Kaymakli Underground City

A Tuff Carved Underground City Of Narrow Passages And Low Tunnels With Stables, Kitchens, Wine Cellars, Ventilation Shafts And Rolling Stone Doors, Open To Visitors On Four Of Its Eight Levels. A Tighter And Often Quieter Alternative To The Nearby Derinkuyu, Popular With Small Tour Groups · Kaymakli, Nevsehir

Kaymakli Underground City lies beneath the village of Kaymakli, about 20 km south of Nevsehir on the road to Nigde, in the middle of Cappadocia. Its tunnels were dug by hand into soft volcanic tuff, in a region where communities needed a place to hide from raiders, and the city is often dated to the Byzantine centuries, though earlier digging is possible (confirm). Of roughly eight levels, four are open to visitors, and they show how a whole community could live below ground: stables near the entrance, kitchens blackened by smoke, storage rooms and wine presses, a small church, ventilation shafts, and big round stone doors that could be rolled across a passage from inside. The tunnels are narrow and low, so the visit is a close, cool and slightly stooped walk along marked arrows. It is smaller and tighter than the better-known Derinkuyu, and usually less crowded. Plan an hour, wear flat shoes with grip, and expect tour groups in late morning.

Kaymakli Underground City, in the village of Kaymakli about 20 km south of Nevsehir on the road to Nigde, in central Cappadocia; coordinates approximate, Kaymakli, Nevsehir, Turkiye

Open daily all year, usually from about 08:00 or 08:30 to 17:00 in winter and to 18:00 or 19:00 in summer, with the last entry about 30 to 45 minutes before closing - confirm, as the hours change by season. The site is a state museum, so ticket offices close on a fixed schedule even if the tunnels are quiet. Late morning is the busiest time because of tour buses from Goreme and Urgup. A national museum pass may cover entry (confirm). On public holidays, including the religious holidays, expect long queues and shorter hours.

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