Nature

Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

#7of 9 places to visit in GöremeGöreme, Nevşehir Province, Turkey

Also known as Pasabag · Keşişler Vadisi · Paşabağı

Quick answer

Opening hours: 08:00–17:00. Entry: €12 for foreign visitors. Allow 45 min. Best time: 08:00 – 09:30.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Feridun F. Alkaya / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Opening hours: 08:00–17:00; Summer (April-October) hours are 08:00-19:00. Winter (November-March) hours are 08:00-17:00. Sources give slightly different dates, so verify at the official site or entrance.
Entry fee: €12; For foreign visitors
Time needed: 45 min
Best time of day: 08:00 – 09:30
Best months: Apr – Jun, Sep – Oct
Address: Paşabağ Vadisi, Zelve yolu, 50500 Avanos, Nevşehir

About Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

Paşabağ (Monks Valley) charges about €12 for foreign visitors as of 2026, and the ticket is reported to be shared with Zelve Open Air Museum. Multi-headed fairy chimneys stand on the valley floor, some with two or three caps balanced on one stem, and visitors walk between them on short dirt paths. Restaurants, cafés and souvenir stalls sit at the entrance. A visit takes 30 to 45 minutes. Paşabağ sits just off the road between Zelve and Çavuşin, and Devrent Valley lies about 1 km further along, so the three are usually visited together by car.

Best time of day: 08:00 – 09:30. When the site is quiet and morning light falls on the chimney caps.

Paşabağ (Monks Valley) timings

Paşabağ (Monks Valley) opens at 08:00 and closes at 17:00. It keeps the same hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Opening hours: 08:00–17:00; Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00; Summer (April-October) hours are 08:00-19:00. Winter (November-March) hours are 08:00-17:00. Sources give slightly different dates, so verify at the official site or entrance.
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	08:00–17:00

Good to know: Summer and winter hours differ; verify at the official site or entrance as sources give slightly different dates.

Opening hours compiled from muze.gov.tr and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Paşabağ (Monks Valley) ticket price

Entry fees for Paşabağ (Monks Valley)
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket (foreign visitors)	€12
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

As of 2026, guides quote €12 for foreign visitors, and the official fee schedule says a single Zelve ticket covers two sites; multiple guides state that the Zelve ticket includes Paşabağ. One secondary source claimed Paşabağ is free, which conflicts with 2026 sources, so verify at the entrance. Museum Card holders are reported to enter with the card. A child rate was not verified, so the child field of 0 means unconfirmed.

Prices compiled from muze.gov.tr and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

Quiet
Moderate
Busy
Very busy

08:00 – 09:30
Opening WindowBest time to go
Quiet paths and clear views of the multi-cap chimneys in morning light.
Quiet
10:00 – 13:30
Tour Group Wave
Day tours stop here for 20–30 minutes, so photo spots by the biggest chimneys become crowded.
Very busy
13:30 – 16:30
Afternoon Plateau
Steady traffic from tours and independent visitors; strong summer sun with little shade.
Busy
16:30 – closing
Late Window
Fewer groups and softer light before closing at 19:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter.
Moderate

History of Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

Paşabağ (Monks Valley) takes its name from the monks who are said to have lived in rock cells carved into its chimneys, and the site is associated with Byzantine-era monastic use. Some chimneys contain carved rooms and chapels; a small cell attributed to Saint Simeon is usually pointed out, though visitors should treat that identification as tradition, not a documented fact.

Paşabağ's formations come from erosion of volcanic tuff, where harder cap rock protects the softer stone underneath. Paşabağ lies beside Zelve, and both belong to the rock-site landscape that UNESCO inscribed in 1985. Exact dates for individual cells and chapels are not verified.

Paşabağ's multi-cap chimneys are the reason for the site's fame: erosion left a resistant cap on each stem, and in places two or three stems share one base, giving the mushroom outlines seen in guidebooks. Sources agree that cells inside some chimneys were carved for hermits or monks, but they do not give firm dates.

Rules & etiquette at Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

Paşabağ (Monks Valley) requires a valid ticket, and visitors should confirm whether the Zelve ticket bought earlier the same day is accepted. Do not climb the fairy chimneys, lean on the stems or carve into the tuff, as the stone is soft and erodes easily. Follow barriers around unstable formations.

Paths are dirt and can be dusty or slippery after rain, so closed shoes are advisable. Photography is welcome, and no formal dress code applies outdoors, but modest clothing is courteous if you enter any chapel or cell. Tour groups often arrive together, so wait for a gap before posing at the multi-cap chimneys.

Tips for visiting Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

1
Paşabağ (Monks Valley) works well as a stop after Zelve because of the shared ticket, and Devrent Valley lies about 1 km further along the road. A car or taxi is the practical way to link the three, since local minibuses are infrequent.
2
Arrive before the mid-morning coach groups to photograph the multi-cap chimneys without crowds. Restaurants and cafés sit at the entrance if you need a break. Keep your Zelve ticket and ask at the booth how the shared entry works on your day; the arrangement has been reported differently by different sources. Allow 30 to 45 minutes on site, then continue to Devrent Valley or return to Zelve to use the rest of the shared ticket.

How to reach Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

The red star is Paşabağ (Monks Valley); the numbered pins are the 4 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Paşabağ Vadisi, Zelve yolu, 50500 Avanos, NevşehirDirections in Google Maps

From Göreme town
10 km · 15–20 min
Taxi fares are negotiated; as of 2026, verify current rate with the driver
From Avanos
7 km · 10–15 min
Municipal minibus fare; as of 2026, verify current rate at the stop
From Zelve Open Air Museum
1.5 km · 5 min by car; 20 min on foot
Free on foot

Nearest airport

From Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV), roughly 40 km; Kayseri Erkilet (ASR) roughly 80 km.

Nearest station

From No railway. Avanos bus terminal is roughly 7 km; Zelve Open Air Museum is next door.

Paşabağ (Monks Valley) FAQs

Is Paşabağ free?

No, most 2026 sources report about €12 for foreign visitors. One source claims it is free, and the entry is reported to be shared with the Zelve ticket, so verify at the entrance.

Is Paşabağ included in the Zelve ticket?

Yes, according to several 2026 guides and the official note that a single ticket covers two sites. Verify at the booth on the day.

How long does Paşabağ take?

About 30 to 45 minutes. The site is compact, with short dirt paths between the chimneys.

Why is it called Monks Valley?

The name comes from monks said to have lived in cells cut into the chimneys during the Byzantine era. Attribution of specific cells to named saints is tradition, not documented fact.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places