The Underground City on the Cappadocia 2-Day Tour: What to Expect

What an underground city is

Cappadocia's rock is volcanic tuff: soft enough to carve by hand, firm enough to hold its shape. Over centuries, the people of the region dug down into it as well as into its cliffs and fairy chimneys, creating whole settlements beneath the surface.

These underground cities were carved as refuges, places where communities could shelter from danger. They are made of rooms linked by tunnels and stairways, spread over several levels. Today they are museums, and walking through one is a direct way to understand how people lived with this landscape rather than simply on top of it.

Where it fits on the tour

The visit comes on day 1, straight after the drive inland: about 3 h 15 min on the road, a rest stop, and about 1 h 50 min more. After hours in a coach seat, stretching your legs underground is a memorable way to arrive.

Lunch at a café (an extra) follows, and then the afternoon moves on to the valleys. The complete order of both days is on the itinerary page.

The entrance is in your fare

You do not pay at the gate. Entrance to the Underground City museum is one of the things the tour fare covers, along with the coach and guide, one night in a 3- or 4-star hotel, dinner on day 1 and breakfast on day 2.

One rule from the operator is worth knowing: a child booked at the child fare (ages 2 to 7) who turns out to be 8 or older pays their own entrance fee. Book children in the right age band and there is nothing to pay. Prices and optional extras may change according to the selected date and availability — see the current tour page.

What the passages feel like

Underground cities were built for shelter, not for visitors. Expect tight corridors, low ceilings where you will need to stoop, and steep, uneven steps between levels. Light is artificial and the air is cool and still.

In places you may need to walk bent over, or wait while people coming the other way squeeze past. None of it is dangerous with ordinary care, but it is physical and it is close.

• Watch your head: low ceilings are the most common surprise.
• Wear closed shoes with a good grip; steps can be worn smooth.
• Keep bags small. A large backpack makes the narrow sections awkward.
• Stay with the group so you do not lose the way between rooms.

Who should think twice

We would rather say this before you travel than have you discover it at the entrance.

• Claustrophobia. The low, narrow passages are exactly what many people with a fear of enclosed spaces find hardest.
• Reduced mobility. Stooping, steep steps and uneven floors make the visit unsuitable for wheelchairs and difficult with walking aids.
• Back, knee or heart trouble. Bending and climbing take effort; if in doubt, ask your doctor before the trip.
• Small children who dislike the dark. Some love it, some do not. Our guide to the tour with children covers the whole trip with little ones.

If you decide not to go down, tell the guide before the visit starts, so they can tell you where to wait and nobody waits for you below.

Getting the most from the visit

Look for the details that show daily life: the shape of the rooms, the way tunnels bend and narrow, and how the levels connect. Your guide can explain what you are looking at.

Bring a layer. It is cool underground in every season, and after the warmth of the coach the change is noticeable. Our packing guide lists what else helps on a night departure.

Book the tour

The 2-day tour runs on Tuesdays and Fridays. Reserve on the booking form: nothing is paid online, payment is in euros, Turkish lira or US dollars on the trip, and a free cancellation stays open until 48 hours before departure.