Places to Visit in Cappadocia: Fairy Chimneys and Underground Cities
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Cappadocia travel guide: a list of places to visit, including Göreme Open Air Museum, hot air balloon rides, Derinkuyu Underground City and Uçhisar Castle.
Cappadocia Sightseeing Guide
With a geological landscape unlike anywhere else in the world and a history spanning thousands of years, Cappadocia is one of our proudest treasures and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here are the best places to visit on your Cappadocia tour that you absolutely must not miss:
1. Göreme Open-Air Museum
Considered the heart of Cappadocia, this open-air museum in Göreme consists of monasteries, chapels, and churches carved into the rock. The colors of the Christian frescoes dating from the 11th and 12th centuries are still as vivid as ever. The Dark Church and Tokalı Church are must-sees.
2. Hot Air Balloon Ride (Göreme Valley)
This is the first activity that comes to mind when people think of Cappadocia. You climb into the baskets before sunrise and glide above the fairy chimneys alongside hundreds of balloons. The reddish hues that spread across the valleys at sunrise create a sight you’ll never forget.
3. Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı Underground Cities
Construction of these underground cities began in the Hittite period, and the early Christians expanded them to enormous dimensions as places to hide from the Romans. They extend as far as 8 levels below ground. Their narrow tunnels, ventilation shafts, and underground wineries are astounding.
4. Uçhisar Castle
This is the highest point in the Cappadocia region. From this enormous fairy chimney, you can enjoy a panoramic bird’s-eye view of the entire area (Göreme, Avanos, Ortahisar).
5. Avanos Pottery Workshops
Avanos, through which the Kızılırmak River flows, is the center of a pottery-making tradition that has continued since the Hittites. Trying your hand at the potter’s wheel and making your own pot alongside the craftspeople is one of Cappadocia’s most enjoyable activities.
6. Paşabağ (Monks Valley) and Devrent Valley
Paşabağ is where you’ll find the most distinct and prominent examples of fairy chimneys with caps, as well as some of the largest. Devrent Valley is a fantastical valley (Imagination Valley) where the rocks resemble camels, penguins, and various other figures, offering a feast for the imagination.