Where to stay in Cappadocia: Best areas and hotels

Sofía Pozuelo
UPDATED: 17/11/2023

Cappadocia is home to countless wonders and fantastic places that will undoubtedly take you to a world where magic and reality merge and give you one of the best experiences in your life. In this guide I'll recommend where to stay in Cappadocia, as well as several hotels and activities that you can do during your stay in this wonderful place.

Located in the heart of Turkey, Cappadocia is a vast region made up of valleys and huge cone-shaped rock formations that, given their unique geological characteristics, have served as refuge and home for countless inhabitants and visitors throughout the years.

The unique characteristics of these formations, commonly called fairy chimneys, allowed the ancient inhabitants of Cappadocia to build underground cities and magnificent caverns that have been used by various civilizations, including the Hittites, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans.

In addition, it was a key place in the early years of Christianity as well, a fact that is reflected in the abundance of churches found in Göreme, one of the main districts in Cappadocia.

Where to stay in Cappadocia

Visiting Cappadocia will take you through a fascinating history and magnificent natural landscapes. When planning your trip to the region, you cannot miss four fantastic places: Göreme, Uchisar, Urgup and Ortahisar.

Any of these towns are good places to stay in Cappadocia. If you have doubts about which one to choose, I will tell you a little about each town and what you can do in each one.

At the end of this post you will find a map of Cappadocia in which I have marked the towns where I recommend staying, places to see in the region and hotel recommendations in Cappadocia. I hope it is very useful for you to plan your trip to Turkey.

🚗 Do you need a car for your stay in Cappadocia? I recommend checking Discover Cars out since it has the best deals!

1. Göreme, best town to stay in Cappadocia

Check hotels in Göreme

Without a doubt, Göreme is the best place to stay in Cappadocia, as it preserves the charm and tranquility of a small town, as well as having a large selection of cave hotels, which vary in price. It also has come nightlife. On the other hand, Göreme is the best place to see the well-known sunrises of Cappadocia with the sky full of balloons.

This peaceful village is located in the province of Nevşehir, 12 km from Nevşehir city. This town’s main tourist attraction, and perhaps the entire Cappadocia region, is Göreme National Park, one of the main places to visit in Cappadocia, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

Cappadocia was once an important Byzantine settlement, and is known for its impressive cave churches and chapels, dating from the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries. The churches were dedicated to the most important saints in Cappadocia.

In addition, in Göreme you can visit the Rose Valley (Güllüdere Vadısı), a place where you can appreciate some of the most spectacular views of the fairy chimneys and visit other Christian temples, not as famous as those found in the National Park, but equally impressive. You will also find the Göreme Open Air Museum.

donde alojarse en capadocia — Our hotel in Cappadocia

🏥 Remember that it is always very important to travel with the best travel insurance to Turkey, since you never know if there will be any inconvenience. Without adding much money to the final budget, you can go with the peace of mind that if something happens to you, all your expenses will be covered, in addition to having a team of people to help you. I always use and recommend the company Heymondo, where I can offer you a 5% discount on your next travel insurance policy.

Best hotels in Cappadocia: Göreme

We stayed at Koza Cave Hotel, a cave hotel in Cappadocia, specifically in Göreme. It has a beautiful terrace where you can watch the sunrise with balloons or the sunset. The hotel has a cozy vibe and the staff was very friendly, always willing to help with anything. The room was spacious and very nice too.

Now it’s quite a trendy hotel and the prices have gone up a bit, but it’s worth it as it’s one of the nicest hotels to stay in Cappadocia.

On our second visit to this region, we stayed at the Heybe Hotel & Spa, also located in Göreme. We had a very pleasant stay. The room was spacious and very cozy. Also, the breakfast was very delicious. It also had a nice spa. I recommend it!

2. Uçhisar, one of the best places to stay in Cappadocia

Check hotels in Üçhisar

Uçhisar is a village located at the highest point of Cappadocia, 5 km from Göreme. Although you can also find beautiful examples of buildings carved in stone, the main tourist attraction is the Uchisar Castle.

From the castle you can enjoy a great view of Cappadocia, including Mount Erciyes, the highest mountain in the central part of the Anatolian Peninsula. Around Uchisar you can take pleasant walks through the White Valley (Bağlıdere Vadısı) and Pigeon Valley(Güvercinlik Vadısı).

Best hotels in Uchisar

3. Ürgup, where to stay in Cappadocia if you seek luxury

Check hotels in Ürgup

This city, located 20 km east of the city of Nevşehir, was once occupied by a Greek settlement until 1923, the year in which the Turkish government expelled said settlement. For this reason, the architecture of Urgup combines traditional cave structures like other cities in Cappadocia with elegant Greek houses of the early 20th century, giving the city a unique contrast.

In addition, its busy life and the luxurious boutique hotels in Urgup make it a reference point to explore Göreme Valley. Staying in Urgup is a great option if you prefer a luxury hotel.

Where to stay in Cappadocia: Urgup

$: Urgup Konak Hotel, Elif Stone House.
$$: The Cappadocia Hotel.
$$$: Dere Suites Cappadocia, SOTA Cappadocia.
$$$$: Sacred House.

4. Ortahisar and its incredible castle

where to sleep in cappadocia — Ortahisar, Turquía

Check hotels in Ortahisar

This small town, located east of Nevşehir, is a representation of the lifestyle of ancient Cappadocia, as it preserves the agricultural spirit of the region.

You will find beautiful cobbled streets flanked by old houses immersed in stone, as well as fragrant citrus shops, hidden among its streets. In addition, you can enjoy impressive views of the Ortahisar Castle, an 18-meter-high rocky monument that stands in the middle of town and was used as a fortress in Byzantine times.

Although in Ortahisar you will find fantastic cave hotels, the price range can be a bit high, therefore I recommend staying in Göreme if you want to find hotels at a great price.

Best hotels in Cappadocia: Ortahisar

$$: Hezen Cave Hotel (cave hotel in Cappadocia).
$$$: Elika Cave Suites.

As you’ve seen, Cappadocia is a fantastic region full of many tourist attractions and a variety of hotel offers. Göreme, Uçhisar, Urgup and Orthaisar are the best towns to stay in Cappadocia.

However, Göreme is the preferred option for most travelers as it has excellent value-for-money hotel options and it is close to many attractions in the region. Plus, there are many shops and restaurants there!

Map of best areas to stay in Cappadocia

I have designed this map to help you choose your hotel in Cappadocia.

You will see the main towns to stay in Cappadocia in orange; he different hotels I recommend (with their respective links to Booking) in red; the places to visit in Cappadocia in blu; and, finally, the places to see the sunrise or sunset in yellow.

If you are visiting more ares, do not miss my Turkey travel guide!

I hope this post about where to stay in Cappadocia has been informative and very useful to you in planning your trip to this area of Turkey. If you have any questions, I encourage you to leave a comment or email me. Until next time, travelers!