Best Underground Cities in Cappadocia: Which One Should You Choose?

Cappadocia has dozens of underground settlements, but most first-time visitors do not need to turn them into a collection.

For most trips, one underground city is enough.

The real question is not how many you can fit into your itinerary. It is which one makes the most sense for your route, comfort level and available time.

For most first-time visitors, the choice comes down to Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu. Kaymaklı is usually the easier introduction, while Derinkuyu feels deeper, more vertical and more dramatic. But those are not your only options.

Özkonak works particularly well if you are already exploring around Avanos. Mazı is a useful alternative south of Ürgüp. Tatlarin is much less famous and suits travellers who deliberately want something outside the standard first-trip route.

If you only want the short answer:

Choose Kaymaklı for the easiest first underground-city experience.

Choose Derinkuyu if depth and atmosphere matter more than comfort.

Choose Özkonak if it fits naturally into an Avanos-based route.

Choose Mazı if you are exploring south of Ürgüp and want a quieter alternative.

Choose Tatlarin if underground architecture is a particular interest and you are willing to go well beyond the standard itinerary.

Best Underground Cities in Cappadocia at a Glance

Underground city	Best for	What stands out	My verdict
Kaymaklı	First-time visitors	Wider layout, four visitable levels, relatively manageable route	Best overall first choice
Derinkuyu	Travellers wanting the most dramatic experience	About 85 m deep, strong vertical feeling, narrow passages	Best for depth and atmosphere
Özkonak	Avanos itineraries	Around 14 km from Avanos, unusual communication holes and defensive features	Best alternative near Avanos
Mazı	Ürgüp-area road trips	Around 18 km south of Ürgüp, multiple entrances and quieter setting	Good route-based alternative
Tatlarin	Repeat visitors and archaeology-focused trips	Large spaces, churches, storage areas and an unusual ancient toilet	Interesting, but not essential on a first trip

Do You Really Need to Visit More Than One Underground City?

Usually, no.

Kaymaklı, Derinkuyu and the other underground cities are not identical, but the basic experience overlaps: descending through carved rooms, narrow connecting passages, storage areas, ventilation systems and spaces designed for life below ground.

That means the second underground city often gives you less contrast than another completely different Cappadocia experience.

On a short first trip, I would rather combine one underground city with:

• Göreme Open-Air Museum
• Ihlara Valley
• a proper valley hike
• Avanos
• Uçhisar
• Paşabağ or Zelve

rather than spending a large part of the trip comparing similar subterranean spaces.

Visiting two starts to make more sense if underground architecture or archaeology is one of your main interests, you have four or five days, or the second city fits naturally into a route you are already driving.

If your decision is specifically between the two famous options, use my full Kaymaklı vs Derinkuyu comparison.

1. Kaymaklı Underground City: Best Overall for a First Visit

If somebody asked me to recommend one Cappadocia underground city without giving me any other information, I would usually say Kaymaklı.

The underground complex has eight known levels, with four currently open to visitors.

Inside, you move through narrow corridors connecting rooms, storage spaces, kitchens, wine areas, ventilation shafts and other spaces carved into the rock.

It still feels very much like an underground city, but compared with Derinkuyu, the experience is generally less dominated by a long descent into the earth.

That distinction matters.

If you are not sure how you will react to confined spaces, low ceilings or underground stairways, Kaymaklı is often the more forgiving place to start.

Who should choose Kaymaklı?

Choose Kaymaklı if:

• this is your first underground city;
• you want the classic experience without deliberately choosing the most intense option;
• you are mildly uncomfortable in enclosed spaces;
• you are travelling with someone whose mobility or comfort underground is uncertain;
• you want to combine the visit with other southern Cappadocia stops.

I visited Kaymaklı independently during my own Cappadocia trip rather than as part of an organised tour. That also reinforced something important for me: an underground city does not need to consume an entire sightseeing day.

It works very well as one contrasting part of a broader itinerary.

2. Derinkuyu Underground City: Best for Depth and Drama

Derinkuyu is the obvious choice if what excites you most is the scale of the underground world itself.

It reaches approximately 85 metres below ground, and the visit has a stronger sense of descending vertically through a deep subterranean complex.

There are living and storage areas, stables, ventilation systems, churches and other spaces built to support large numbers of people below the surface.

The experience is impressive, but the depth is not just a statistic.

It affects how the visit feels.

You encounter narrow passages, stairs, low sections and more of the psychological sensation that you are travelling deep underground rather than simply moving through a network of rock-cut rooms.

