Photo: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source Nevşehir is the centre of the 'Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia', a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985 for its fairy chimneys, rock-cut churches and underground cities. Highlights include the frescoed churches of the Göreme Open-Air Museum, the castles of Uçhisar and Ortahisar, Zelve and Paşabağ, the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, the potters of Avanos, hot-air balloons and the Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli Complex at Hacıbektaş. Avanos pottery and Nevşehir testi kebabı are registered products.
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14 places worth seeing in Nevşehir, from historic monuments to natural wonders, grouped by type. Open any of them on the map with a single click.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source A natural fortress at Uçhisar with hundreds of rooms carved into the rock; it is one of the highest points in Cappadocia, and the whole region can be seen from its summit.
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Photo: Nevit Dilmen (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source A multi-storey underground city carved into the rock, 30 km from Nevşehir, with ventilation shafts, stables, wine workshops, churches and doors closed by rolling stones; it was discovered in 1963 and opened to visitors in 1967.
View on mapAn underground city at Kaymaklı thought to have eight storeys, four of which are open to visitors; it has been open to visitors since 1964.
View on mapÜrgüp, with its cave hotels and Temenni Hill; Mustafapaşa (Sinasos), with its Greek stone houses and churches, is one of the most elegant towns in Cappadocia.
View on mapA castle carved into the rock at Ortahisar, and the tuff stores around it that were used to keep fruit and vegetables.
View on mapA dervish lodge founded by Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli in the 13th century at Hacıbektaş; it consists of a tomb, a cell for retreat (çilehane) and a meydan evi (ceremonial hall), and has been a museum since 1964. Commemorations are held every year on 16–18 August.
View on mapThe two-storey Church of St John at Gülşehir, carved into a cone-shaped rock mass; it is known for its frescoes.
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Photo: Dosseman (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source In the centre of Nevşehir, a complex of the Kurşunlu Mosque, madrasa, library, soup kitchen (imaret) and hammam built in the 1720s by Damat İbrahim Paşa, grand vizier of the Tulip Era.
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Photo: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source An open-air museum made up of rock-cut monasteries and churches, famous for its Byzantine frescoes of the 10th to 12th centuries; the Dark Church, the Apple Church and the Snake Church are the main buildings. The Tokalı Church, right by the entrance, should also be visited.
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Photo: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source An abandoned rock village spread across three valleys on the slopes of Aktepe, 5 km from Avanos; it was an important monastic centre in the 9th to 13th centuries, and people lived here until the 1950s.
View on mapOn the road to Zelve, one of the most photogenic spots in Cappadocia, with mushroom-shaped, multi-headed fairy chimneys.
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Photo: Emrahuygun (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source The valley full of dovecotes between Göreme and Uçhisar, and the Kılıçlar, Güllüdere and Kızılçukur valleys; they are famous for sunset walks and views of the balloons.
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Photo: William Neuheisel (CC BY 2.0) · Source Hundreds of balloons take off at sunrise from Göreme and its surroundings; flights are made throughout the year, depending on weather conditions.
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Photo: Ji-Elle (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source A town on the Kızılırmak known for its tradition of making pottery from red clay; in the workshops visitors can try the potter's wheel.
View on mapNevşehir lies in the middle of Central Anatolia, in the heart of the Cappadocia region. Layers of soft tuff, formed millions of years ago from the ash and lava thrown out by the volcanoes of Erciyes, Hasan Dağı and Göllüdağ, were eroded by wind, rain and the Kızılırmak into fairy chimneys and deep valleys. For thousands of years people carved this soft rock into houses, dovecotes, churches and underground cities. Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
From the 4th century onwards Cappadocia became one of the important centres of Christianity; monks and communities carved hundreds of rock-cut churches and monasteries into the valleys around Göreme, Zelve and beyond. The 10th- to 12th-century frescoes of the Dark Church, the Apple Church and the Tokalı Church in the Göreme Open-Air Museum are among the masterpieces of Byzantine painting. Multi-storey underground cities such as Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı are large enough to have sheltered thousands of people during raids.
The present city of Nevşehir grew when the grand vizier Nevşehirli Damat İbrahim Paşa, who was born in this land in the 18th century, developed the village of Muşkara and gave it the name “new city” (Nevşehir). Hacıbektaş, in the north of the province, is home to the Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli Complex, the centre of the Alevi-Bektashi tradition. Today Cappadocia is one of the most visited tourist regions in Türkiye, with hundreds of hot-air balloons filling the sky at sunrise.
