Cavusin is a small, cute town in Cappadocia, often passed by tourists. There aren’t many accommodations or restaurants here. But in the center of the city lies something truly remarkable. A beautiful castle carved into a mountain. The castle and houses surrounding it are also called the old village. The whole site was inhabited until 1950s, when locals were forced to abandoned their homes, due to falling rocks and danger that came with it. Today the insides of the dwellings are exposed to natural erosions such as rain and wind. The ceilings collapsed, leaving boulders and holes on the ground. You can however climb up to top of the village through a small path. The views from the top are breathtaking. On a clear day you can see the Red Valley on one side and Uchisar Castle on the other. 

Getting to Cavusin

You can get to the Cavusin by walk from Goreme. It’s 2.5km away. Alternatively a taxi or hitchhiking are also options.

We decided to visit Cavusin Castle on our way back from Zelve Open Air Museum and Fairy Chimneys through the beautiful Cavusin Valley. Thanks to this we walked across and arrived at the edge of the city. From Fairy Chimneys it took only about 45 min easy walk.

↬ Read : Zelve Open Air Museum and Fairy Chimneys.

Cavusin Valley

The valley leads through beautiful path and passes many impressive rock pillars. There are many dwellings and carvings visible on the mountains on the side. Walking all the way from Fairy Chimneys was a great way to cut the road and a fun adventure.

At the end of the valley, the path arrives directly at the Cavusin Church. It’s a beautiful site to visit. However ,during the time of our visit the church was closed for renovation.

↬ TIP : Cavusin is a great starting point for visiting the famous Rose & Red Valleys. Read our guide not to get fooled by false signs on the trail!

↬ Read : Detailed Guide of Rose & Red Valley Hike in Cappadocia

Cavusin Castle/Old Village

After the Cavusin Valley, we crossed the city and made our way to the spectacular Cavusin Castle. This whole infrastructure carved into the mountain has collapsed partially, since it was abandoned in 1950′. We looked up and saw people all the way on the top, and so we decided to climb up as well.

Walk along the Castle, passing few vendors on both sides. Just after few meters in between of the stalls you will see broken steps leading up. Take this way and make your way up carefully. At one point we had to pull ourselves up and pass by some holes in the ground. Make sure to pay attention to where you step, as the path is slippery with small rocks.

Passing through the site, we actually noticed that some of the old houses are still inhabited. They didn’t have doors for example, but we saw couches, beds, kitchen and normal living spaces. It’s crazy to think that people still live there. Especially that the danger of collapse is so high.

After reaching the top, we sat the the edge and admired the view. Unluckily, the weather was a bit cloudy that day so we couldn’t see that far. Nevertheless, the view was still very impressive.

↬ TIP : If you pass by Cavusin for lunch or dinner, we highly recommend eating at Seyyah Han restaurant in Cavusin