Cappadocia Sites and Activities

There are plenty of sites to explore in the Cappadocia region and many opportunities for outdoor adventure.  Because the Cappadocia sites are spread out over a wide area you will want to do some advanced planning to ensure you are visiting nearby sites on the same day.  Consider purchasing the Cappadocia Museum Pass if you plan to visit several of the sites it provides admission to.  

For the hours of admission listed below, summer season is defined as April through September and winter season is October through March.  Admission prices are the same year-round but most museums close earlier in the winter season.

Göreme Open Air Museum

This UNESCO World Heritage site is the primary historic site in the Cappadocia region.  The Göreme Open Air Museum sits just outside the town of Göreme.  Both the town and the museum are often referred to just as “Göreme” which can sometimes be confusing.  The Göreme OAM consists of a myriad of churches that were carved into the volcanic rock by monks roughly a thousand years ago.  The churches take on impressive forms and many have astounding and well-preserved decorations inside.  A few key tips for visiting:

• You cannot take pictures inside any of the churches – even without flash.  There are plenty of guards around who are eager to enforce these rules.
• There are pretty decent English descriptions of each church posted on signs outside church entrances.  You can rely on these descriptions and a guidebook to comfortably visit Göreme without hiring a guide.  That said, if you really want to know all the details about the churches there are plenty of guides to hire outside the museum or that you can arrange in advance with your hotel / a local operator.
• The site isn’t huge which means it can get a little overwhelming if you visit at the height of crowds and tour groups in mid-day.  I recommend visiting within the two hours before the museum closes – you will be able to enjoy it at your leisure and without fighting crowds.
• You need no more than 90 minutes to visit the site.  Walking around the site is fairly easy but you will need to climb stairs to visit a few of the churches.
• Visitor info: Open daily from 8am-7pm during the summer season; closes at 5pm during the winter season.  Admission to the museum is 30TL.  

Dark Church within Göreme OAM  

This is the best preserved of all the churches in Göreme and the enterprising Ministry of Tourism therefore charges you a separate fee to enter (10 TL).  Entry is included if you bought the Cappadocia Museum Pass.  The Dark Church is covered with stunning, well-preserved frescoes and is by far the best church in Göreme.  In other words – it is worth purchasing the extra admission ticket.  There is a separate ticket booth just outside the Dark Church.

Zelve Open Air Museum  

Zelve is another open air museum and, similar to Göreme, you walk through the site and explore various man-made caves.  Personally, I prefer Zelve to Göreme.  It is a larger site with much more to see and explore, the rocks themselves are stunning, and you get a flavor for how people actually lived inside the caves.  Another point in Zelve’s favor: there are no restrictions on picture taking!  You can explore sites like a grain mill, a wine press, and a mosque created in more recent years when Turks moved to the area.  It also adds a new dimension to the experience when you realize that people were living in the caves of Zelve until the 1950s.

• There are three valleys side-by-side at Zelve – I recommend visiting them all (which you can do if you just start to the far left and follow the path), but you could just visit one if you don’t have time or energy for them all.
• Not all the tour groups stop at Zelve so it tends to be less crowded than Göreme.
• Visiting Zelve involves a good amount of walking and some stairs in parts.  It is a pretty sunny site but there are plenty of opportunities to duck into caves to rest and grab some shade. 
• You need about 2 hours to fully explore the site.
• You will find the traditional row of tourist shops leading up to the Zelve entrance.  Because the site receives fewer tourists you may be able to get better deals on standard Cappadocia-area souvenirs (postcards, magnets, pashminas, etc).
• Location: Zelve is about a 10 minute drive from Göreme and is just down the road from Paşabağ.
• Visitor info: Open daily from 8am – 7pm during the summer season; closes at 5pm in the winter season.  Admission is 10 TL.  Admission is included with a Cappadocia Museum Pass.

Paşabağ

This site is a collection of awesome and amazing fairy chimneys, including a rock shaped like a rabbit.  Best of all – its free!  Just park your car and start exploring.

