Avanos region of Cappadocia is a region where handicrafts such as pottery and carpet making are developed. Avanos has become one of the most important touristic regions of Cappadocia with its unique fairy chimneys, valleys and churches dating from the 11th century. We share below the attractions for you in Avanos, which you can visit on average in 1 day.

If you don’t see these places by the way, your trip will be incomplete. Now let’s look at the details. :)

One of the most famous spots in Avanos is the pottery workshop. The red soil gets into different forms in skillful hands. The profession of pottery dating back to the Hittites passed from generation to generation and passed from craftsmen to apprentices. We shouldn’t think of just shaping the soil. We shouldn’t think of just shaping the soil. The paintings and hand work done on the fired soil can be really admired.

There are 2 units famous pottery workshop in Avanos:

One of them is Chez Galip and, in a kind of funny way, you may compare himself to Einstein. He is a very famous artist and gives training to participants from domestic and abroad. One of his students can shape the land in front of you in a maximum of 3 minutes and then you start to visit his own store. After the first part, you can see the other part where the works of Chez Galip and his family are exhibited. Here is, unfortunately, photo shooting is forbidden. If you want you can buy from his works that you liked.

One of the other pottery workshops is Güray Müze. By paying 10 TL per capita entrance fee, you can enter the first underground ceramic museum. The museum exhibits nearly 500 works dating back to 5000 BC. You will also have the opportunity to watch and buy live artworks from the hands of masters interested in marbling and glass art.

Another important feature of the museum is to be carved from the rock and covers an area of 1,600 square meters underground. At the end of the museum there is a workshop area. Here, again, you can watch as live how the soil is shaped and you can find a wide array of souvenirs that made from the pot.

The Hair Museum is located on the top floor of Chez Galip’s shop in the Pottery Bazaar (Comlekciler Carsisi) in the center of Avanos. You can visit this museum with an entrance fee of 3 TL. It contains a bunch of women’s hair that has been accumulated over the years.

The Museum of Hair, which entered the list of the most interesting museums in the world, was opened in 1979 and has a story: a love story. When a French tourist woman who came to the workshop of the potter Galip Körükçü had to return to her country. And, as a memory, she left a tuft of hair to the workshop of Galip to remind her. Galip hung it on the wall of the workshop. A long time afterwards, this story grows and this places becomes a museum thanks to the all of the hairs of those tourists that visit the Galip Usta.

Another name of this valley where the famous camel-shaped fairy chimney is Hayal Valley (Valley of Dream). Here you will see many different fairy chimney formations. You will compare some with dolphins and some with birds. You will see figures resembling the Virgin Mary with her opened hands or reminiscent of baby Jesus. Actually, it’s all up to your imagination. That’s why, as visitors do, this place is called Valley of Dream.

The camel-shaped fairy chimney is protected. You can take a photo of this place remotely. There is no charge to enter the valley. The buses will stop at the side of the road and take you down. You can also walk in the valley if you want. If you are not going to walk for this place, spending just half an hour will be enough for you. Unlike the other valleys, there was no settlement in this valley. That’s why there is no house-shaped fairy chimney here.

Zelve Outdoor Museum, which is located 5-6 km south of Avanos, can be reached after the Devrent Valley. The entrance fee to the museum is 15 TL for adults and the museum card is also available here. Museum card would be advantageous for you. If you are driving to Zelve with your private car, you can pick up your car to the car park that located in front of the museum.

With its partly climbing and graded ways, Zelve Valley, will bring together you with the history. It can be a bit tiring and time consuming track for you. With approximately 3 hour time tour, you can see the mosque that located in the valley, Üzümlü and Balıklı Churches, Degirmen, Direkli Church, Tunnel, Holy Pilgrimage Church and Monastery. From time to time, all places may not be opened however these are the places you need to target. Below you can see a photo from us that summarizing this amazing beauty. :)

Capped Fairy Chimneys, also known as the name of the Valley of the Monks, is also known as “Pasabag”. You will also feel as you pass by, this place will be different for you. In ancient times, monks had retreated to this valley. There is free parking right in front of the valley, pull your car there and start hiking in the valley. Entrance to the valley is also free. There are specially-made roads that you can easily walk inside.

If you wonder why these fairy chimneys are in a fascinatingly hat form, we can say that these fairy chimneys wear out quickly because the lower layers are softer. As wear occurs the hat form emerges. All that remains for us is to look admiringly.

If Avanos is over, now it is time to explore the Ürgüp. For our Ürgüp travel notes, you can read our “Urgup Travel Guide“.