Türkiye’s Cappadocia region has expanded its night-time tourism offer after new lighting projects were completed at several of its best-known heritage sites. Visitors can now experience the area’s rock formations and ancient landmarks after dark as part of a wider push to develop night museum tourism.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the project covered the Göreme Open Air Museum, Paşabağları archaeological site, Zelve Open Air Museum and Erdemli Valley. He said the work used 692 lighting fixtures and a projection show to present Cappadocia’s historic and natural heritage in a new way.
In a social media post, Ersoy said the lighting was designed to combine visitor access with energy efficiency, environmental sustainability and lower light pollution. He added that the project made the region safer and more comfortable to explore after sunset.
Kapadokya’nın eşsiz doğal ve kültürel mirasını gece saatlerinde de ziyaretçilerimizle buluşturuyoruz.
Göreme Açık Hava Müzesi, Paşabağları Ören Yeri, Zelve Açık Hava Müzesi ve Erdemli Vadisi’nde hayata geçirdiğimiz yeni aydınlatma projeleriyle bölgenin karakteristik kaya… pic.twitter.com/WkZD1mI4uV
— Mehmet Nuri Ersoy (@MehmetNuriErsoy) July 7, 2026
The minister said the new lighting allowed visitors to see Cappadocia’s “unique natural and cultural heritage” at night. He said the character of the region’s rock formations had been made visible through an “aesthetic and controlled lighting design”.
Cappadocia is one of Türkiye’s most visited destinations, known for its volcanic landscape, cave churches and historic valleys. The region attracts large numbers of travellers for sunrise balloon flights, but the new project now gives tourism operators another way to extend visits into the evening.
The night-time initiative also forms part of a broader cultural tourism strategy that officials describe as a “night museum” vision. Ersoy said the project strengthened that approach by bringing together heritage protection and tourism access.
He thanked the staff and others who contributed to the work. No further timetable or cost details were given in the announcement.
