Cappadocia underground cities guide — Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı
Cappadocia: Underground Cities Skip-the-Line Tour with Lunch
Which underground city should I visit in Cappadocia?
Derinkuyu is more impressive — eight storeys deep, with stables, churches, wine presses, and millstone doors. Kaymaklı (four storeys open) is smaller but less crowded. Most visitors with a single day choose Derinkuyu. Both are covered on the Green Tour.
Going underground in Cappadocia
Cappadocia’s underground cities are among the most extraordinary archaeological structures in Turkey. While the fairy chimneys and cave churches above ground are more visually famous, the underground cities carry a different kind of weight: the sheer engineering achievement of excavating tens of thousands of cubic metres of volcanic rock by hand, creating a habitable space for thousands of people at depths reaching 60 metres.
More than 200 underground settlements have been identified in Cappadocia. Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı are the largest accessible to visitors and the two most commonly included on tours.
Derinkuyu — the essential underground city
Derinkuyu (meaning “deep well” in Turkish) is 29 km south of Göreme in the Nevşehir province. It is the deepest and arguably most impressive underground city in Cappadocia.
Scale and structure
Eight storeys have been excavated. The deepest level reaches approximately 60 metres below ground, though visitors access only the upper seven storeys (approximately 40-50 metres). The city was built to shelter an estimated 10,000-20,000 people, along with their livestock.
The excavated area covers approximately 4 km of tunnel, of which about 10% is open to visitors. The accessible route descends through the upper levels following a logical circulation path.
What you see
Stables (Level 1-2): The uppermost levels contain stabling for animals — high ceilings, stone mangers, and drainage channels. The animals provided warmth as well as food.
Living quarters and storage rooms: Throughout the upper levels, chambers served as communal living, food storage (the alkaline rock helped preserve food), and wine/oil production. Large stone vats for crushing grapes and olives survive in several chambers.
Millstone doors: The defining feature of Derinkuyu’s defensive architecture. Circular stone doors (each weighing approximately 500 kg) could be rolled from inside to seal individual tunnels. The millstone could only be opened from inside — an effective defensive mechanism. Several millstones are visible along the route, some in their original sealing positions.
Church (Level 7): A cross-shaped church at the deepest accessible level, indicating that the city was used or significantly extended during the early Christian period. The church has a baptistery and apse carved from the rock.
Missionary school (Level 3): A large chamber interpreted as a school or meeting room, with attached smaller chambers for individual study — a spatial arrangement suggestive of organised communal learning.
Ventilation shafts: A network of air shafts keeps the deepest levels breathable. The largest shaft is 55 metres deep and doubles as the primary fresh water source. The ventilation system is sophisticated enough to maintain comfortable air quality throughout the occupied levels.
Communication tunnels: Derinkuyu was connected by tunnel to Kaymaklı and possibly other underground settlements. The connecting tunnel to Kaymaklı is approximately 9 km long but is not accessible to visitors.
Visiting Derinkuyu
Entry: approximately 200-300 TRY (6-8 USD). Opening hours: approximately 8 am to 7 pm in summer, 8 am to 5 pm in winter.
The route is one-way in most sections. Some passages require crouching. A torch/flashlight is provided at the entrance or available for rent.
Cappadocia underground cities skip-the-line tour with lunch provides transport from Göreme, a guide at the site, and lunch. This is the most practical option for combining Derinkuyu with other sites.
Kaymaklı — the alternative underground city
Kaymaklı (19 km south of Göreme) is smaller than Derinkuyu — four storeys are open to visitors — but has its own character. The layout is different: while Derinkuyu has a more linear vertical descent, Kaymaklı’s accessible tunnels branch in multiple directions, which some visitors find more confusing but also more atmospheric.
Kaymaklı is sometimes less crowded than Derinkuyu, particularly midday when tour groups from the major operators tend to go to Derinkuyu first. If crowds are a concern, visiting Kaymaklı in the afternoon while Derinkuyu groups are at lunch is a reasonable strategy.
What distinguishes Kaymaklı
- Closer to Göreme (19 km vs 29 km) — slightly less travel time
- Branching tunnel structure rather than linear descent
- Often less crowded than Derinkuyu
- Four accessible storeys (vs seven at Derinkuyu)
Entry: approximately 200-300 TRY (6-8 USD). The Green Tour most commonly includes Kaymaklı, though some versions include Derinkuyu — check before booking.
When were the underground cities built?
Archaeological evidence suggests the volcanic tuff was first excavated in the Phrygian period (around 800-550 BCE), with significant expansion during the early Christian period (1st-6th centuries CE) when local populations needed shelter from Arab raids and later Byzantine military campaigns. Some scholars suggest Hittite or even earlier Chalcolithic occupation, though this is not conclusively established.
The main function has traditionally been interpreted as refuge — the defensive millstone doors support this. But the scale of food storage and wine production facilities, and the apparent long-term habitability, suggests these may also have been used as permanent or semi-permanent underground towns rather than emergency shelters only.
Practical comparison
| Feature | Derinkuyu | Kaymaklı |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from Göreme | 29 km | 19 km |
| Accessible storeys | 7 | 4 |
| Maximum depth | ~50 m accessible | ~20 m accessible |
| Crowd levels | Higher (more popular) | Slightly lower |
| Most impressive feature | Millstone doors, church, scale | Branching tunnels |
| Claustrophobia risk | Moderate | Slightly lower |
| Entry fee | ~200-300 TRY | ~200-300 TRY |
Tips for visiting the underground cities
Physical preparation
- Wear closed-toe shoes with a grip sole — the floors are smooth rock and can be slippery
- Bring a light jacket or sweater (13-15°C underground, cold compared to summer surface temperatures)
- Be prepared to crouch in low-clearance passages — most adults need to duck in several sections
- The route is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers
Timing
- Avoid peak midday hours (11 am-2 pm) when tour group overlap is highest
- Early morning (8-9 am opening) or late afternoon (3-5 pm) are less crowded
- Both cities are included on the Green Tour, which typically visits them mid-morning
With a guide
A guide at the underground city adds historical context — identifying specific rooms, explaining the millstone mechanism, and situating the site within Cappadocian history. The Green Tour including Ihlara Valley and underground city includes a guide who covers both sites in one day.