Who should choose Derinkuyu?

Choose Derinkuyu if:

• you want the most dramatic of the famous underground cities;
• depth itself is part of the appeal;
• you are comfortable with confined spaces;
• stairs and low passages are not a significant concern;
• your southern Cappadocia itinerary already takes you towards Derinkuyu.

For some travellers, this is exactly why Derinkuyu is the better choice.

For others, it is exactly why Kaymaklı makes more sense.

Deeper does not automatically mean better.

3. Özkonak Underground City: Best Near Avanos

Özkonak gets much less attention than Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu, but geographically it can make considerably more sense for some itineraries.

It is around 14 km from Avanos, which makes it particularly useful if your day is already focused on northern Cappadocia.

Özkonak also has some structural details that distinguish it from the two better-known underground cities.

One of the most interesting features is the system of narrow communication openings between levels. There are also defensive features associated with the passageways and stone doors.

That gives Özkonak a genuine reason to exist in your itinerary beyond simply being “another underground city.”

Who should choose Özkonak?

Choose Özkonak if:

• you are staying in or spending significant time around Avanos;
• you have a car and want a route that avoids unnecessary backtracking;
• you prefer a less obvious choice;
• you are especially interested in underground defensive architecture.

If Avanos is already part of your plan, see my Avanos, Cappadocia guide before deciding how to combine the day.

For a typical first-time visitor based in Göreme, I would still put Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu first.

For an Avanos-focused itinerary, Özkonak becomes much more competitive.

4. Mazı Underground City: Best for an Ürgüp-Area Route

Mazı is another underground city I would choose because of route logic, not because I believe every visitor needs to see it.

The village lies around 18 km south of Ürgüp and around 10 km east of Kaymaklı.

Several separate entrances have been identified. Inside are stables, passageways, large stone doors and a rock-cut church, among other spaces.

Mazı is particularly useful when you already have your own transport and are exploring southern or southeastern Cappadocia.

Who should choose Mazı?

Mazı makes sense if:

• you are staying around Ürgüp;
• you have a rental car;
• you want to build your own southern Cappadocia route;
• you prefer a less standard stop than Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu.

I would not travel far out of my way to replace Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu with Mazı on a short first trip.

But if your route already passes nearby, the calculation changes completely.

This is one of the reasons I prefer choosing Cappadocia attractions geographically rather than assembling a list of individually “best” sights.

5. Tatlarin Underground City: Best for Something Less Obvious

Tatlarin is the most specialist recommendation on this list.

Only part of the underground complex has been cleared and opened, but the site is notable for its relatively large spaces, storage areas and churches.

It also contains one of its strangest archaeological details: a toilet reached through an L-shaped passage, an unusual feature among Cappadocia’s underground cities.

That alone does not make Tatlarin a must-see.

What makes it interesting is that it feels like a choice for somebody who already understands what the famous underground cities offer and wants to look at the wider underground landscape of Cappadocia.

Who should choose Tatlarin?

Choose Tatlarin if:

• you have already visited Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu;
• underground settlements are a major interest;
• you have plenty of time;
• you have your own transport and are deliberately exploring beyond the standard Cappadocia circuit.

For a two or three-day first trip, I would not prioritise it over the major sights.

Kaymaklı vs Derinkuyu: Quick Decision

If you are still stuck between the two main choices, use this:

Choose Kaymaklı if you want:

• a gentler first underground-city experience;
• a somewhat less intimidating layout;
• the classic Cappadocia underground-city experience without deliberately choosing maximum depth.

Choose Derinkuyu if you want:

• greater depth;
• a stronger vertical experience;
• the more dramatic psychological feeling of being far below ground.

Neither is universally better.

The better choice is the one that fits your comfort underground and your actual route.

Which Underground City Is Best for Claustrophobia?

If you already know that confined spaces cause significant anxiety, none of Cappadocia’s major underground cities should be treated casually.

These are real underground environments.

You should expect some combination of:

• narrow corridors;
• low ceilings;
• stairs;
• enclosed rooms;
• queues or other visitors in passages;
• sections where simply turning around immediately may not be practical.

Of the two major options, Kaymaklı is generally the one I would consider first.

That does not make it spacious or claustrophobia-proof. It simply tends to be a less intimidating choice than deliberately selecting Derinkuyu for its depth.

If your claustrophobia is severe, skipping the underground cities entirely is also a perfectly reasonable decision.

