What to see in Cappadocia: A practical mini guide

Cappadocia is one of those places that takes you by surprise: breathtaking landscapes and an incredible natural, historical, and cultural heritage. There are so many things to see in Cappadocia, and in this article we’ll list our favorites:
 

An underground city

In Cappadocia, in the area between Kayseri and Nevşehir, there are 36 underground cities. The most famous are the ancient underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı. The most visited one—and also the largest and most complex in the area—is Derinkuyu Underground City. It is located 35 km south of Göreme, about a 40-minute drive away, and is easy to reach by car. It was discovered by chance in 1963 when a local resident, while renovating his old house, came across what seemed to be an entrance to an underground labyrinth. This was only the beginning of a huge tunnel system stretching beneath the ground. The city lies 10 km south of Kaymaklı and has chambers spread across seven levels. Visitors descend through tunnels leading to rooms of various sizes, where early Christians once lived in hiding for months at a time. After the first two levels, there is a very deep tunnel with steps that must be taken while bent over, leading to the largest chambers, where there was even space for a church and a cemetery. As you go deeper, remember to look up at the ventilation shafts and realize just how far below the surface you have gone.

Red Valley

Do you love horses and want an exciting animal-focused adventure in Cappadocia? A relaxing horseback ride through Red Valley and Rose Valley is the perfect experience for anyone who, like us, loves riding. If horseback riding isn’t really your thing, the same tour can also be done by quad bike. That said, no advanced riding skills are needed for this excursion, as you are always accompanied by local guides or the ranch owners, people who know these animals very well and know how to handle them in any situation. So don’t worry! In Göreme you’ll find plenty of agencies and tour operators offering horseback tours at sunrise, sunset, or for a full day.

The Fairy Chimneys

Among the top things to see in Cappadocia is definitely the Valley of the Fairy Chimneys, an iconic valley dominated by rock formations that look just like chimneys. These rock formations are typically made up of a tapering pillar of tuff (or silt or volcanic rock), extremely friable, topped by a cone of the same material. According to legend, these cones were placed and inhabited by fairies. Scientifically, however, we know that the Fairy Chimneys—now a UNESCO World Heritage Site—were shaped by the inactive volcanoes Erciyes and Hasan, which during eruptions hurled giant boulders onto the tuff pyramids. To reach the valley, you need to head to Paşabağ, a small town between Göreme and Avanos.
 

Uchisar Castle

Uchisar Castle is one of the most beautiful places to see in Cappadocia. Just 5 km from Göreme lies Uçhisar, a village located at the highest point in the region and crowned by a huge tuff rock formation that forms Uchisar Castle. The castle is made of natural volcanic rock and was used as a defensive stronghold because of its strategic position. The rooms carved into the rock are connected by a system of stairs, tunnels, and passageways, but most of them are no longer accessible and are now used as dovecotes. Pigeons played a very important role in Cappadocia: they were used as a means of communication, and their droppings were used as natural fertilizer for orchards and vineyards. This is why an entire valley separating Uçhisar from Göreme was named after them: Pigeon Valley.

Göreme Open-Air Museum

The Göreme Open-Air Museum is one of the most beautiful places in Cappadocia—and absolutely a must-see. It is a large UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized not only for its ancient churches but also for the spectacular landscape created by the combination of houses, churches, chapels, and trees in this area. Originally, it was an important Byzantine religious settlement where a small community of about twenty monks lived. Over time, it became a refuge for some of the largest Christian communities.
 

Ihlara Valley

Ihlara Valley is a real hidden gem, especially for hiking lovers. It is a deep, lush canyon carved by the Melendiz River, surrounded by volcanic rock walls that provided shelter for Byzantine monks and religious communities. There are two access points for exploring the central section of the valley: from the village of Ihlara or from Belisırma. Most tours start from Ihlara, where you descend about 350 steps to reach the banks of the Melendiz River in the middle of the canyon. From here, several trekking routes begin, but the most recommended is the 4 km trail toward Belisırma: this is the most popular route and stays on the left bank of the river. Along the way, you walk through nature while encountering churches and chapels carved into the rock, dating back to the 6th century and decorated inside with frescoes.

Çavuşin

The first stop is the church of Çavuşin. Coming from Göreme along the main road, the church is on the right, behind a large ceramics shop. To reach it, you need to go up a flight of stairs and then climb a couple of additional metal stairways to the double entrance. The church consists of two chambers: in the first is the chapel itself, decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the Testament; in the second, farther to the left, there are several spaces spread over multiple levels, some of which open onto beautiful views of the valley and the fairy chimneys. It is the first church built in Cappadocia in the post-iconoclastic period. Continuing toward Çavuşin, you can park near a dirt road and walk to the ancient village, a very evocative place, as the ruins stretch along a rock face overlooking the valley. The best route is to climb the hill through the newer part of the village and continue until you reach the ruins of the ancient settlement, which today is a steep and labyrinthine complex of abandoned houses carved into the rock face.

In the village square, there are a few stalls for tourists and the meeting point for horseback excursions. There are also numerous construction sites for cave hotels facing the wall of the old abandoned village.

You may have noticed that one essential experience is missing from this article: a hot air balloon flight. Well, we talk about it in this article!