Nevşehir has a continental climate: winters are cold and snowy, summers hot and dry, and the difference between day and night temperatures is large. Averages for 1959–2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service:
| Month | Avg. high | Avg. low | Rainfall | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.0 °C | −3.6 °C | 45 mm | 12 |
| February | 5.5 °C | −2.6 °C | 41 mm | 12 |
| March | 10.3 °C | 0.7 °C | 48 mm | 13 |
| April | 16.0 °C | 5.1 °C | 50 mm | 12 |
| May | 20.6 °C | 8.9 °C | 58 mm | 13 |
| June | 24.9 °C | 11.7 °C | 38 mm | 8 |
| July | 28.5 °C | 13.7 °C | 9 mm | 2 |
| August | 28.7 °C | 13.6 °C | 8 mm | 2 |
| September | 24.5 °C | 10.5 °C | 14 mm | 3 |
| October | 18.3 °C | 6.8 °C | 28 mm | 7 |
| November | 11.8 °C | 2.5 °C | 34 mm | 9 |
| December | 6.2 °C | −1.3 °C | 48 mm | 12 |
The best times are April to June and September to October. In these months the weather is mild for walking and balloon flights are less likely to be cancelled. In summer the days are hot and the nights cool. Fairy chimneys covered in snow are very impressive in winter; however, morning temperatures fall below zero and balloon flights may often be cancelled because of wind. The Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli Commemoration Ceremonies are held every year on 16–18 August.
By air: Nevşehir Cappadocia Airport (NAV) is near Gülşehir, about 40 km from Göreme. The other most widely used airport for the region is Kayseri Airport (about 75 km from Göreme). There are shuttle services to hotels from both airports.
By road: Nevşehir is about 280 km from Ankara, about 80 km from Kayseri and about 75 km from Aksaray. Municipal buses and dolmuşes run between Göreme, Ürgüp, Avanos and Uçhisar.
Day 1 – Göreme and Uçhisar: In the morning, a balloon flight at sunrise or a viewpoint from which to watch the balloons; then the Göreme Open-Air Museum and the Tokalı Church. In the afternoon, Uçhisar Castle and the Pigeon Valley; testi kebabı in the evening.
Day 2 – Kızılçukur and Zelve: A walk in the Kızılçukur or Güllüdere valley, Paşabağ and Zelve; a pottery workshop in Avanos and an evening on the banks of the Kızılırmak.
Day 3 – The underground cities: The underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı; on the way back, Ürgüp and Mustafapaşa.
Day 4 – Hacıbektaş and Gülşehir: The Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli Complex, then the Karşı Church and Açıksaray in Gülşehir.
The symbol of Cappadocian cuisine is Nevşehir testi kebabı (pottery-jug kebab), cooked in a clay jug and served by breaking the jug open at the table; it has a registered geographical indication. The other registered products are Kaymaklı kuru kaymağı (Kaymaklı dried clotted cream), Kaymaklı çöreği (Kaymaklı bun), Nevşehir simidi, Nevşehir tahinli simidi (Nevşehir tahini simit), Nevşehir kabak çekirdeği (Nevşehir pumpkin seeds), Nevşehir parmak üzümü (Nevşehir finger grapes) and Derinkuyu kuru fasulyesi (Derinkuyu dried beans). The region’s volcanic soils are suited to viticulture; grape molasses and produce kept in cool stores carved into the rock are among Cappadocia’s traditional flavours.
Avanos pottery (Avanos çömleği), made from the red clay of the Kızılırmak, is the product of a tradition thought to have continued since the Hittites, and it has a registered geographical indication; in Avanos you can watch masters working at foot-powered wheels. Nevşehir pomzası (Nevşehir pumice) is also a registered product.
Nevşehir province has 8 districts. Explore the places to visit, local dishes and transport in each one.
A kebab with a registered geographical indication, cooked in a clay jug that is broken open at the table.
A bun with a registered geographical indication.
A simit with a registered geographical indication.
The main stops are the Göreme Open-Air Museum, Uçhisar Castle, Zelve, Paşabağ, the Pigeon and Kızılçukur valleys, the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, Avanos, Ürgüp, Mustafapaşa, Hacıbektaş and Gülşehir.
No. The Ihlara Valley and the Selime Cathedral are in Aksaray Province; they are often added to Cappadocia trips.
They take place at sunrise throughout the year, and are cancelled if wind and weather conditions are not suitable. Spring and autumn are the most favourable seasons.
Testi kebabı, Kaymaklı çöreği and dried clotted cream, tahini simit and the region's grape molasses.
Yes. Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
April to June and September to October are the most suitable times.
The information in this guide has been compiled from and checked against the sources below (last checked: 8 October 2026). If you spot an error, please let us know.