Where to stay · Cappadocia · Turkey
Where to stay in Cappadocia
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Edgardo W. Olivera, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Göreme. The main base, packed with cave hotels, valley trailheads and balloon views. Best alternatives — families: Ürgüp.
Key facts
- First visit
- Göreme
- Families
- Ürgüp
- Budget
- Göreme
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Göreme | The main base, packed with cave hotels, valley trailheads and balloon views |
| Families | Ürgüp | Larger town with boutique hotels, wineries and a proper town centre |
| Couples | Göreme | The main base, packed with cave hotels, valley trailheads and balloon views |
| Budget | Göreme | The main base, packed with cave hotels, valley trailheads and balloon views |
| Luxury | Uçhisar | Hilltop village of upscale cave hotels around a rock citadel |
| Food lovers | Ürgüp | Larger town with boutique hotels, wineries and a proper town centre |
| Solo travellers | Göreme | The main base, packed with cave hotels, valley trailheads and balloon views |
| Shopping | Avanos | Pottery town on the Kızılırmak river, with good-value hotels |
| Quiet stays | Uçhisar | Hilltop village of upscale cave hotels around a rock citadel |
Cappadocia neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, couples and solo travellers
Göreme
Göreme village sits among fairy chimneys at the hub of the valleys, with the Open-Air Museum a 15-minute walk away and trails into Rose, Red, Love and Pigeon valleys starting from its edges. It has the widest choice of cave hotels, from hostels to boutique suites, plus restaurants, tour agencies and the bus station. Balloons drift right over the rooftops at dawn.
- Good
- Walk to valleys and the Open-Air Museum; Widest range of hotels and restaurants; Balloons pass directly overhead
- Watch out
- Very touristy main street; Busy with tour groups in high season
- Nearby
- Göreme Open-Air Museum, Rose Valley, Love Valley, Pigeon Valley
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury and quiet stays
Uçhisar
Uçhisar climbs the slopes of its rock castle, the highest point in the area, with long views over Pigeon Valley and towards Göreme. It is quieter and more upmarket than Göreme, with several luxury cave hotels and terrace restaurants facing the sunset. Göreme is about 5 km away by road or a walk through Pigeon Valley.
- Good
- Panoramic views; Quiet evenings; High-end hotels
- Watch out
- Fewer budget options; Need a taxi or bus for most sights
- Nearby
- Uçhisar Castle, Pigeon Valley, Göreme
$$$ · Best for couples, families, food lovers and luxury
Ürgüp
Ürgüp is a working town of stone houses and cave hotels about 8 km east of Göreme, with restaurants, shops, banks and wine-tasting rooms around its main square. Temenni Hill gives a view over the rooftops, and it is a good base for the southern sights such as Mustafapaşa, Soğanlı and the underground cities.
- Good
- More local life and services; Good restaurants and wine; Central for the south
- Watch out
- Not within walking distance of the main valleys; Less dramatic setting than Göreme
- Nearby
- Temenni Hill, Mustafapaşa, Ortahisar
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and culture
Ortahisar
Ortahisar is a lived-in village between Göreme and Ürgüp, dominated by its rock fortress. Many of its tuff caves are still used to store lemons, oranges and potatoes, and the village has a handful of stylish small hotels. It is a calm base with Red and Rose valleys a short drive away.
- Good
- Authentic village atmosphere; Fewer tour groups; Stylish small hotels
- Watch out
- Limited restaurants; Few services in the evening
- Nearby
- Ortahisar Castle, Göreme, Ürgüp
$ · Best for budget, families and shopping
Avanos
Avanos lies on the banks of the Kızılırmak, Turkey's longest river, whose red clay has supplied potters here since antiquity. Pottery workshops line the streets, and the old upper town has stone houses. It is about 10 km north of Göreme, near Paşabağ and Zelve, and is usually less expensive than Göreme.
- Good
- Good-value hotels; Riverside setting; Pottery workshops
- Watch out
- Fewer fairy chimneys in town; Need transport to the main valleys
- Nearby
- Paşabağ, Zelve Open-Air Museum, Sarıhan Caravanserai
$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and couples
Mustafapaşa
Until the 1920s, Mustafapaşa was the Greek village of Sinasos, and its mansions have finely carved stone façades. The Church of Saints Constantine and Helena stands in the centre, and rock churches dot the surrounding valleys. It is about 5 km south of Ürgüp and very peaceful.
- Good
- Very quiet and characterful; Beautiful stone architecture; Good value
- Watch out
- Few restaurants; Far from the northern valleys
- Nearby
- Church of Saints Constantine and Helena, Ürgüp, Soğanlı
$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and solo travellers
Çavuşin
Çavuşin is a small village under a cliff riddled with abandoned cave houses and the rock-cut Church of St John the Baptist. Rose and Red valleys begin at its edge, and Paşabağ is a short drive away. A few guesthouses and cafés make it a peaceful alternative to Göreme, which is about 3 km away.
- Good
- Walk straight into the valleys; Peaceful; Low prices
- Watch out
- Very few services; Limited evening dining
- Nearby
- Rose Valley, Red Valley, Paşabağ
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Göreme | $$ | Göreme Open-Air Museum, Rose Valley, Love Valley, Pigeon Valley |
| Uçhisar | $$$$ | Uçhisar Castle, Pigeon Valley, Göreme |
| Ürgüp | $$$ | Temenni Hill, Mustafapaşa, Ortahisar |
| Ortahisar | $$$ | Ortahisar Castle, Göreme, Ürgüp |
| Avanos | $ | Paşabağ, Zelve Open-Air Museum, Sarıhan Caravanserai |
| Mustafapaşa | $$ | Church of Saints Constantine and Helena, Ürgüp, Soğanlı |
| Çavuşin | $ | Rose Valley, Red Valley, Paşabağ |
Getting to your hotel
Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) is about 40 km from Göreme, around 45 minutes by road, and Kayseri Airport (ASR) is about 75 km away, around 1 hour 15 minutes. Shared shuttle buses timed to flights can be booked through hotels, and taxis are available at both airports.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Cappadocia for first-time visitors?
Göreme. Göreme village sits among fairy chimneys at the hub of the valleys, with the Open-Air Museum a 15-minute walk away and trails into Rose, Red, Love and Pigeon valleys starting from its edges.
+Where should families stay in Cappadocia?
Ürgüp: More local life and services.
+Which area of Cappadocia is best for a budget stay?
Göreme ($$): The main base, packed with cave hotels, valley trailheads and balloon views.