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Nevsehir Province
Nevsehir
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Zelve Open Air Museum
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Zelve Open Air Museum

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See all things to do
Zelve Open Air Museum
4.5
616 reviews
#2 of 28 things to do in Nevsehir
Historic Sites • History Museums
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Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
188 within 3 miles
Bala Per Restaurant
193
1.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Turkish • Healthy
Sakli Konak Restaurant
87
1.2 mi$ • Turkish
Seyyah Han
1,036
1.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Turkish • Healthy • Vegetarian Friendly
Cappa Gusto
114
1.2 mi$$ - $$$ • International • Turkish • Healthy
Art Rock Restaurant
19
1.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Seafood • Mediterranean • European
Cavusin Old Turkish House
14
1.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Fruit parlours • Indigenous
Cafe Smoke Cappadocia
19
1.2 mi$$ - $$$
Cavusin Depe Restaurant
46
1.3 mi$ • Barbecue • Turkish • Grill
Akasya Cafe
10
1.2 miDessert • Turkish
Walnut Cafe
6
1.2 miTurkish
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Attractions
65 within 6 miles
Pasabag
1,044
0.6 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Geologic Formations
Fairy Chimneys
2,039
1 miGeologic Formations
Red Valley
380
1.4 miValleys
Sunset Point
509
1.4 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Lookouts
Güllüdere Vadisi
1,570
1.5 miValleys
Church Of St. John The Baptist (Vaftizci Yahya Kilisesi)
102
0.6 miReligious Sites
Goreme National Park
4,172
2.2 miHistoric Sites • Historic Walking Areas
Cappadocia Cave Dwellings
1,090
2.4 miCaverns & Caves
Camel Rock
415
1.2 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Valleys
Love Valley
658
2.4 miGeologic Formations
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
616 reviews
Excellent
453
Very good
131
Average
26
Poor
4
Terrible
2
Tal_Hameed
Toronto, Canada445 contributions
A fun place to enjoy an open air museum
Sep 2022
An incredible place with a church actually built inside of a cave and the formations are out of this world.
Written February 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Iva S
Prague, Czech Republic704 contributions
Zelve Open Air Museum
Aug 2022
26. 8. 2022 We visited on the first day of arrival in Kayseri, on the way to accommodation in Göreme. Quite a lot of people. The roads and stairs are groomed, and there are guards in the churches. You can't take pictures or film inside the churches, I still understand. But the strict ban on filming the landscape in the entire paid area, I seriously don't understand why, when there are much nicer and more interesting places in Cappadocia,freely accessible and you can film whatever you want. Otherwise - nice. I recommend. Iva+Petr Prague CZ
Written November 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kenny
Antalya, Türkiye102 contributions
Going past but feeling present
Nov 2022 • Friends
After entering, I have felt as if I were in a fairytale when I have been surrounded by those magnificent fairy chimneys which was used as a house, church, chapel or mosque. Feeling myself in past and present at the same time was a really nice experience for me and my friends.
Written November 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
AndyDuck
Nottingham40 contributions
Wheelchair access at Zelve Open Air Museum
Oct 2022 • Couples
Visited here in October 22. I'm a manual wheelchair user travelling with my able-bodied wife, and I I have decent arm strength but I'm no wheelchair pro. With no information whatsoever online about access to this place, and after leaving Göreme Open Air Museum a bit disappointed the day before (see separate review), expectations were hovering around zero... but at least my wife could have a look round. Hope this helps anyone else deciding whether to try it (tldr: you won't see a lot, but what you get is great!)

In order of doing it...

Parking: small car park but less busy than Göreme Open Air Museum and it's all fairly easy to wheel on. Drive right to the end of the road and hope there's a space... Learn the Turkish word for wheelchair and the really lovely parking attendent will I'm sure do everything they can for you. They also warned us that there isn't much to see in a wheelchair, but it's a craggy valley with cave houses so that came as no surprise.

Toilets: in good and bad ways, accessibility in Turkey never fails to surprise. How about a wheelchair accessible toilet cubicle complete with grab bars etc in both women's and men's toilets? Yours for 3tl at Zelve! Such a wonderful surprise in one of the lesser-known destinations and even if you're not visiting here, well worth putting on your list just in case. THANK YOU Zelve!!

Entrance and museum: level access to the tiny gift shop and entrance. Then you're straight onto a perfectly paved path which goes a short way (60m-ish?) up the valley. It's a tiny proportion of the whole thing (my wife spent about 45 mins exploring while I admired my small bit of the place) but it's really stunning, not overwhelmingly busy and just a real privilege to see anything at all. Simple adaptations done well, and as much as anyone could reasonably expect.

Summary: if you're happy with all the above, definitely put this on your list. You could do it in 10mins, it might be difficult to park in peak season, but on the right day if you like sitting and taking in a really stunning bit of history, it's wonderful. Göreme Open Air Museum please take note!!
Written October 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
DipuKV
Pune, India1,785 contributions
Beautiful
Oct 2022
As you move around the various parts of Zelve, you are just amazed at how human beings built such impressive structures so many years ago! Great option for trekking, views and clicks / selfies.
Written October 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Angel2707
Peterhead, UK128 contributions
Just stunning!
Sep 2022 • Couples
This place really took our breath away. Stunning area with caves churches and mosques to explore. Enjoyed this so much more than Goreme Open Air Museum. There was so much less tourists too which made it all the more enjoyable. Be prepared for lots of steps but it’s so worthwhile. This area was actually still inhabited until the 1950’s. We had lunch in a cafe just outside where the Gozleme was hand made and the best we had all holiday. We also met a lovely man whose family had stayed in Zelve and he showed us some old pictures on his phone.
Ticket bought at Pasabag gets you entry here at Zelve.
Please make the trip here as it is 100% worth it.
Written September 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
AHP2016
Silver Spring, MD133 contributions
No crowds!
Aug 2022 • Family
Unlike the Göreme open air museum, the tour buses skip this site. What is their loss is our game. Well there’s no Dark Chapel here, there are a myriad of cave rooms to explore off meandering path around a beautiful valley. This was one of my family’s favorite stars well and beautiful Cappadocia. Highly recommend it!
Written August 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Bridgette
Bognor Regis, UK226 contributions
Stunning landscape to explore
Jun 2022
Stunning landscape to explore, amazing to imagine living here, the beautiful carved rock homes, wide open views and textural planting. It can take a couple of hours to explore or more depending on how fast you walk and the variety of paths to take, lots of resting and sitting areas. It was very hot when we were here in June, so make sur eyou have water and suncream. Parking is easy, with a cafe, seating and drinks fridge nearby.
Written June 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Eileen108
Mount Shasta, CA4,203 contributions
Open-Air walk Among the Fairy Chimneys!
Apr 2022
Fun outing, we walked around for a little over an hour, climbing in a couple of caves and walking a little hill to get great views of the surrounding areas. Worth a visit!
Written June 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
AzRat
Arizona1,912 contributions
Cappadocia cave area
Oct 2021 • Friends
October 2021. Nice open air area of Cappadocia/Goreme cave housing. Appears to be primarily a residential area rather than a church collection of caves as nearby areas. Fascinating none the less. Some easy walk path but some hilly steps and scrambling. Beautiful photo opportunity and worth a visit.
Written October 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Zelve Open Air Museum (Nevsehir) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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