Avanos (Pottery Town)

Most people spend 45 minutes in Avanos, all of it inside a pottery workshop. The town is worth a bit more time. It lies on the banks of the Kizilirmak, or Red River, on the northern edge of Cappadocia. An old quarter of stone houses rises up the hillside, and a tree-shaded promenade follows the river. Local potters have shaped the iron-rich river clay for thousands of years, and many still work it on a foot-powered wheel.

Key facts

History in brief

At about 1,355 kilometres, the Kizilirmak is the longest river that stays wholly inside Turkey, and it takes its name from the red silt in its water. Local pottery is often linked to the Hittites, and the craft carried on through the Greek, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Avanos also used to be a river crossing and a trading stop.

Many houses in the town were owned by Greek families until the 20th century; they left during the population exchange of the 1920s. In the upper town some of their stone mansions survive, with carved doorways and balconies. Pottery and tourism are now the main ways of making a living, along with farming on the river plain.

Things to do

• Watch a potter. Workshops take you through every step: kneading, throwing on a kick wheel, trimming, drying, painting and firing. Most invite you to have a go on the wheel.
• Browse the showrooms. Many workshops occupy cave rooms dug into the rock, their walls covered with thousands of plates, bowls and vases.
• Walk by the river. The Kizilirmak promenade has tea gardens and a suspension footbridge, and locals fill it in the evening.
• Explore the old town. Above the main street, steep lanes run between old Greek and Turkish stone houses, a few now restored as guesthouses.
• Spot the Hittite-style jugs. The red jugs with a beak-shaped spout are a local speciality based on ancient finds.

Pottery prices

Prices cover a huge range. A small painted bowl can cost a few hundred lira, while large hand-painted plates and vases run to several hundred euros. Finely detailed hand painting takes days, which shows in the price. Pieces usually carry fixed price tags, though on bigger purchases you can negotiate. Most workshops can pack and ship abroad; get the shipping cost and insurance in writing.

Avanos is also a base for more than pottery. You can ride horses across the river plain, take ATV routes towards Pasabag and Zelve, or go on a short boat ride on the river in summer. Accommodation tends to cost less than in Goreme, and nights are quieter, which suits people who would rather stay in a local town than a tourist village. The drawback is distance: the Goreme valleys and the balloon launch sites are 15 minutes away by car, so you will need a car, a tour or the local buses.

When to go

Late afternoon works well: the heat eases and the riverside fills up. Avanos fits naturally into a day in the north of the region, with Pasabag, Zelve and Cavusin. The workshops are most crowded in the late morning, when tour groups come in.

The Cappadocia Red Tour with Guide & Lunch includes an Avanos pottery workshop, plus Pasabag, Zelve, Devrent Valley and Love Valley, over six hours from US$60. The Private Cappadocia Highlights Tour with Open-Air Museum is a private day that can take in Avanos, from US$400. Starting in Istanbul, the Cappadocia Day Trip from Istanbul with Flights & Private Guide stops in Avanos as well.

Tips

• A workshop visit does not mean you have to buy. A polite no is perfectly normal.
• Have a go on the wheel. It is harder than it looks, and that makes the demonstration more fun.
• Look for the workshop's stamp under a piece and ask if it was painted by hand.
• Restaurants by the river serve trout and pottery kebab, meat cooked inside a sealed clay pot that is cracked open at your table.

See more of the region's sights on our Cappadocia destination page.

Frequently Asked Questions