Atlas & Boots Kaymaklı is one of the largest underground settlements in the region ..."> Atlas & Boots Kaymaklı is one of the largest underground settlements in the region ...">

Underground cities of Kappadocia: for troughs and hobbits

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The exploration of the underground cities of Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu in Kappadokien is perfect to connect with their inner cave dwellers

For so many above -ground activities that are offered in Cappadocia (hot air balloon trips, hiking and riding, to name just a few), it would be easy to overlook the labyrinth of the underground tunnels.

The underground cities of Kappadocia offer the tourist in Anatolia something really unique. You won't find fairy skills or rugged valleys here. Instead, a labyrinth from tunnels and chambers await you. Clause trophobia, caution!

alt = “Chamber of the underground cities of Kappadocia”> Atlas & Boots Kaymaklı is one of the largest underground settlements in the region

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

We spent half a day to explore the two most famous and accessible underground cities in Kappadocia: Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu.

underground city of Kaymaklı

At the entrance of Kaymaklı we came across a couple that climbed out.

"Oh my god, we did it," called the woman when she stepped into the light. Kia looked at me and pulled up an eyebrow. "Sounds like experience," she said. The woman who overheard Kia smiled. "So you can express it."

Kaymakli is a real labyrinth and if there were no signs, you could easily get lost in your labyrinth. A connected network of chambers, rooms, tiny caves and corridors ensures the perfect hiding game.

More than once I ran ahead of Kia to jump out and scare her. Unfortunately, after several years together, she was desensitized towards my stupidity and my efforts were largely unsuccessful.

alt = "underground cities of Cappadocia caves"> Atlas & Boots The small Kia is perfectly proportioned for the underground cities of Kappadokien

Kaymaklı consists of almost 100 tunnels and eight floors underground. It is worth noting that today only four of these floors are accessible to the public. At its time, every floor had different functions that ranged from cellars, storage rooms and stables to wineries, coaches and even churches.

underground city of Derinkuyu

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

The deeper we came, the narrower the tunnels became and the lower the ceilings. Soon I scratched my backpack over the roofways of the gangways - better than with my back or head!

It is not surprising that Kia - who, in contrast to me, is more hobbit than a cave dweller - found it a little easier to go.

alt = “underground cities of Cappadocia Peter”> Atlas & Boots Peter finds a bit tight

Climbing and crawling through the corridors is as much fun as space. Sometimes it may look as if the aisles do not lead anywhere and they are wedged forever in this underground world, then there is a turn and turn at the last minute and suddenly opens up in a larger chamber or a space that offers a lot - required vertical relief. It was great fun to visit him, but I have no idea how a population could survive down there!

Derinkuyu is the deepest of the underground cities of Cappadocia. Derinkuyu, who descended up to a depth of about 60 m (200 ft), was once extensive enough to record up to 20,000 inhabitants and their cattle and food supplies. It is the largest and most extensive excavated underground city in Turkey.

alt = "underground cities in Cappadocia"> Atlas & Boots Enjoy the room

it is assumed that it is from the 8th century BC. BC comes and was only inhabited by Christians in 1923 who were sold with Greece during a population exchange. Today, however, there are only tourists who bend down and scramble through the corridors.

After an underground morning Turkeyich was relieved to step back to light and stand upright.

Suddenly our tiny rental car felt much more spacious!

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underground cities in Cappadocia: The essential

what: Exploration of the underground cities of Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu in Cappadocia.

Where: We stayed in the Esbelli Evi Hotel in ürgüp, which offers 10 spacious suites and four standard cave room that use the original caves together with traditional vaulted rooms made of hewn stone. There are several stone terraces with a wide view of the landscape of Kappadocia and the city of ürgüp - perfect for a drink in the late afternoon after an eventful day.

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

like: Kaymaklı is about 25 km (16 miles) from Göreme, which means a 30-minute drive. It makes sense to visit Kaymaklı first before driving on the road down to Derinkuyu for another 10 km. The cities and underground cities are well signposted and parking is included in the admission price.

Tours are offered, but since we were independent, it made sense to rent a car for the duration of our stay (35 USD per day) because we wanted to have freedom to explore all the different sights in Cappadocia.

Our hotel arranged everything for us and the car was brought to us on our first morning. We returned the car on departure at the local airport (Nevşehir Kapadokya), which was perfect because we flew back to Istanbul before we took our return flight to Great Britain. The airport is a 45-minute drive from ürgüp.

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

A night bus from Istanbul is the cheapest way to get to Cappadocia for about 85 tl ($ 30), but it is a long ride of 730 km (454 miles) that lasts 10-12 hours. Several companies operate night buses, including Metro Turizm and Nevşehir Seyahat.

There are domestic flights between Istanbul and Nevşehir Kapadokya (NAV) airport. We paid $ 50 for a simple flight back to Istanbul. Ataturk Airport in Istanbul is international and has connections to a number of domestic goals Turkey everywhere. Book through Skyscanner to get the best prices for international and domestic flights.

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Lonely planet Turkey is a comprehensive travel guide for the country, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and take less busy roads.

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