Avanos

Pottery workshops line this little Cappadocian town on the banks of the Kızılırmak — Turkey's longest river — where red clay from the riverbed has fuelled a ceramic tradition stretching back to Hittite times. Avanos sits in the heart of a region riddled with ancient underground dwellings and ringed by UNESCO World Heritage sites, with a walkable old town, a strong café and restaurant scene for its size, and scenic surrounds typical of Cappadocia.

• Population12,833
• Nearest water from center 0.2 km0.1 mi
• Nearest mountain from center 2.5 km1.6 mi