Things to do in Kayseri

Kayseri is a working city of over a million people at the foot of Mount Erciyes, roughly 1 h 15 from Göreme, and most visitors meet it first through Kayseri Airport (ASR), the region's best-connected gateway with regular domestic and international routes.

The old town centres on a black basalt citadel dating to the 6th century, still ringed by its original walls, and the Kapalıçarşı covered bazaar next to it, where stalls sell pastırma (air-dried, spice-crusted beef) and sucuk (garlic sausage) rather than souvenirs aimed at day-trippers. Unlike Nevşehir or Niğde, Kayseri functions as a genuine regional capital, with its own museums, a functioning tram network and a skyline of modern apartment blocks around the historic core.

Mount Erciyes and the Kültepe archaeological site both make feasible excursions from here, each with a distinct visit of its own. Kayseri suits travellers flying in or out via ASR, or anyone wanting a city stop that breaks up several days on the cave-hotel plateau.