Planning your first visit to Cappadocia? If so, start with these top 15 best sights, points of interest and fantastic sightseeing destinations. These are the historical, cultural, and famous places everyone associates with Cappadocia, as well as the top sites to see in Cappadocia for the majority of the travelers. Here you can find our pick of the top 15 best to visit and see in Cappadocia to experience the top sights and culture. Have a look for all you need to know!
Top 15 Best Places to Visit in Cappadocia
Don’t leave Cappadocia without seeing these famous sights and places! Go ahead and fall in love!
1. Goreme Open Air Museum
Being UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, the Goreme Open Air Museum is also one most popular places to see in Cappadocia. It hosts the most important Byzantine cave churches in the world that where the monks and nuns pursued monastic life. One of the best places to visit in Cappadocia.
Goreme Open Air Museum is a rocky settlement area that has hosted an extreme monastery life between 4th to 13th centuries D.C. that travellers may experience and enjoy some well preserved, rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings dating from as early as the 10th century and the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia. The region forms a valley including churches, chapels, dining halls and sitting rooms at the rock-cut blocks.
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2. Pasabag (Monks) Valley
Pasabag Valley, also known as “Monks Valley” is one of the most popular fairy chimneys areas of Cappadocia. The valley is situated between Avanos and Goreme.
Those who come visit Cappadocia mostly go to Pasabag Valley to see the best fairy chimney formations. The formations that once used as a seclusion place for the Monks, are now a very attractive tourist zone in Cappadocia.
One of the best activities in the valley is to enjoy the nature and unique beauties by walking among the fairy chimneys. The valley, which was used as a retreat by the priests and monks during its period, includes many rock-cut monasteries, churches, chapels and settlements, as well as tunnels and mills.
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3. Uchisar Castle
Uchisar Castle is the highest point of the region and also the biggest and the most beautiful fairy chimney of the region where you may enjoy a unique panoramic views over Cappadocia. Situated in the Uchisar town, the rock castle was used as a fortress by the Roman and Byzantine armies. The region is also home to the most beautiful fairy chimney formations.
You can enjoy the impressive views of the Pigeon Valley, Avanos, Ortahisar Castle and Goreme National Park on top. Uchisar Castle is also considered to be one of the best places in the world to watch sunset. One of the fantastic places to visit in Cappadocia.
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4. Zelve Valley Open Air Museum
Zelve Valley is one of the most popular open air museum areas of Cappadocia, situated between Avanos and Goreme, nearby Pasabag Monks Valley. Being part of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Zelve Valley Open Air Museum is also one most popular places to see in Cappadocia that travelers may experience sharp pointed and wide fairy chimneys.
Zelve Valley is one of the best places to explore and enjoy the most intensive fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. The valley attracts travelers not only with its fairy chimneys but also with its magnificent nature.
5. Pigeon Valley
Pigeon Valley is another great place near Uchisar town named after the thousands of pigeon houses carved into the soft tufa since ancient times and offers another spectacular panoramic view over Cappadocia together with spectacular view of dovecotes.
You’ll see variety of lovely fairy chimneys that are carved for pigeons’ nest. There is a also famous tree named “Evil Eye Tree” in the Pigeon Valley that worth a visit and see. You can walk up the hills along the valley, watch the valley from the edge of the famous evil eye beaded tree, and feed the pigeons here.
6. Derinkuyu Underground City
Extending to a depth of approximately 85 metres, it’s large enough to have sheltered more than 20,000 people. While visiting, guests will have to crouch down and move slowly through the tunnels, which were mostly created with the purpose of saving people during the ongoing wars.
Derinkuyu Underground City has 8 levels underground carved from the soft volcanic stone that are connected with each other by narrow tunnels. Visitors may visit stables, cellars, storage areas, refectories, churches and wineries that all intertwined in an extensive network of tunnels. Also visitors may see the missionary school and study rooms on the second floor. One of the extraordinary places to visit in Cappadocia.