Cappadocia has enough above-ground archaeology, churches, valleys and rock-cut settlements that your trip will not somehow be incomplete.

Which Underground City Is Physically Easier?

Again, I would generally lean towards Kaymaklı.

But “easier” is relative.

You still encounter uneven surfaces, stairs, narrow passages and places where taller visitors may need to crouch.

Derinkuyu’s greater depth and vertical character make it the less obvious choice if knees, balance, mobility or repeated stairs are a concern.

Do not judge these sites by walking distance alone.

A short underground route can feel more physically demanding than a longer walk outside because of the body position, stairs and confined passages.

Which Underground City Is Best Without a Car?

This depends on whether you want to travel independently or use an organised tour.

Kaymaklı is possible to reach independently, and I did exactly that on my own trip.

But Cappadocia’s public transport is not designed as a sightseeing network. Once you start trying to connect an underground city with several distant attractions in the same day, the logistics become much less elegant.

If you are planning a car-free trip, read my Cappadocia Without a Car guide before deciding how much of southern Cappadocia to attempt independently.

For a multi-stop southern day, an organised tour starts to make much more sense.

Which Underground City Is Best with Ihlara Valley?

This is where the Green Tour becomes especially relevant.

The classic southern Cappadocia sightseeing pattern combines an underground city with Ihlara Valley and other more distant stops.

That does not mean every Green Tour follows the same itinerary.

Some operators use Kaymaklı. Others use Derinkuyu. Routes, included tickets, walking sections, lunch and additional stops can vary.

So do not book simply because an activity is labelled “Green Tour.”

Check which underground city is actually included.

If you are travelling without a car, you can compare Cappadocia tours and Green Tour options on GetYourGuide and check the exact itinerary before booking.

For the tour formats themselves, see Cappadocia Red Tour vs Green Tour.

And if Ihlara is one of the main reasons you are considering the southern route, read my Ihlara Valley Cappadocia guide before deciding how much of the canyon you actually want to walk.

Which Underground City Is Best Near Avanos?

Özkonak.

At around 14 km from Avanos, it is the obvious underground-city candidate when you want to keep a sightseeing day geographically coherent.

That does not automatically make it better than Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu as an archaeological site.

It makes it more efficient.

And that distinction matters in Cappadocia, where building an itinerary from isolated “must-see” attractions can create hours of unnecessary driving.

Which Underground City Is Best Near Ürgüp?

For a route centred on the Ürgüp area, Mazı deserves consideration.

It sits around 18 km south of Ürgüp and works particularly well for travellers with their own car who are exploring the area independently.

If this is your only chance to visit an underground city and you do not mind travelling farther, I would still compare Mazı against Kaymaklı before automatically choosing the nearest site.

How Long Do You Need at an Underground City?

For most visitors, an underground city should be treated as one significant stop rather than the entire day’s activity.

Your exact visit time depends on:

• which city you choose;
• crowds;
• whether you use a guide;
• how often you stop;
• your comfort moving through narrow passages.

Do not plan the day so tightly that every underground corridor becomes a race to the exit.

At the same time, you usually do not need to reserve half a day simply to walk through one site.

That is why an underground city combines naturally with a broader southern Cappadocia itinerary.

Should You Visit Two Underground Cities in One Day?

You can, but for most travellers there are better combinations.

After visiting one underground city, I would usually use the rest of the day for something visually and physically different:

• underground city + Ihlara Valley
• underground city + Göreme Open-Air Museum
• underground city + a valley hike
• underground city + Uçhisar

This gives you a much more varied Cappadocia day than visiting two similar subterranean complexes back to back.

MuseumPass Cappadocia and Underground Cities

If you are visiting several paid archaeological sites, check the MuseumPass Cappadocia before buying individual tickets.

The pass currently costs €65 in 2026 and is valid for three days from its first use.

Kaymaklı, Derinkuyu and Özkonak are among the included sites.

For context, individual admission to Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu is currently €13.

So buying the €65 pass purely because you want to visit one underground city does not make financial sense.

It becomes more useful when your three-day sightseeing plan also includes several other covered attractions such as major open-air museums and archaeological sites.

Prices, opening hours and included attractions can change, so check the current conditions on the Turkish Museums website shortly before your visit.

Do You Need a Guide?

No.

You can visit an underground city independently.

If your main priority is the physical experience of moving through the tunnels, rooms and underground levels, independent sightseeing is completely reasonable.

The disadvantage is that many carved spaces are not self-explanatory.

Without context, you may simply see:

“room, tunnel, room, stairs, another room.”

