Best areas 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.
1. Göreme, best town to stay in Cappadocia
↠ Search for 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, 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.
BEST HOTELS IN CAPPADOCIA: GÖREME
– Low budget: Guven Cave Hotel, Whisper Cave House.
– Average budget: Antique Terrace Suites, Elite Stone House.
– High budget: Vista Cave Hotel, Koza Cave Hotel.
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.
2. Uçhisar, beautiful town in Cappadocia
↠ Search for hotels in Uchisar.
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
– Low budget: Uchisar Cave Pansion.
– Average budget: Helike Cave Hotel.
– High budget: Ansia Hotel, Rox Cappadocia.
– Luxury budget: Taskonaklar, Museum Hotel.
3. Ürgup, where to stay in Cappadocia if you seek luxury
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
– Low budget: Urgup Konak Hotel, Elif Stone House.
– Average budget: The Cappadocia Hotel.
– High budget: Dere Suites Cappadocia, SOTA Cappadocia.
– Luxury budget: Sacred House.
4. Ortahisar and its incredible castle
↠ Search for 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
– Average budget: Hezen Cave Hotel (cave hotel in cappadocia).
– High budget: 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.
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!
Photo of Uchisar: by Anita363 on Foter.com / CC BY-NC
Photo of Ortahisar: by Arian Zwegers on Foter.com / CC BY