Read more about Derinkuyu Underground City
7. Love Valley
Love Valley, also known as Baglidere Valley, is one of the most fantastic valleys of Cappadocia. Located between Avanos and Goreme road, the valley is named after the interesting fairy chimney formations, and being popular with the couples for marriage proposals.
With its magnificent views, the valley is one of the popular spots where you can watch the sunset in Cappadocia. It is also very ideal for photography enthusiasts. Many Cappadocia sightseeing excursions pass the valley on their schedule. You’ll need about 2-3 hours to completely explore the valley. The valley is also very suitable for those who love camping.
8. Red Valley
Red Valley (Kizilcukur) is one of the best places to visit, watch the sunrise and sunset in Cappadocia. The valley is located in the middle of Goreme National Park named after the red colored tuff rocks and fairy chimneys spread through the valley.
Red Valley has such a beautiful landscape in a dreamy crimson color that attracts its visitors. We can say that it is the most beautiful valley of Cappadocia.
The 5 km. hiking track makes Red Valley a popular hiking area in Cappadocia. It is an ideal area and activity for hiking lovers. For walking out the whole valley, you’ll need about 1-2 hours. The walking trail will lead you to the famous Cavusin Village.
You’ll experience Cappadocia from a different perspective by viewing its lovely hills and fairy chimneys from the ground level. There is also a lovely observation terrace.
9. Devrent imagination valley
Devrent Valley, also called as “Imagination Valley” is one of the fantastic regions of Cappadocia. You can experience and enjoy the beautiful lunar landscape of Cappadocia, the most surreal landscape of the region.
Devrent Valley is home to very interesting fairy chimney formations. Cappadocia’s famous fairy chimney that looks like camel and many other fairy chimneys that look resemble animal or human figures are located here.
Read more about Devrent Imagination Valley
10. Guray Museum of Ceramics and Pottery
This is a private underground museum of ceramic and pottery located in Avanos.
You will find a huge ceramic art work and pottery, world-renowned contemporary and traditional ceramic artists’s works, fine arts such as drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics and photography are exhibited at the museum.
- Address: Yeni Mahalle Dereyamanli Str. No:44 50500 Avanos, Cappadocia
- Tel: +90 384 511 23 74
11. Temenni Hill
Temenni (Wish) Hill, the highest peak of Cappadocia, can be seen anywhere in the city, with a tomb on the hill that is said to belong to Alaeddin Keykubat the 3rd and the Tahsin Aga Public Library in the middle.
12. Three Beauties Fairy Chimneys
These 3 fairy chimneys, also known as Three Graces, are one of the staples of Cappadocia where that classic capped fairy chimney form looks best. Three Beauties will greet you when you go from Urgup to Ortahisar.
13. Cappadocia Museum of Art and History – Doll Museum
This is a private museum located in Mustafapasa and housed in 150 years old mansion.
More than 2000 pieces of hand made dolls from Turkey and all over the world in their unique costumes, the wall paintings of Kostas Meletiyadis, the mansion’s historical star windows, yards, rooms, doors and accessories can be admired at the museum.
- Address: Yukari dist. Gazi Str. No: 6 Mustafapasa, Urgup, Cappadocia
- Tel: +90 384 353 52 21
14. Ihlara Valley
Ihlara Valley is a fantastic canyon with a depth of about 100 meters and about 10 km. length that was formed by the volcanic activity from Mount Hasan and erosion by the Melendiz River hundred thousands of years ago. Ihlara Valley is not only a natural beauty, but also a rocky settlement area that hosted an extreme monastery life between 4th to 13th centuries D.C. and housed more than four thousand dwellings and a hundred hidden cave churches decorated with frescoes and houses lining the gorge.
When you descend to the valley, you’ll have about 4 km. of hiking track in the company of the Melendiz River dividing the valley. The river is not deep so that you may easily pass from one side to another.
15. Selime Monastery
Located about 1 km. after Yaprakhisar village on the exit of Ihlara Valley, the famous Selime Monastery was one of the biggest and most fascinating religious settlements in Cappadocia.
The Monastery was carved into the rock by monks in the 13th century.