It turns out that Turkey is not such an easy country with its beaches and hotels, where the all-inclusive system operates. There are two underground cities in Cappadocia: Derinkuyu and Kaymakli.
Derinkuyu has not been completely excavated by archaeologists, only a few upper floors are open for visiting, so we will focus our attention primarily on Kaymakli. By the way, it is in the open spaces of Kaymakli that a tunnel was formed, which leads to the city of Derinkuyu.
Unfortunately, there is no airport here, so you will have to fly to the town of Nevsehir, and then change to a bus that will take you directly to the underground city. Adventure lovers are encouraged to reach this place along the Nigde - Nevsehir highway.
Alas, there is not a rich selection of hotels and inns. A couple of years earlier, everyone stayed in Nevsehir or Goreme, but now a five-star hotel with affordable prices has been built a 5-minute walk from Kaymakli. Please note that you will need to book in advance.
There are also no restaurants near Kaymakli, but there are several small cafes where you can taste Turkish cuisine.
The underground city of Kaymakli welcomes its guests all year round. Visiting time starts from 8 am to 5 pm. You can safely explore the underground corridors on your own, but it is much better to use the services of a guide. First, you can learn a lot of interesting things about all these corridors and tunnels. Secondly, the chance that you get lost will be zero. Thirdly, traveling in Kaymakli alone or with a small company will be a little uncomfortable.
In these caves Christians were hiding from the raids of the Arabs. Kaymakli could accommodate 15,000 people. Kaymakli includes 8 floors, in which were previously located stables, a warehouse, a confessional, a cellar, as well as the rooms themselves for people. The passages of the cave are rather narrow and the ceilings are low, so getting around them can be difficult.
From Kaymakli, there is a 9 km long tunnel leading to another underground city - Derinkuyu.
Derinkuyu is an underground city, you can also get there by bus from Nevsehir or from Aksaray. Also, some companies offer excursion tours to this underground city.
Fortunately, there are several hotels near Derinkuyu, and also, not far from the entrance to the cave, there are a couple of cozy restaurants.
Historians unanimously say that this city was built before our era, and was used by people until the 13th century. Then, for some time, this city was "forgotten" and in the mid-90s it was found by modern archaeologists. There are 13 floors in Derinkuyu, but only a few are open for free visits. These cave tunnels could hold up to 20,000 people and were provided with various amenities in the form of dining rooms, chapels, warehouses and wineries. It is highly discouraged to refuse a guide. It is not difficult for people who are here for the first time to go astray. The lower the floor, the more you will come across different tunnels that will intertwine with each other, posing a danger to a person who does not know the road.
Basically, pack your bags and go explore two ancient underground cities!
