Where to stay

The heart of the valleys, with the most cave hotels, restaurants and tour pickups, and balloons right overhead. Busy, but the easiest first base.

A hilltop village beneath its rock castle, with smart cave hotels, Pigeon Valley views and quieter evenings.

A real small town with shops, a market and the restored Kayakapı quarter. Good for families who want everyday life around them.

A slower village around a rock fortress, recently made a Cittaslow town. Calm, local and central for the valleys.

A riverside pottery town on the Kızılırmak, with workshops, bridges and a lived-in feel; fewer fairy chimneys, more daily life.

A former Greek village of carved stone mansions and courtyards, south of Ürgüp. Quiet, characterful and good for food.

A small village below an abandoned cliff settlement, at the foot of Red and Rose valleys. Ideal for walkers.