Cappadocia Underground
Cappadocia's otherworldly landscape hides some of earth's oldest wine cellars.
Chapter 6 of Roman Wine Odyssey · Turkey
The stops
- Tour · Price: moderate Göreme Open Air Museum UNESCO World Heritage cave churches carved into Cappadocia's fairy chimneys. Early Christians created stunning frescoes in these volcanic tuff caves, many depicting wine and the Eucharist. The landscape is otherworldly.
- Tasting · Price: moderate Cave Wine Cellars Wine aged in volcanic tuff caves maintains perfect temperature year-round. Some cellars have been used for wine storage for millennia. The soft rock is easy to carve and naturally cool — ancient refrigeration.
- Tour · Price: moderate Derinkuyu Underground City Descend eight levels into an underground city that sheltered 20,000 people. Wine storage areas, wells, ventilation shafts, and churches. Christians hid here from Arab raids. The scale is mind-boggling.
- Tasting · Price: moderate Turasan Winery Cappadocia's largest and most historic winery, founded in 1943 but using caves carved centuries earlier. Taste Emir (crisp white) and Öküzgözü ("Ox Eye" — a rich red). The cave cellars are spectacular.
- Adventure · Price: high Hot Air Balloon Wine Experience Sunrise hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia's fairy chimneys, followed by champagne breakfast at a winery. One of the world's most iconic experiences. The landscape from above is unforgettable.
- Tasting · Price: moderate Ürgüp Wine Houses Boutique wine producers in Ürgüp's historic cave houses. Taste local varieties in atmospheric settings carved from volcanic rock. Each producer has their own character and cave.
The story
Early Christians carved cave churches with wine frescoes, and underground cities where 20,000 people could hide — complete with wine storage. Rise at dawn for a balloon flight over fairy chimneys, then descend into volcanic tuff caves where wine has aged for millennia.
Plan the trip
Insider tip Book your balloon flight for day 2 or 3 — if weather cancels day 1, you have backup days. The sunrise flight is absolutely worth it.
Getting there and around
- Car required
- No
- Parking
- Easy parking throughout Cappadocia
- Nearest airport
- Kayseri (ASR) or Nevşehir (NAV) - both 1 hour to Göreme
- Drinking and driving
- Distances are short — taxi between wineries or join a wine tour
- Other airports
-
- Istanbul (IST) then domestic flight
- Without a car
- Everything is compact — taxis and tours work well. Car useful but not essential.
Where to stay
- Base yourself in
- Göreme or Ürgüp
- Why there
- Göreme for fairy chimneys and balloon takeoffs; Ürgüp for wine access
- Booking tip
- Stay in a cave hotel — it's the whole point. Book balloon flights separately, well ahead.
- Nightly range
- €60-300/night
Recommended stays
- Budget
- Göreme cave hostels
- Luxury
- Museum Hotel, Argos in Cappadocia
- Mid-range
- Cave hotels in Göreme or Ürgüp
- Vineyard stays
- Ürgüp wine hotels with cave cellars
What it costs
- Includes
- Accommodation, balloon flight, tastings, site entries
- Meals
- €25-45/day
- Per person
- €400-800
- Ways to spend less
-
- Balloon flights are expensive (€150-300) but unmissable
- Cave hotels range from €30 hostels to €500 luxury
- Wine is very affordable by European standards
- Tasting fees
- €5-15 average
Booking and timing
- Lead time
- 1-4 weeks
- Closed days
- Most open daily
- Peak season
- Summer is hot and crowded; shoulder seasons are perfect
- Best time of day
- Sunrise for balloon, morning for caves (cooler), afternoon for wine
- Group size
- Balloon companies book up fast — reserve early
Where to eat
- Lunch
-
- Göreme village restaurants
- Ürgüp main square
- Cave restaurants
- Dinner
-
- Pumpkin Restaurant Göreme
- Ziggy Cafe Ürgüp
- Hotel restaurant terraces with valley views
- Winery restaurants
If your time is short
- If you only have one day
- If it rains
- Underground cities are underground — weather doesn't matter. Cave churches have covers.
- Skip if time is short
Mistakes to avoid
-
- Don't miss the balloon flight — it's one of the world's great experiences
- Don't only stay in Göreme — Ürgüp has better wine access
- Don't visit in July-August — it's extremely hot
- Don't skip underground cities — they're mind-blowing scale
- Don't dismiss Cappadocian wine — Emir and Öküzgözü are excellent
Worth stopping for
-
- Hot air balloons at sunrise from your cave hotel terrace
- Göreme cave churches interior frescoes
- Derinkuyu underground city depth shots
- Fairy chimneys with vineyards in foreground
- Sunset over Pigeon Valley