A knowledgeable guide can explain how spaces were used, how ventilation and defensive systems worked and why particular architectural details matter.

If you are travelling independently but decide you would like additional historical context, you may also find local guiding services available near the entrances of the busier underground cities, particularly Kaymaklı. Availability and prices can vary, so I would not rely on finding an onsite guide if having one is essential to your visit.

For most travellers, the choice is simple:

Go independently if you mainly want to experience the underground city itself.

Use a guide if understanding the architecture and historical context is a major part of why you are visiting.

What Should You Wear?

You do not need specialist equipment, but this is not the place for footwear you cannot walk securely in.

Wear comfortable shoes with reasonable grip.

Expect:

• stairs;
• stone surfaces;
• low passages;
• occasional crouching;
• cooler temperatures underground than outside.

If you are tall, assume you will need to bend in some sections.

And if you dislike confined spaces, do not wait until you are several levels underground to admit that the experience is uncomfortable.

Are Cappadocia’s Underground Cities Worth Visiting?

Yes, I think one is worth including on a first Cappadocia trip.

The reason is not simply that the sites are old or famous.

An underground city changes the rhythm of the trip.

Much of Cappadocia is about huge open landscapes: valleys, viewpoints, cliffs, fairy chimneys and wide skies.

Then you enter an underground city and suddenly the experience becomes enclosed, architectural and almost entirely about how people used the rock rather than how nature shaped it.

That contrast is what makes the visit valuable.

What I do not think most first-time visitors need is to visit underground city after underground city simply because several appear on a map.

FAQ: Best Underground Cities in Cappadocia

What is the best underground city in Cappadocia?

For most first-time visitors, Kaymaklı is the best all-round choice. Derinkuyu is better if you specifically want greater depth and a more dramatic underground experience.

Is Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu better?

Kaymaklı is usually the easier first visit. Derinkuyu is deeper and feels more intense. Choose according to your comfort underground rather than assuming the deeper site must automatically be better.

Is Derinkuyu deeper than Kaymaklı?

Yes. Derinkuyu reaches approximately 85 metres below ground and has a much stronger vertical character.

How many levels does Kaymaklı have?

Kaymaklı has eight known levels, with four currently open to visitors.

Should I visit both Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu?

Most first-time visitors do not need both. Visit two only if underground architecture is a major interest or both fit naturally into a longer itinerary.

Which underground city is best if I have claustrophobia?

Kaymaklı is generally the less intimidating of the two major choices, but it still contains narrow passages and confined spaces. Travellers with severe claustrophobia may prefer to skip underground cities entirely.

Which underground city is closest to Avanos?

Özkonak is around 14 km from Avanos and is the most logical option for an Avanos-centred route.

Which underground city is near Ürgüp?

Mazı lies around 18 km south of Ürgüp.

Is an underground city included in the Green Tour?

Usually, but there is no completely standard Green Tour itinerary. Different operators may include Kaymaklı, Derinkuyu or another underground city, so check the actual stops before booking.

Is MuseumPass Cappadocia worth it for an underground city?

Not for one underground city alone. The pass currently costs €65, while admission to Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu is €13. The pass becomes more interesting when you plan to visit several other included paid attractions during its three-day validity.

My Final Recommendation

If this is your first Cappadocia trip, keep the decision simple.

Choose Kaymaklı if you want the best all-round introduction.

Choose Derinkuyu if you specifically want depth and a more dramatic underground experience.

Choose Özkonak if you are building your day around Avanos.

Choose Mazı if it fits an independent route south of Ürgüp.

Choose Tatlarin if underground archaeology itself is one of the reasons you came to Cappadocia.

And unless this subject is a particular passion, stop after one.

You do not need to collect underground cities.

The best Cappadocia itinerary is usually the one that gives you contrast: one underground city, one major rock-cut historical site, proper time in the valleys and enough space to experience the landscape rather than constantly travelling between attractions.

Plan Your Cappadocia Trip

🎒 Tours & Experiences

If an underground city and Ihlara Valley are both priorities and you do not have a car, compare Cappadocia tours and Green Tour options on GetYourGuide.

Check the actual itinerary before booking, particularly which underground city is included.

🚗 Rent a Car

A rental car becomes especially useful if you want to visit alternatives such as Özkonak, Mazı or Tatlarin or combine several scattered sights without following an organised-tour schedule.

You can compare Cappadocia rental cars with Localrent.

Also see Do You Need a Car in Cappadocia? before deciding.

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