• Paşabağ is just down the road from Zelve and is about 10 minutes by car from Göreme.  It is on a road that shoots east off of the Göreme / Avanos road and the turn is clearly marked.
• There is a long string of tourist shops across the road from Paşabağ.  Last time I visited, one shop was selling textiles (pillow covers, etc) that were reasonably priced.  There was also an “antique” shop that had really random and interesting stuff inside.

Avanos

I fell in love with Avanos on my most recent trip to Cappadocia.  Avanos is best known for its pottery made from red clay taken from the Kızılırmak (Red River) that runs through the center of town.  If you are traveling with a tour group your Avanos experience will probably be confined to a visit to one of the giant pottery workshops.  Avanos is a lovely town in its own right, however, and is worth a visit even if you aren’t interested in pottery.

• The Kızılırmak divides the town into northern and southern halves.  The town has done a great job of developing walking paths along the riverfront.  It’s a nice place to come for a stroll and there are a ton of cafes and restaurants along the river, particularly on both banks east of the main bridge.
• The north bank boasts a McDonald’s with the loveliest outdoor seating area I have ever encountered at a McDonald’s.  The south bank has a Mado with a huge outdoor patio.
• On the north bank, just across and to the west side of the main bridge is one of my favorite restaurants in the region: Dayının Yeri.  It is a great place to go for kebabs of all types and is known for its künefe dessert.  The menu has pictures of all the offerings making ordering easy.  As an added bonus the bathroom (located downstairs) is superb!
• If you are interested in buying pottery, the big pottery workshops can be a fun experience.  You get a tour of the workshop and watch people throwing clay and painting traditional Turkish patterns on the pottery.  There are many lovely pieces to buy in these workshops but they are very expensive.  You will likely be able to find pottery more cheaply elsewhere in Turkey but the shops sometimes have unique items so if you see something you love then go for it, but bargain heavily before you buy.  Most shops will also ship your purchases back home for you (which also costs a pretty penny but can save you some hassle!).

Uҫhisar

Uҫhisar refers to both the town and the “castle” that dominates the town’s landscape.  The town has several hotels and restaurants and can be a good base for your Cappadocia travels.  The “castle” is not really a castle but is the largest, highest rock formation in the area and is a very visible landmark.  You can visit the inside of Uҫhisar castle and climb to the top to get great panoramas of the whole valley from the top.   (It’s an inexpensive alternative to the hot air balloon ride!).  I have not climbed all the way to the top, but I hear it is fairly easy and takes 20-30 minutes.

• Location: Uҫhisar is less than 5 miles from Göreme, southwest in the direction of Nevşehir.
• Visitor info: Open daily from 8am-7pm.  Admission is 7 TL and is not included with the Cappadocia Museum Pass.

Devrent Valley

The “imagination” valley is another collection of unique rock formations.  Many of the rocks clearly resemble specific animals or objects (like the famous camel rock), but you can use your own “imagination” to find other shapes and objects in the funky rock formations.  

• Visitor info: Another free site!  You can just pull off to the side of the road and start exploring this valley.  Some of the rock formations (like the camel) are fenced off to prevent you from climbing them.  
• Location: On the road between Avanos and Ürgüp.  You will see plenty of cars and tour buses pulled over to the side – join them.

Underground cities (Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı)

There are supposedly hundreds of underground cities in the Cappadocia region, but only a handful are open for visitors.  The cities were carved by early citizens who fled underground to escape foreign invaders.  People would hide out underground for months at a time; the cities had facilities that enabled them to conduct normal life during those times.  In the underground cities you will encounter private homes, schools, churches, air shafts, wineries – you name it.  The two most extensive and impressive underground cities to visit are Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu.  There is no need to visit multiple underground cities (unless you are a real fan of exploring underground).  If you see one you get the general idea.

Derinkuyu

• The larger of the two, this city is massive.  Eight levels below ground are open to the public.
• Visitor info: Open daily from 8am-7pm during the summer season; closes at 5pm in the winter.  Admission is 25TL.
• Location: 45 minutes south of Göreme by car. 

Kaymaklı

• You can only visit four levels below ground in Kaymaklı which makes it a little more manageable.
• Visitor info: Open daily from 8am-7pm during the summer season; closes at 5pm in the winter.  Admission is 25TL.
• Location: 30 minutes south of Göreme by car.