Frequently asked questions about Cappadocia underground cities
Are the underground cities still used today?
No, as habitation. Some storage use by local families continued until relatively recently, but the sites are now entirely archaeological and tourist destinations.
Can children visit the underground cities?
Yes, and children typically love the adventure of the tunnels, the scale of the caverns, and the millstone doors. Narrow passages may require taller children to crouch alongside adults. No minimum age requirement, but young children must be accompanied and managed carefully on the steep sections.
Is there lighting inside the underground cities?
Yes. Both Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı have electric lighting throughout the visitor route. However, some sections are dim — a small torch is useful in corners that electric lighting doesn’t fully reach.
How old are the underground cities?
The exact age is debated. The oldest evidence suggests Phrygian-period excavation, approximately 2,800 years ago. Significant expansion and religious features (the church at Derinkuyu) date to the Byzantine period (4th-10th centuries CE). Use and modification continued into the medieval period.
Is it safe inside the underground cities?
Yes. Both sites are professionally managed heritage sites with regular safety inspections. The tunnels and chambers are stable. There have been no significant structural issues with the visitor routes. Standard precautions (don’t venture beyond roped-off areas, follow the marked route) apply.
Other underground cities in Cappadocia
Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı are the most visited, but Cappadocia has more than 200 underground settlements. Several others are accessible or partially accessible:
Özkonak Underground City: 14 km north of Avanos. Smaller than Derinkuyu but has a unique feature — horizontal pipes through which boiling oil could be poured on intruders who had broken through the millstone doors. Open to visitors; smaller crowds than Derinkuyu.
Tatlar Underground City: In the Aksaray region south of Cappadocia. Relatively unvisited, five storeys, less well-maintained. Of interest to visitors wanting off-the-beaten-path experience.
Mazı Underground City: Near Mustafapaşa. A modest but accessible site without the crowds of the main two cities.
Most tour groups use Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı because they are closest to Göreme, better maintained, and staffed with guides. For visitors with more than two or three nights in Cappadocia, the lesser-visited cities add a different dimension.
The underground city network
A remarkable but little-publicised fact about Cappadocia’s underground cities: they were connected. A tunnel approximately 9 km long is believed to connect Derinkuyu to Kaymaklı. This tunnel is not accessible to modern visitors — it is sealed and partially collapsed — but the concept of a subterranean network linking communities across the Cappadocian plateau is genuinely extraordinary.
The full extent of Cappadocia’s underground is not mapped. New chambers and connecting tunnels are still occasionally discovered during construction work or archaeological investigation. In 2014, excavation work for a housing project in Nevşehir revealed evidence of a previously unknown underground city larger than Derinkuyu. Research is ongoing.
Buying the underground cities into your itinerary
The underground cities are a half-day activity at minimum. Most visitors combine them with an above-ground tour:
- Green Tour: Includes Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu as part of a full-day tour covering Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery. This is the standard way to visit an underground city efficiently. See Cappadocia tours guide.
- Independent trip: Taxi or dolmuş from Göreme to Derinkuyu (29 km, approximately 400-600 TRY / 11-17 USD one way by taxi). Allow 2-3 hours at the site plus transit.
- Combined underground focus day: Visit Kaymaklı in the morning (19 km from Göreme) and Derinkuyu in the afternoon (an additional 10 km south). Full day, two underground cities, no other major stops. For the especially interested visitor.
The trip planning tools section has a budget calculator that can help plan the underground city day trip relative to other Cappadocia costs.
What guided vs independent visits provide
With a guide: The tunnels, chambers, and millstone doors have specific archaeological interpretation that a guide provides. The theological function of the church at Derinkuyu (Level 7), the evidence for wine production, the air shaft design, and the population estimates all benefit from explanation.
Independent: Perfectly feasible for visitors who have read about the sites in advance. The one-way circuit at Derinkuyu is well-signed in English. A small torch (flashlight) is helpful for some corners.
Audio guide: Not typically available at the underground cities themselves — the guide is human or nothing. Your hotel in Göreme may be able to arrange a local guide for a private visit.
How to include underground cities in your itinerary
The underground cities are included on the Green Tour (recommended if you have two days and can do both Red and Green Tours). See Cappadocia tours guide.
For independent visitors, the most efficient approach is an early-morning taxi from Göreme to Derinkuyu (29 km, approximately 400-600 TRY / 11-17 USD one way by taxi), spending 1.5-2 hours at the site, then a taxi or dolmuş back toward Göreme with a lunch stop in Nevşehir if needed.
Combine the underground city visit with the Göreme Open-Air Museum in the afternoon for a full day covering both the cave-church tradition and the underground-city tradition — two very different aspects of Cappadocia’s human history.
For specific tour options: Things to do in Cappadocia.
Frequently asked questions about Cappadocia underground cities guide — Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı
How deep is Derinkuyu underground city?
Is Derinkuyu claustrophobic?
Why were the underground cities built in Cappadocia?
Can I visit Derinkuyu independently?
How long does the underground city visit take?
Are the underground cities hot or cold?
Top experiences
Bookable activities with verified prices and instant confirmation on GetYourGuide.
