Cappadocia Underground

Cappadocia's otherworldly landscape hides some of earth's oldest wine cellars. 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.

A Wine Memories curated trail · winememories.fi

6 experiences 🇹🇷 Turkey Effort: moderate 1 week

Map

1. Göreme Open Air Museum 1 2. Cave Wine Cellars 2 3. Derinkuyu Underground City 3 4. Turasan Winery 4 5. Hot Air Balloon Wine Experience 5 6. Ürgüp Wine Houses 6 10 km 1. Göreme Open Air Museum 1 2. Cave Wine Cellars 2 3. Derinkuyu Underground City 3 4. Turasan Winery 4 5. Hot Air Balloon Wine Experience 5 6. Ürgüp Wine Houses 6 20 km

Stops

Curated by Wine Memories

  1. 1

    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.

    Tour Price: moderate
  2. 2

    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.

    Tasting Price: moderate
  3. 3

    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.

    Tour Price: moderate
  4. 4

    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.

    Tasting Price: moderate
  5. 5

    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.

    Adventure Price: high
  6. 6

    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.

    Tasting Price: moderate

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

Do not miss
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