With its fairy chimneys, rock-cut churches, underground cities and the balloons that fill the sky at sunrise, Cappadocia is unlike anywhere else in the world. Göreme National Park and the rock sites of Cappadocia have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985. In this article we have split the places worth seeing into three groups: the valleys you see on an ATV tour, Göreme and its surroundings and places a little further away but worth the trip.
What makes Cappadocia unique is the way it combines natural beauty with history preserved for thousands of years. In the 7 years we have been welcoming guests to these valleys, most visitors first fall in love with the view of Göreme; and when the balloons glowing like lanterns in the early morning twilight join the scene, almost everyone says the same thing: "It's like a fairy tale." You have to experience it to understand. First-time visitors even find the town of Göreme itself, with its cave hotels and cave rooms, fascinating.
The valleys you see on an ATV tour
Reaching some of the valleys around Göreme on foot takes hours; by ATV you can see the same valleys in an hour or two, with a guide. The places below are on our ATV tour routes.
1. Love Valley
Officially called Bağlıdere Valley, Love Valley is home to Cappadocia's best-known and tallest fairy chimneys; some rocks rise up to 50 metres. A walking trail of about 5 km runs from the Göreme–Uçhisar road to the Göreme–Avanos road, and balloons often float over it in the morning. We stop here on our tours; you can get food and drinks and leave a memory on the wishing trees.
2. Red Valley and Güllüdere Valley
Two neighbouring valleys famous for rocks that turn red and pink at sunset. Güllüdere, between Göreme and Çavuşin, takes its name from rocks that take on a rose colour in daylight and is considered one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Cappadocia. The valley has many rock-cut churches; an inscription in the Ayvalı Church dates it to 913–920, and the Haçlı (Cross) Church is reached by a wooden staircase. The sunset seen from Kızılçukur and the Kılıçlar Valley is one of Cappadocia's finest views. Our sunset ATV tour ends in these valleys at exactly that moment.
3. White Valley and Mushroom Valley
This is where you see the famous mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys. The white rocks of the White Valley are striking even at midday. In rainy periods the White Valley closes because of mud, and the route continues through the Mushroom Valley.
4. Potuk Panorama
A viewpoint that overlooks Uçhisar, Göreme, Çavuşin and Avanos at once. A good spot to take in the whole region at a glance; our short ATV tours stop here too.
5. Kızılçukur and Kılıçlar valleys: where the balloons take off
The Kılıçlar Valley takes its name from its sword-shaped fairy chimneys; inside are a tunnel over 250 metres long, caves and old pigeon houses. At sunrise some of the balloons take off from these valleys. On the sunrise ATV tour you watch the balloons being inflated and taking off from inside the valleys.
Göreme and its surroundings
6. Göreme Open Air Museum
With its rock-cut churches, chapels and frescoes, it is the region's most important historical site and the heart of the UNESCO-listed area. The frescoes of the Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise) require a separate ticket and are exceptionally well preserved. To avoid the crowds, go early in the morning. The Müze Kart (Museum Pass) is valid at state-run historical sites.
7. Uçhisar Castle
A giant hollowed-out rock mass that is the highest point in the region. From the top you see a wide view stretching over Göreme and Pigeon Valley as far as Mount Erciyes. Pigeon Valley, about 4 km long between Uçhisar and Göreme, is known for pigeon houses carved into the rock; pigeon droppings were once used to fertilise the vineyards.
8. Paşabağları (Monks Valley)
The area with the densest cluster of multi-headed, capped fairy chimneys. It is also called "Monks Valley" because monks used it as a place of retreat between the 9th and 13th centuries. It is not on our standard ATV routes; on the private tour we can stop there on request (the entrance fee is not included).
9. Zelve Open Air Site
A rock village where people lived until fairly recently, before it was evacuated. With its rock-cut houses, churches and mill, it shows how life went on in Cappadocia. It is very close to Paşabağları.
10. Çavuşin
A small town a few kilometres from Göreme, whose old village leans against a rocky slope. The abandoned houses on the slope and the Church of St John the Baptist are worth seeing. It is one of the places where the Red Valley hike starts or ends.
11. Devrent (Imagination) Valley
Known for fairy chimneys shaped like animals, the most famous being a rock that looks like a camel. It suits a short stop and is especially popular with families with children.
12. Avanos and Ürgüp
Avanos, on the banks of the Kızılırmak River, is famous for its pottery; in the workshops you can watch pots being made and try it yourself. Ürgüp is known for the Three Beauties (Üç Güzeller) fairy chimneys, a symbol of the region, and for its wine houses. Both are close to Göreme.
A little further away but worth the trip
13. Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu underground cities
Underground cities that descend level by level, with ventilation shafts, stables and churches. Where thousands of people once hid in times of danger, they are among the most astonishing places in Cappadocia. The passages are narrow and low, so we advise caution for anyone uncomfortable in enclosed spaces.
14. Kayaşehir (Nevşehir)
Kayaşehir, at the foot of Nevşehir Castle, is the region's newest discovery. This rock-cut hillside settlement was found by chance during urban renewal work in 2014, opened to visitors in July 2020 and quickly drew attention. Thought to cover about 400,000 square metres, it includes a 6th-century monastery, a 12th-century Byzantine church with frescoes, water channels, rock tombs, shelters and interconnected tunnels; a 186-metre tunnel became open to visitors in 2022. Excavations are still under way, so the open sections keep growing. Being in central Nevşehir, it is a short drive from Göreme.
15. Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery
A green canyon along the Melendiz Stream, with churches carved into its walls. Selime Monastery, at the end of the valley, is one of the largest rock-cut monasteries in the region. Because it is far from Göreme, it is usually visited on a day tour together with an underground city; locally this tour is called the "Green Tour".
16. Balloon viewpoints
Even if you don't fly, watching the balloons at sunrise is one of the best experiences in Cappadocia. If you don't want a long walk, Aydınkırağı Viewpoint (locally known as Lovers' Hill) and Görçeli Viewpoint, just above the town of Göreme, are good options for both the balloons and the sunset; they can get a little crowded at sunrise and sunset. One of the ways to see the balloons up close is the sunrise ATV tour: you watch them from inside the take-off areas.
How to explore Cappadocia
Although most sites are close to each other, they are not within walking distance; you need a car, a regional tour or an ATV. There are two classic day tours in the region: the "Red Tour", covering Göreme, Paşabağları, Avanos and Uçhisar, and the "Green Tour", covering an underground city, Ihlara and Selime. The inside of the valleys is best seen by ATV or on foot.
If it's your first visit, set aside one morning for the balloons at sunrise and one evening for the sunset view; if you want to see both from inside the valleys, have a look at our ATV tour options and prices.
A tip from our guide
- If you want to avoid the crowds, choose daytime ATV tours or a hike in the Göreme valleys. There are no large groups and you see the fairy chimneys up close.
- A calmer alternative is a horse ride: it moves slowly and can go deep into the valleys.
- If you want to see the balloons and the sunset with only a short walk, Aydınkırağı Viewpoint and Görçeli Viewpoint in Göreme are enough; just expect crowds at the best times.
You can get directions to our starting point in Göreme and explore the valleys of Cappadocia with us.
