Cappadocia is a natural base for deeper explorations of central Anatolia. The Ihlara Valley and Derinkuyu underground city are half-day trips easily combined into a full day. Hacıbektaş, the Bektashi pilgrimage town with its handsome Ottoman complex, lies about 45 km northwest and is rarely crowded.
Kayseri, 75 km east, has Seljuk monuments worth a morning visit — the Döner Kümbet tomb and the covered bazaar are both excellent. The route west toward Denizli and Pamukkale is a classic overland connection, usually done with an overnight stop. Ephesus, near Selçuk on the Aegean coast, is too far for a single day but is the natural next stop on any circuit of western Turkey.
