels.

Tip: Passages are low and narrow, so skip it if you’re claustrophobic. Kaymaklı underground city is on the way, and smaller.

More info

• Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Tickets: Paid. Accepted on the Museum Pass Cappadocia.
• Getting there: About 30 km south of Göreme. Drive, take a dolmuş via Nevşehir, or join a day tour (usually the “Green Tour”).
• Nearby: Kaymaklı Underground City (10 km north), Ihlara Valley (about an hour further southwest).
• Good to know: It’s cool underground all year, so bring a light layer. Some passages are only about a meter high, and it gets crowded around midday.

The balloon flight

The sunrise balloon flight isn’t a “place”, but for most visitors it’s the highlight. Book a few days ahead and plan it for your first morning, so a weather cancellation leaves you a backup day. Even without a flight, watching hundreds of balloons rise from a viewpoint is free.

Getting around: Göreme is walkable, but rent a car or book a day tour (the “Red Tour” and “Green Tour” are the usual names) to reach Derinkuyu and the valleys further out.