Underground wonders: exploring Derinkuyu

I'm sitting in a small café in Göreme, warming my hands around a cup of apple tea after spending the morning exploring one of Cappadocia's most fascinating features - the underground city of Derinkuyu.

After yesterday's magical balloon ride, I wasn't sure anything could compare. But Cappadocia seems determined to keep surprising me.

I arrived at Derinkuyu at 9:50 this morning, just before the 10:00 opening time. The site wasn't crowded yet, which turned out to be a blessing given the narrow passageways awaiting below. My guide, Elif, met me at the entrance with a friendly smile and a flashlight.

"Ready to go eight levels underground?" she asked.

I nodded, trying to hide my slight nervousness about the enclosed spaces ahead.

The descent began innocently enough - a gentle slope leading downward. But soon we were navigating through increasingly narrow tunnels, some requiring me to duck significantly. Elif explained that the lower ceilings weren't just poor design - they were defensive features, forcing potential invaders to bend down, making them vulnerable to defenders.

"This entire underground city could house up to 20,000 people," Elif told me as we passed what appeared to be ancient storerooms. "It has everything - living quarters, stables, churches, wine presses, storage rooms, even schools."

What struck me most was the ventilation system. Despite being up to 85 meters deep, fresh air circulated throughout the complex thanks to cleverly designed air shafts. The engineering precision required to create this 1,500 years ago is mind-boggling.

At the lowest accessible level, Elif pointed out the massive stone doors - circular slabs that could be rolled into place to seal off sections of the city during attacks. Each weighed around 500 kilograms but was perfectly balanced to be operated by a single person from the inside.

"People could live down here for months if necessary," she explained. "They had water from wells, food storage, and complete protection from the outside world."

I tried to imagine what life would be like, sheltering underground for weeks or months at a time. The cool, dim environment felt otherworldly after just a couple of hours. The temperature stays around 13°C year-round - a natural refrigeration system that protected food supplies but must have made for a chilly existence.

One of the most fascinating aspects was seeing how the inhabitants solved everyday problems. Communal areas for cooking. Small niches carved as sleeping quarters. Even primitive toilets. It was a complete subterranean society.

As we climbed back toward the surface, I felt a new appreciation for open skies and fresh air. The cloudy day that greeted me (current temperature around 7°C according to Elif) felt bright and expansive after the underground journey.

The contrast between yesterday's experience - floating high above the landscape - and today's exploration deep beneath it couldn't be more striking. Cappadocia reveals itself in layers, from hundreds of meters in the air to dozens of meters below ground.

After thanking Elif for the tour, I caught a minibus back to Göreme, arriving around 13:30. Now I'm contemplating how to spend the rest of the afternoon. The clouds seem determined to stay, making it less ideal for hiking and photography than I'd hoped. Perhaps I'll visit the Göreme Open Air Museum again, this time with fewer crowds than yesterday. Or maybe explore some of the shops in town - I spotted a pottery studio yesterday that looked interesting.

I've been in Cappadocia for just over two days now, and I already feel a connection to this strange, beautiful place. There's something about the landscape that feels both alien and somehow familiar, as if from a half-remembered dream.

Day 167 of my journey, and I'm finding that the most meaningful experiences often come from exploring extremes - whether that's floating high above the earth or venturing deep below it.

Posted from Göreme, Cappadocia at 14:10 local time