{"id":12898,"date":"2025-02-18T21:02:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T21:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelshelper.com\/turkey\/?post_type=listivo_listing&p=12898"},"modified":"2026-07-08T11:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T11:35:26","slug":"kaymakli-underground-city","status":"publish","type":"listivo_listing","link":"https:\/\/travelshelper.com\/turkey\/places-in-turkey\/kaymakli-underground-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaymakli Underground City"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Kaymakl\u0131 Underground City is a subterranean city in Cappadocia, central Turkey. Carved into soft volcanic tuff, it has eight levels of tunnels and chambers (only the top four are open to visitors). Its origins date to Hittite times (2nd millennium BCE), with major expansions under Byzantine Christians. The site includes rock-cut dwellings, kitchens with ovens, storage rooms, wine cellars, animal stables and even a rock-cut church, all linked by narrow corridors and large millstone doors used for defense. Archaeological excavation in the 1960s made the site safe for public access, and it opened as a museum site in 1964. Today Kaymakl\u0131 is managed by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and is part of the UNESCO G\u00f6reme National Park World Heritage area.<\/p>

Kaymakl\u0131 Underground City is in Turkey\u2019s Cappadocia region (Central Anatolia). It stands at the edge of Kaymakl\u0131 kasabas\u0131 (town) in Nev\u015fehir Province\u2019s central (Merkez) district. The site\u2019s address is Camii Kebir Mahallesi, E\u015fref Ayhan Cad. No:46, 50760 Kaymakl\u0131, Nev\u015fehir. GPS coordinates are about 38\u00b027\u203256\u2033N 34\u00b045\u203201\u2033E. Kaymakl\u0131 sits on a hillside off the Nev\u015fehir\u2013Derinkuyu highway (D-765), about 20 km (12 miles) south of Nev\u015fehir city. Nearby, the village\u2019s Kur\u015funlu (Camii Kebir) Mosque marks the main square.<\/p>

Visiting Kaymakl\u0131 is like walking into a rock-hewn labyrinth. After passing the ticket booth, a concrete ramp and steps lead visitors into the hillside galleries. In the lit floors, the ceiling is roughly 1.5\u20132.5 meters high and corridors about 2\u20133 meters wide. The pale tufa walls are smooth and mostly unadorned. Electric lights and ventilation shafts keep air moving and corridors visible. The underground climate is steady (around 15\u00b0C), so it feels cool even in summer; the stone floor can be damp in spots, so sturdy shoes help. Footfalls echo in the quiet chambers, emphasizing the calm subterranean atmosphere.<\/p>

Kaymakl\u0131 Underground City is open daily year-round. Typical hours are 08:00\u201319:00 in summer (Apr\u2013Oct) and 08:00\u201317:00 in winter (Nov\u2013Mar). A staffed ticket booth at the entry sells admission (around \u20ac15 in 2026); entry is free with the Turkish M\u00fczeKart museum pass. This is an unguided site: visitors follow illuminated walkways and signs on their own. No audio guide or on-site commentary is provided, though licensed local guides can be hired through tour agencies. Photography (without flash) is allowed. Visitor facilities are minimal: restrooms and a refreshment stall are near the entrance. There is no large museum shop or caf\u00e9 on site, but the town\u2019s main street \u2013 within a few minutes\u2019 walk \u2013 has eateries and shops.<\/p>

Visitors can reach Kaymakl\u0131 via Nev\u015fehir\u2019s intercity bus terminal. Shared minibuses (dolmu\u015f) run regularly from Nev\u015fehir to Kaymakl\u0131 (about 20 minutes). They drop off in the town center; from there the underground-city entrance is a short uphill walk. By car or tour bus, follow highway D-765 south from Nev\u015fehir (or north from Derinkuyu); road signs for Kaymakl\u0131 are well posted. A large flat parking area lies adjacent to the entrance. For out-of-town arrivals: Kayseri Erkilet Airport is ~75 km east of Kaymakl\u0131 (about 1.5 h by road), and Nev\u015fehir Kapadokya Airport is ~40 km north (45 min). No train or metro serves the town.<\/p>

Kaymakl\u0131 is generally considered worth visiting for those interested in Cappadocia\u2019s history and architecture. It won\u2019t impress like a painted cave church or a castle, but it provides a rare, immersive experience of ancient underground life. Many visitors find the millstone doors and tunnels intriguing, offering a different perspective than open-air sites. It is especially worthwhile combined with nearby Derinkuyu (8 km south) or other Cappadocia tours. If travel time is very tight, alternatives like the G\u00f6reme Open-Air Museum or U\u00e7hisar Castle might appeal more to casual sightseers, but Kaymakl\u0131\u2019s moderate fee and easy access make it a reasonable addition if schedule allows.<\/p>

Families find Kaymakl\u0131 interesting but should note access limits. It is not wheelchair- or stroller-friendly (many stairs and narrow tunnels). Older children may enjoy the novelty, but young kids sometimes tire or feel uneasy underground. There are no play areas or children\u2019s exhibits. Most family visits last about 45\u201360 minutes. Parents should hold children\u2019s hands on the steps and watch for low ceilings in some corridors.<\/p>

Yes. A large, flat parking lot is right next to the entrance, big enough for cars, vans and tour buses. The lot is unsheltered and usually free (confirm any local fee on arrival). It can get busy on summer weekends, so arriving early is wise. No marked disabled parking. From the lot, a paved path leads directly to the ticket office and visitor area.<\/p>

Most visitors spend about 1 to 1.5 hours at Kaymakl\u0131. The path through the four open floors covers roughly 500\u2013700 meters of passages in total. Walking at a comfortable pace and pausing to look at each chamber typically takes around 45\u201360 minutes. Larger tour groups or those who inspect every detail may spend up to 90 minutes. Since the route is one-way, visitors naturally emerge back at the entrance when finished.<\/p>

Kaymakl\u0131\u2019s highlights are its carved interior spaces. The upper chamber (street level) was used for animals and storage; feeding troughs are still visible in the stone. One level down is the small rock-cut church (kilise) with a carved apse and adjacent burial niches. The third level contains the wine-pressing room with round grape basins. The fourth open floor was a communal kitchen (mutfak) with ovens. Each level\u2019s corridor was fortified by a massive round rolling door (s\u00fcrg\u00fc ta\u015f\u0131).<\/p>

For planning, Kaymakl\u0131 is often combined with Derinkuyu (8 km south) or Ihlara Valley on tours. Each site needs its own ticket (M\u00fczeKart covers both) and there is no visitor tunnel between them. Expect tour buses from 10am onward, so early morning or late afternoon gives a quieter visit.<\/p>

In the village (right by the entrance) a few simple caf\u00e9s and shops line the main street. They serve tea, water and snacks (g\u00f6zleme, etc.) for visitors. Larger restaurants and hotels are in G\u00f6reme or Nev\u015fehir (~20\u201325 km away) instead. The historic Uzun Ali Kona\u011f\u0131 (Ottoman manor) and Kur\u015funlu (lead-domed) Mosque stand nearby if you have extra time. There is no ATM at the site and mobile reception is poor underground, so plan your cash and phone use accordingly. Follow site rules strictly (no climbing on the structures) to help conserve the fragile archaeological remains. As always, check current information on official sites for updated hours, fees or any visitor alerts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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