Photo: Dosseman (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source Niğde is the southern gateway to Cappadocia and the city of the Aladağlar and Bolkar mountains, home to the highest summits of the Taurus. The province's highlights are Gümüşler Monastery, one of the largest rock monasteries of Cappadocia; the Alaeddin Mosque (1223), the Ak Madrasa and the Hüdavent Hatun Tomb; the aqueducts of the Roman city of Tyana; the volcanic crater lake Narlıgöl; and the Demirkazık summit. Niğde is known for its potatoes and apples; Niğde tavası and Bor söğürmesi are registered.
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10 places worth seeing in Niğde, from historic monuments to natural wonders, grouped by type. Open any of them on the map with a single click.
Photo: Dosseman (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source In the town of Gümüşler, 10 km north-east of Niğde, one of the largest rock monasteries of Cappadocia, carved into a great mass of tuff; with its central courtyard, church and well-preserved 10th-century Byzantine frescoes, it was declared a protected site in 1973.
View on mapA two-storey madrasa built in 1409–1410 during the reign of the Karamanid Sultan Alaeddin Ali Bey II, known for its white stone and richly decorated portal; today it is used as a museum.
View on mapAn octagonal tomb built in 1312 for Hüdavent Hatun, daughter of the Seljuk Sultan Rükneddin Kılıçarslan IV; it is regarded as one of the most elegant tombs in Anatolia.
View on mapA castle on the hill where old Niğde was founded, thought to have foundations from very ancient times and repaired in the Seljuk period; the Alaeddin Mosque stands inside it.
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Photo: Burak Sakal (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source An ancient city at Kemerhisar, in the district of Bor, whose Hittite name was Tuwanuwa; Roman-era aqueducts and the remains of a pool are still standing. The philosopher Apollonius of Tyana was born here.
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Photo: Dosseman (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source A Seljuk mosque inside Niğde Castle, built in 1223 by Zeyneddin Beşare Bey for Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I; with its richly carved portal and its mihrab, it is the symbol of the city.
View on mapA mosque in the centre of Niğde, built in the Ilkhanid period in the 14th century and notable for its Gothic-influenced doorway decoration.
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Photo: Zeynel Cebeci (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source A mountain range on the border of Niğde, Kayseri and Adana, declared a national park in 1995; with the 3,756-metre Demirkazık summit, the Yedigöller (Seven Lakes) and the Emli Valley, it is Türkiye's most important mountaineering and trekking area. The village of Demirkazık in Çamardı is the centre of mountaineering.
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Photo: Lanzonnet (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source A volcanic maar (crater) lake at 1,363 metres in the district of Çiftlik; the brackish lake is surrounded by geothermal springs and is rich in bird species.
View on mapA Taurus range south of Ulukışla and Çamardı, known for its glacial lakes and highland pastures.
View on mapNiğde lies in the south-east of Central Anatolia, at the southern end of Cappadocia and on the northern foot of the Taurus Mountains. The south-east of the province is covered by the Aladağlar (Demirkazık, 3,756 m), the highest part of the Taurus, and the south by the Bolkar Mountains; to the north lie the volcanic plateau of Cappadocia and crater lakes such as Narlıgöl.
The region’s history goes back a very long way: Tyana (Hittite Tuwanuwa) at Kemerhisar, in the district of Bor, was the centre of the kingdom of Tuvana in the Late Hittite period and one of the important cities of Cappadocia in Roman times; the philosopher Apollonius of Tyana was born here, and the city’s Roman aqueducts still stand today. In the Byzantine period the region was part of Cappadocia’s monastic tradition; Gümüşler Monastery, with its 10th-century frescoes, is one of the best-preserved rock monasteries of Cappadocia.
Niğde rose to importance under the Anatolian Seljuks: the Alaeddin Mosque, built in 1223, is the most important of the Seljuk buildings inside the castle; together with the Hüdavent Hatun Tomb (1312), the Ilkhanid-era Sungur Bey Mosque and the Karamanid-era Ak Madrasa (1409), it forms the city’s historic skyline. Today the province is one of the most important potato and apple production centres in Türkiye.
Niğde has a continental climate: winters are cold and snowy, summers hot and dry. Averages for 1935–2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service:
| Month | Avg. high | Avg. low | Rainfall | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5.0 °C | −4.5 °C | 35 mm | 11 |
| February | 6.5 °C | −3.4 °C | 33 mm | 10 |
| March | 11.0 °C | −0.1 °C | 36 mm | 11 |
| April | 16.8 °C | 4.5 °C | 41 mm | 11 |
| May | 21.6 °C | 8.4 °C | 48 mm | 12 |
| June | 25.9 °C | 12.0 °C | 28 mm | 7 |
| July | 29.5 °C | 14.9 °C | 6 mm | 2 |
| August | 29.7 °C | 14.6 °C | 7 mm | 2 |
| September | 25.7 °C | 10.5 °C | 11 mm | 3 |
| October | 19.8 °C | 6.0 °C | 26 mm | 6 |
| November | 13.1 °C | 1.2 °C | 31 mm | 7 |
| December | 7.2 °C | −2.4 °C | 41 mm | 11 |
May–June and September–October are ideal for the city and Cappadocia, and July–September for mountaineering and walking in the Aladağlar. In the higher parts of the Aladağlar snow lasts until early summer; an experienced guide is recommended for the Demirkazık and Yedigöller routes.
By air: There is no airport in the province; the nearest are Nevşehir Cappadocia (about 90 km) and Kayseri (about 130 km) airports.
By train and road: Niğde lies on the Kayseri–Ulukışla–Adana railway and the Ankara–Adana motorway (via the Ulukışla junction). It is about 85 km from Nevşehir and about 200 km from Adana.
Day 1 – Niğde centre and Gümüşler: Gümüşler Monastery in the morning; in the afternoon the Alaeddin Mosque, the Hüdavent Hatun Tomb, the Ak Madrasa and Niğde Museum. Niğde tavası in the evening.
Day 2 – Bor and Narlıgöl: The Tyana aqueducts at Kemerhisar; then the crater lake of Narlıgöl at Çiftlik.
Day 3 – The Aladağlar: Go from Çamardı to the village of Demirkazık and walk in the Emli Valley; for experienced walkers, a guided route to the Yedigöller.
The best-known flavours of Niğde cuisine all have registered geographical indications: Niğde tavası, Bor söğürmesi, Niğde kelle söğüş (boiled head meat), Niğde tahinlisi (Niğde tahini pastry), Niğde sarım burma tatlısı, Niğde geven balı (Niğde geven honey) and Darboğaz cherries (Darboğaz kirazı). The province is one of the most important potato and apple production centres in Türkiye. Among handicrafts, the Obruk (Arısama) carpet and the natural stone Niğde calcite (Niğde kalsiti) are also registered.
Niğde province has 6 districts. Explore the places to visit, local dishes and transport in each one.
A pan-cooked dish with a registered geographical indication.
A local dish with a registered geographical indication.
A tahini pastry with a registered geographical indication.
A dessert with a registered geographical indication.
The main stops are Gümüşler Monastery, the Alaeddin Mosque, the Ak Madrasa, the Hüdavent Hatun Tomb, Niğde Castle, the Tyana aqueducts, Narlıgöl and Aladağlar National Park.
They lie on the border of Niğde, Kayseri and Adana; the centre of mountaineering is the village of Demirkazık in Niğde's Çamardı district.
Potatoes, apples, Niğde tavası, Bor söğürmesi and Gümüşler Monastery.
It is in the Çiftlik district of Niğde.
May–June and September–October are best for the city, and July–September for the Aladağlar.
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.