Cappadocia Wine Route

Cappadocia's surreal landscape of fairy chimneys and cave dwellings has...

Cappadocia's surreal landscape of fairy chimneys and cave dwellings has hidden wine cellars for millennia. The Hittites made wine here in 1650 BC. Today, wineries age their bottles in ancient cave cellars carved into the soft tuff rock, creating naturally perfect conditions.

A Wine Memories curated trail · winememories.fi

8 experiences 🇹🇷 Turkey moderate 1 week

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Curated by Wine Memories

  1. 1
    🍷

    Kocabağ Winery Cave Tasting

    Historic winery carved into the volcanic tufa rock of Cappadocia. Their underground cellars maintain perfect temperature year-round, aging Emir and Kalecik Karası in centuries-old caves.

    tasting $$
  2. 2
    🗺️

    Turasan Winery

    Family winery operating since 1943, producing wines from vineyards planted at 1,200m elevation. Their Emir is considered the benchmark for this delicate white grape.

    tour $$
  3. 3
    🗺️

    Kavaklidere Underground Wine Museum

    Turkey's largest winery operates this stunning underground museum in a restored monastery cave. Exhibits showcase 8,000 years of Anatolian viticulture alongside modern production facilities.

    tour $
  4. 4
    ⛰️

    Fairy Chimney Vineyard Walk

    Hike through surreal fairy chimney rock formations to discover hidden family vineyards planted between the rocks. Local families still make wine in small caves using techniques unchanged for centuries.

    adventure $
  5. 5
    🗺️

    Derinkuyu Underground City Wine Cellars

    Descend 8 levels underground into an ancient city that once housed 20,000 people. The wine cellars, carved in the 8th century BC, show how communities stored wine deep underground for protection and perfect aging.

    tour $
  6. 6
    ⛰️

    Kapadokya Vineyards Harvest Experience

    Join the grape harvest in late September at a boutique vineyard. Hand-pick Emir grapes, learn traditional foot-treading, and share a harvest feast with local winemaking families.

    adventure $$
  7. 7
    🍷

    Ürgüp Wine House Historic Cellar

    Restored 19th-century Greek merchant house with original carved-stone wine cellars. The current owners produce natural wines using amphora fermentation inspired by ancient Hittite methods.

    tasting $$
  8. 8
    ⛰️

    Monks Valley Vineyard Pilgrimage

    Walk through the Valley of the Monks where Byzantine hermits lived in fairy chimneys and tended small vineyards for sacramental wine. Visit restored chapels with ancient grape press installations.

    adventure free

Plan the trip

Insider tip. Book a hot air balloon ride at dawn, then visit wineries - the combination is magical.

Getting there and around

Car required
Yes
Parking
Free at all wineries. Ürgüp center has paid parking.
Nearest airport
Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) - 40 min to Ürgüp
Drinking and driving
Hire driver or join organized tour. Most hotels arrange wine tours.
Other airports
  • Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) - 1 hr to Ürgüp
Without a car
Organized wine tours from hotels. Taxis available but expensive.

Where to stay

Base yourself in
Ürgüp
Why there
Wine capital of Cappadocia. Most wineries within 15-20 km. Cave hotels available.
Booking tip
Book cave hotels 2-3 months ahead for balloon season (April-October).
Nightly range
€50-400

Recommended stays

Budget
Ürgüp cave pensions - atmospheric, affordable, family-run
Luxury
Museum Hotel - carved from ancient monastery, valley views
Mid-range
Yunak Evleri - restored Greek mansions with cave rooms
Vineyard stays
Argos in Cappadocia - wine cellar with 22,000 bottles

What it costs

Includes
Accommodation, transport, tastings, meals, site entry
Meals
₺200-500 per day (€7-16)
Per person
€200-500
Ways to spend less
  • Museum cards save money at Göreme and Derinkuyu
  • Street food (gözleme, kebabs) is excellent and cheap
  • Pottery tours in Avanos are free if you buy something small
  • Balloon rides are expensive (€150-300) - book direct for best rates
Tasting fees
₺100-300 per winery (€3-10)

Booking and timing

Lead time
1-2 weeks for wineries, 1-2 months for cave hotels
Closed days
Most wineries open daily. Underground cities may close early in winter.
Peak season
April-October is busy. September harvest is magical but crowded.
Best time of day
Morning for sites, afternoon for wineries, sunset for terraces
Group size
Small groups (2-6) work best for winery visits

Where to eat

Lunch
  • Ziggy Cafe Ürgüp - modern Turkish with local wines
  • Dibek Traditional Cuisine - pottery kebab in clay pots
Dinner
  • Seki Restaurant (Argos) - fine dining with cave views
  • Prokopi Ürgüp - excellent local wines and meze
Winery restaurants
  • Kocabağ Han Çırağan has a restaurant in the caravanserai

If your time is short

Do not miss
If you only have one day
If it rains
Derinkuyu underground city or winery cellars - both are underground
Skip if time is short

Mistakes to avoid

  • Don't skip the underground cities - wine cellars show storage genius
  • Don't miss Emir grape wines - unique to Cappadocia
  • Don't visit midday in summer - sites and wineries are too hot
  • Don't expect Napa-style facilities - Cappadocia charm is rustic
  • Don't book balloon and winery visits same morning - you'll rush

Worth stopping for

  • Balloon sunrise: Book winery visits for afternoon - exhausted by 9am otherwise
  • Fairy chimneys: Golden hour (7-8 AM, 6-8 PM) for dramatic shadows
  • Wine cellars: Bring wide-angle lens for carved rock interiors
  • Derinkuyu: Flash photography allowed - essential in dark tunnels