Avanos

14 Photos

3 Reviews | Add review

Address: Cappadocia, Turkey

ATTRACTION Keywords:
Cultural Experience, Good Place to Shop, Popular with Locals, Tip - What to See & Do, Town / City

1:16 AM Sunday, May 26
Clear. Refreshingly cool.
7 day forecast

The small town of Avanos in Cappadocia is famous for its distinctive red earthenware pottery, which has shaped its reputation since the days of the Hittities in the Bronze Age.

Situated on the banks of the longest river in Turkey, the Kızılırmak (Red River), the lovely old town overlooks the red silt of the river which has been both the lifeblood and the destiny of Avanos. Small pottery workshops still cluster in the narrow streets of the old town and here you can learn how to throw a pot and buy the local ceramics. There are also larger warehouses on the outskirts of town.

Avanos is also a great base for exploring the rest of Cappadocia: the fairy chimneys at Zelve, the underground cities of Ozkonak, Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, and the rock churches with their Byzantine frescoes in the Göreme National Park.

From Avanos you can also go hot air ballooning, walking, biking, canoeing, horse-riding and rafting, all within the spectacularly-eroded volcanic landscapes that make up the cliffs and valleys of Cappadocia.

Latest Reviews

Add review

All Avanos Reviews

Review by Blanca, United Kingdom, September 2012
Doing what: 2-Day Cappadocia Trip from Kayseri

I really enjoyed this trip, it was absolutely amazing! Our guide was great, he was very knowledgeable and at the same time very nice and entertaining. After Istanbul, we loved being out in the nature and doing an easy hike in the Rose Valley. The natural formations we saw on this trip were absolutely amazing! We loved the fairy chimneys, the underground cities and the Goreme open air museum. Also really enjoyed being in a small group. I would definitely recommend this tour!

Report problem

Review by Paul C, USA, September 2012
Doing what: 2-Day Cappadocia Trip from Kayseri

Amazing!!! Mother nature was hard at work in this part of the world!! Tour guide was excellent and everything was seamless. DEFINTELY TAKE A HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE!!!! Phenominal experience!

Report problem

Review by Blanca G, Spain, August 2012
Doing what: 2-Day Cappadocia Trip from Kayseri

I have to admit I was not really sure what to expect of this tour. We hired a 2 day tour to see the main highlights of Cappadocia, of which I was mostly looking forward to the fairy chimneys. We landed from Istanbul the morning the tour began, and kicked off the day with a easy hike along the Rose Valley. After spending a few days in all the hustle and bustle of Istanbul I was so grateful to find a bit of quiet, admire the rock formations and listen to our guide explaining how the area originated and enjoy a quick stop for tea. Lunch involved a typical place in Avanos, overlooking the river. After refuelling we were taken to see one of the Christian underground cities in the area. It was amazing how much they had excavated into the rock and being able to explore it. On the second day we visited the Goreme Open Air museum. Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained quite a few of the buildings and the frescos in the churches built by the Christians. This was just as beautiful as the fairy chimneys we went to see in the afternoon before finishing our visit. All in all, I greatly recommend this tour. When we went (early june) there were a few tour buses but felt quite laid back, and the group we were in was small and the guide very friendly. I wish I could have stayed one or two days more to relax a bit and enjoy the area, but I think I got a good overall impression.

Report problem

Explore map