Would you like to live underground?

The Kaymaklı Underground City, 30 minutes south of Göreme, allows tourists to climb, crouch, and creep around underground as you explore the underground city. Kaymaklı’s is the widest underground city, while Derinkuyu is the deepest. There are 36 underground cities in Cappadocia!

Kaymaklı’s Underground City has 8 floors, but only 4 are open to the public. Given the size of the city and the number of storage rooms within the city, experts estimate 3,500 may have lived here! You’ll find storage rooms, wineries, kitchens, and ventilation shafts while exploring. There are also stables, a church, and living spaces.

This underground city dates back to the Hittites about 1200 BC and was used until about 13th century AD.

This blog post (from Captivating Cappadocia) has a wonderful description of the underground city with lots of information, particularly if you scroll down a bit. Definitely worth a read.

We did not have a guide to go through the site. However, that meant we didn’t learn a whole lot of information while there and did listen in some to the tour groups. If you really like history and information, guides are easy to get near the entrance, but talk to them a bit first to pick a good one.

You follow a set route through the underground city and can get stuck behind slow groups.

Practical Information

Location: 30 min drive south of Goreme located here.

Ticket Cost: 42 tl for ages 8+. Under 8 is free.

Cameras: You can take pictures, but lighting is very low and poor and we didn’t take many

Bathrooms: There are bathrooms in the entrance/exit area near all the stalls

Food/Drink: There are small shops selling souvenirs and cafes

Parking: There was a parking area by the entrance

Signage/Guides: There is very little signage in the city, so come knowledgeable or get a guide

Special Information: Our kids loved it! It is dim, things to climb, tunnels, etc. If you are claustrophobic or cannot stoop and walk bent over through low tunnels this is not for you. There are also many steps as it is underground.