Cappadocia's Hidden Second City

Travel Onion · 2:17

Every morning, 100+ hot-air balloons rise over Cappadocia, Turkey — but the most astonishing part is underground. People here carved entire cities up to 18 levels deep, like Derinkuyu, which could shelter around 20,000 people with kitchens, stables, wine presses, and a church, sealed by giant rolling stone doors. Save this for your list. Follow for more places worth the trip. 📍 PLAN YOUR VISIT — CAPPADOCIA ✈️ Getting there: fly to Nevşehir (NAV) or Kayseri (ASR) — ~1h from Istanbul — then ~40 min to Göreme 📅 Best time: April–June or September–October (clearest skies for the balloons) 🎯 Don't miss: Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı underground city · Göreme Open-Air Museum (frescoed cave churches) · a sunrise balloon flight · a night in a cave hotel