Where to stay in Cappadocia?

Stay in Göreme, Cappadocia's nerve center

A real focal point for tourism in Cappadocia, this troglodyte village is the best place to stay when visiting the region. The village lies at the heart of the Göreme National Park and Cappadocian Rock Sites, a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1985.

This makes it the most central location for enjoying the region's landscapes and attractions. Among other things, you can take a hot-air balloon ride to get an overview of the region's beauty. It's a must-do.

This is the liveliest part of Cappadocia. A large number of restaurants, cafés and shops can be found here:

• the "Open-Air Museum", a collection of rock-hewn churches and monasteries
• the Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise), a 12th-century edifice of colorful frescoes less than two kilometers from Göreme
• contemplating hot-air balloons in the sky, from the many terraces of restaurants and hotels
• the Amur and Pigeon Valleys (Güvercinlik Vadisi), hiking trails with unique rock formations - accessible from the south-west of the city

Thanks to its relatively small size, the area is easily accessible on foot. What's more, the accommodation on offer is the most extensive in the region. All price levels are catered for. Accommodation to stay is mainly hotels and bed & breakfasts.

Accommodation in Ürgüp, an authentic Cappadocian village

Located 10 kilometers east of Göreme, Ürgüp is one of Cappadocia's most authentic towns. Despite its less attractive location, Ürgüp is an alternative to be seriously considered for accommodation in the region. With its lively nightlife, Ürgüp boasts a large number of shops, craft boutiques and restaurants.

The main sites of interest in and around Ürgüp are :

• temeni Hill, from which an overview of Ürgüp can be seen
• Mustafapaşa, a village of Greek-influenced architecture 10 minutes' drive south of Ürgüp
• keşlik monastery, a 13th-century edifice 20 minutes to the south
• the site of Sobesos, an ancient city 30 minutes' drive to the south

Accommodation in Ürgüp consists mainly of hotels and bed & breakfasts. Rates are pretty cheap and interesting if you want to stay in an authentic and lively place.

Accommodation in Uçhisar and Ortahisar, on the outskirts of Göreme National Park

Both directly adjacent to the southern part of the National Park, Uçhisar and Ortahisar are two interesting alternatives for accommodation in Cappadocia. Located less than 10 kilometers from each other, choosing to stay in one of these two villages means you're close to the majority of the region's sites of interest, while at the same time getting away from Göreme's high concentration of tourists.

Uçhisar, in the south-west of the National Park, is a very quiet, authentic village. Here, you can visit Uçhisar Castle (Uçhisar Kalesi), from which a superb view of the surrounding area can be enjoyed. The Valley of the Pigeons (Güvercinlik Vadisi) can also be reached from the south of the village. Uçhisar offers a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets. Most are hotels.

Ortahisar, in the south-east of the National Park, is just as quiet as Uçhisar and even more authentic. You can also climb to the top of Ortahisar Castle (Ortahisar Kalesi) to enjoy the view over the surrounding area. Accommodation is plentiful and reasonably priced. Hotels and apartments make up the bulk of this offer.

Stay in Avanos and discover its craftsmanship

8 kilometers north of Göreme, Avanos is a town whose visit highlights another facet of Cappadocia. Its craftsmanship. Avanos is crossed by the Kizilirmak, Turkey's longest river at around 1,000 kilometers in length.

It's also home to a number of museums and shops showcasing the work of the region's artisans. You can visit the Guray Museum, an underground museum focusing on ceramics. Collections from various historical periods, right up to the modern era, are on display.

Other major sites of interest in and around Avanos include

• the Cappadocian Living Heritage Museum (Kapadokya Yasayan Miras Muzesi), presenting the main elements of the region's culture
• the Saruhan caravanserai, built in the 13th century and featuring an evening performance by whirling dervishes, a 10-minute drive to the east

Accommodation in Avanos consists mainly of bed & breakfasts and hotels. They offer excellent value for money. This makes Avanos a good place to stay if you're looking for a relatively peaceful setting.

Accommodation in Çavuşin, a quiet village of troglodyte houses

Just 3 kilometers north of Göreme, the authentic little village of Çavuşin can be an interesting place to stay in Cappadocia. Indeed, if you're looking for a place to stay close to Göreme while avoiding the crowds of tourists, then staying here is an excellent choice.

With its troglodyte houses and peaceful surroundings, Çavuşin has everything to seduce visitors. From the south of the village, you can access the Vallée Rose (Güllüdere Vadisi), then the Vallée Rouge (Kizilçukur Vadisi). The names of these two valleys derive from the pinkish color of the rocks.

From this village, you can also visit the Zelve open-air museum a few kilometers to the west. This is an interesting alternative to the Göreme open-air museum. You'll be able to contemplate the magnificent landscapes and numerous rock constructions in the presence of far fewer tourists.

Accommodation in Çavuşin consists mainly of bed & breakfasts and hotels. Rates are generally quite low.

Stay in Nevşehir, to visit the underground cities

Located some ten kilometers west of Göreme, Nevşehir represents the nearest major town to the Cappadocia tourist site. However, it is neither interesting nor relevant to decide to stay here during your stay in the region. Indeed, the city's facilities (restaurants, cafés, shops) are much less tourist-friendly than those of the other towns mentioned above.

One of the only major advantages of staying in Nevşehir is that you can visit the underground cities of Kamakli and Derinkuyu, which are respectively 20 and 30 minutes' drive south of the city. They are one of the most important must-see attractions during a stay in Cappadocia. Built and enlarged between the 8th century BC and the Byzantine period, these cities have long served as refuges for Orthodox Christians. Kamakli and Derinkuyu are the two largest of the 200 or so underground cities discovered to date in Cappadocia. They are imposing in size, and are built on several levels. It's worth noting that only 10% of their surface area is currently open to visitors!

Accommodation in Nevşehir is mainly in hotels. Their rates are quite attractive. So choosing to stay in Nevşehir is essentially relevant to going to see these magnificent underground cities.

Accommodation in Kayseri, stopover town on a road trip

With almost 1.5 million inhabitants, Kayseri is one of Turkey's most densely populated cities. Located 70 kilometers east of Göreme, accommodation in Kayseri during a stay in Cappadocia is of little interest. At least an hour's drive from the region's main sites, it's also not interesting enough in itself to devote more than a day to it.

Staying in Kayseri may be worthwhile, however, if you're flying into Cappadocia and landing at Kayseri International Airport. Indeed, if your flight arrives in the evening or you have to catch an early return flight, then staying here is worthwhile. If you're on a road trip in Turkey, you may also want to stay here. In this case, Kayseri would be considered a stopover town.

Accommodation in Kayseri consists mainly of hotels, both large international chains and local. Their fairly low rates can justify staying in Kayseri for one or two nights.