Underground Cities of Cappadocia: for Trogs and Hobbits

Underground Cities of Cappadocia: for Trogs and Hobbits

Exploring the underground cities of Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu in Cappadocia is perfect for connecting with your inner caveman

With so many above-ground activities on offer in Cappadocia (hot air balloon rides, hiking, and horseback riding, to name a few), it would be easy to overlook Turkey's maze of underground tunnels.

The underground cities of Cappadocia offer the tourist something truly unique in Anatolia. You won't find fairy chimneys or rugged valleys here. Instead, a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers awaits you. Claustrophobia, be careful!

alt=“Chamber of the Underground Cities of Cappadocia”>Atlas & BootsKaymaklı is one of the largest underground settlements in the region

The soft volcanic rock of legendary Cappadocia is ideal for underground cities because it is relatively easy to carve. As such, Cappadocia is famous in archaeological circles for its large number of underground settlements.

We spent half a day exploring Cappadocia's two most famous and accessible underground cities: Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu.

Kaymaklı Underground City

At the entrance to Kaymaklı, we came across a couple rising from the depths.

“Oh my God, we did it,” the woman shouted as she stepped into the light. Kia looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like an experience,” she said. The woman overhearing Kia smiled. “That’s another way to put it.”

Kaymakli is a real labyrinth and if it were not for the signposts, one could easily get lost in its labyrinth. An interconnected network of chambers, rooms, tiny caves and corridors makes for the perfect game of hide-and-seek.

More than once I ran ahead of Kia just to jump out and scare her. Unfortunately, after several years together, she has become desensitized to my stupidity and my efforts have been largely unsuccessful.

alt="underground cities of Cappadocia caves">Atlas & BootsThe little Kia is perfectly proportioned for the underground cities of Cappadocia

Kaymaklı consists of almost 100 tunnels and eight floors underground. It is worth noting that today only four of these floors are open to the public. In his time, each floor had different functions, ranging from cellars, storerooms and stables to wineries, cooking quarters and even churches.

Derinkuyu underground city

After getting out of Kaymaklı, we continued to Derinkuyu. Well, if we thought things were tight in Kamakli, then Derinkuyu is even more tight. Derinkuyu has extremely low, narrow and sloping passages with fewer and smaller chambers than Kaymaklı.

The deeper we went, the narrower the tunnels became and the lower the ceilings became. Soon I was scraping along the roofs of the gangways with my backpack - better than with my back or head!

Unsurprisingly, Kia – who, unlike me, is more hobbit than troglodyte – found walking a little easier.

alt="underground cities of cappadocia peter">Atlas & BootsPeter finds it a bit tight

Climbing and crawling through the hallways is as much fun as it is claustrophobic. It may seem at times like the hallways lead nowhere and you'll be wedged in this underground world forever, then at the last minute there's a twist and a turn and it suddenly opens up into a larger chamber or room that offers much-needed vertical relief. It was great fun to visit, but I have no idea how a population could survive down there!

Derinkuyu is the deepest of Cappadocia's underground cities. Descending to a depth of about 60 m (200 ft), Derinkuyu was once expansive enough to accommodate up to 20,000 residents as well as their livestock and food supplies. It is the largest and most extensive excavated underground city in Turkey.

alt="Underground Cities in Cappadocia">Atlas & BootsEnjoy the space

It is believed to date back to the 8th century BC. BC and was only inhabited in 1923 by Christians who were expelled during a population exchange with Greece. Today, however, there are only tourists bending over and scrambling through the corridors.

After a morning underground in Turkey, I was relieved to emerge into the daylight and stand tall again.

Suddenly our tiny rental car felt much more spacious!

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Underground Cities of Cappadocia: THE ESSENTIALS

What: Exploring the underground cities of Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu in Cappadocia.

Where: We stayed at the Esbelli Evi Hotel in Ürgüp, which offers 10 spacious suites and four standard cave rooms that utilize the original caves along with traditional carved stone vaulted rooms. There are several stone terraces with expansive views of the Cappadocian countryside and the city of Ürgüp – perfect for a late afternoon drink after a day of exploring.

When: The best time to travel to Cappadocia is spring (April to mid-June). Summer can be unbearably hot, while winter can cause snow! Autumn (mid-September to October) is also a good option, but the days are shorter and the chance of rain is higher.

How: Kaymaklı is about 25 km (16 miles) from Göreme, which is about a 30-minute drive. It makes sense to visit Kaymaklı first before continuing another 10km down the road to Derinkuyu. The cities and underground cities are well signposted and parking is included in the entrance fee.

Tours are available, but since we were traveling independently, it made sense to rent a car for the duration of our stay ($35 per day) as we wanted the freedom to explore all the different sights in Cappadocia.

Our hotel arranged everything for us and the car was delivered to us on our first morning. We returned the car to the local airport (Nevşehir Kapadokya) on departure, which was perfect as we were flying back to Istanbul before catching our flight back to the UK. The airport is a 45-minute drive from Urgüp.

To get to Cappadocia you can take a high-speed train or a bus. High-speed trains connect Istanbul with Ankara and Konya via Eskişehir. From Konya you can continue to Cappadocia by bus or rental car (232 km; 4 hours). Further information and booking options can be found on the Turkish State Railways website.

An overnight bus from Istanbul is the cheapest way to get to Cappadocia for around 85 TL (30 USD), but it is a long journey of 730 km (454 miles) that takes 10-12 hours. Several companies operate night buses, including Metro Turizm and Nevşehir Seyahat.

There are domestic flights between Istanbul and Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV). We paid $50 for a one-way flight back to Istanbul. Ataturk Airport in Istanbul is international and has connections to a number of domestic destinations throughout Turkey. Book through Skyscanner to get the best prices on international and domestic flights.

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Lonely Planet Turkey is a comprehensive travel guide to the country, ideal for those who want to both explore the top attractions and take the road less traveled.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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