Note: If you are claustrophobic, underground cities might not be for you.  The lower levels of Derinkuyu in particular involve a single-file low staircase (my 6’5” brother was worried about getting stuck and stayed on the third level).  If you visit during a busy time when there are many tour groups it can feel a little crowded.  My take is that underground cities are absolutely worth seeing at least once because they are so unique but I don’t have a strong desire to re-visit them.  Kaymaklı is a little less cramped inside so is a better bet if you have are worried about tight quarters.

Ihlara Valley

The Ihlara Valley is a great hiking spot located about 2 hours southwest of Göreme.  Ihlara is a beautiful green valley, framed by red cliffs, with a river running down the middle (the Melendiz river).  The valley is home to diverse birds and other wildlife, most noticeably, plenty of vocal frogs.  There are several ancient churches carved into the cliff faces at various points throughout the valley.  You can make a full day of it and hike the full length of the valley (about an 8 hour hike) or you can just walk through shorter sections. 

• The “main” entrance to the valley is near the visitor’s center just north of Ihlara village.  Entering the valley from here involves descending about 300 steps to get down to the valley floor. If steps aren’t your thing you can drive to the bottom of the valley at the Belisirma entrance (there is a parking lot here).  There are also entrances at Selime (at the north end) and at Ihlara village (the south end).
• If you enter at Belisirma and walk for about 30 minutes south you will encounter a very nice outdoor tea garden where you can buy light snacks and beverages (including fresh squeezed OJ!). Its a good spot for a rest and has surprisingly nice bathrooms.  If you just want a quick taste of Ihlara you can enter at Belisirma, walk to the tea garden, and then walk back to where you left your car at Belisirma.
• There are several restaurants in Belisirma village where you can grab lunch.
• Visitor info: Open daily from 7am to 7:30pm in the summer; 8am to 5pm in the winter.  Admission is 20TL; Cappadocia museum pass is accepted.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

If you wake up early in Cappadocia and look out your window you will be greeted by a sky full of hot air balloons. Cappadocia’s unique landscape and sometimes hard-to-reach rock formations make it an ideal spot for ballooning.  A dry climate and calm morning conditions also make it possible for balloons to fly most days during the year.  

Hot air balloon rides are not cheap (150-175 euros / person), but I highly recommend it as a splurge experience during your trip.  There are many balloon operators in Cappadocia.  Each hotel and tour operator has a company that they work with.  Companies have slightly different launch sites but most take off close to Göreme.  I most recently used Butterfly Balloons which was organized by my hotel (it is the sister company to the Kelebek Hotel) – I had a very good experience with them. 

Balloon rides last for about an hour and leave just after sunrise.  You can also take a more expensive, longer balloon ride, but I don’t think its worth the money for the longer ride: an hour is plenty of time.  You wake up before dawn on the morning of your ride (we left our hotel at 4:30am), and first have a light breakfast at the balloon operator’s office or launch site.  Breakfast is some combination of fruit, coffee / tea / juice, and pastries.  They then transport you to the launch site (unless you are already there), where you watch them blow up the balloons while taking in the sunrise.  You share the balloon with anywhere from 12-16 passengers and a pilot.  Each balloon has 4 compartments and they load 3-4 people in each compartment.  You can move around within your own compartment to get different viewpoints during the ride.  

The route of your ride is entirely dependent on the winds that day.  The balloon operator only has control over raising and lowering the balloon. There are about 50 balloons in the air at one time, so pilots use walkie-talkies to stay in touch with ground crews who ensure they don’t bump into other balloons.  I found the balloon ride to be a very smooth, comfortable experience, and I am not a huge fan of heights.  The chest-high basket feels secure, and you experience the sensation of floating through the air throughout the ride.  No bumps or turbulence of any kind – just a peaceful, floating sensation and incredible, sun-kissed views.

Hiking in Cappadocia

The rock formations, valleys, and interesting terrain of Cappadocia lend themselves to plenty of great hikes.  Common hikes near Göreme are the Red Valley, Rose Valley, and Love Valley.  I have done both the Rose Valley and the Love Valley and can attest that they are great walks but aren’t so strenuous that my parents couldn’t handle them!  Hikes are generally well-marked.