Çatalkaya at Ürgüp

Ürgüp is a town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey.

Understand

Ürgüp (formerly known as Ossiana in Greek) is an ideal starting point to visit Cappadocia.

It used to be a centre of a trade at Seljuk times. Today it is still popular for its handicrafts and small shops.

The city attracts lots of travellers, thanks to its geomorphological sights and cave dwellings.

It is one of the largest towns in Cappadocia and has many cave hotels and restaurants.

• 1 Tourist Information Center. Provides some basic information and maps. 

Get in

By bus

• 2 Bus station (in the centre of the town), ☏ +90 384 341 4766. 

Several bus companies serve Ürgüp: Nevsehirliler, Göreme turizm and Metro. These companies have buses to all major cities in Turkey (Ankara, Antalya, Izmir, Istanbul, Kayseri, etc.) and circulate mainly at night. Beware of companies that will sell tickets not directly to the Nevsehir's or Ürgüp's bus stations as the bus may drop you in the open field about 16 km from your destination.

Also there are local dolmuş minibuses that go to the regional capital Nevşehir and nearby towns of Avanos, Göreme, Uçhisar, and Ortahisar.

By plane

The nearest airports are at Kayseri (ten daily flights from Istanbul by Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, few direct international flights Pegasus and TuiFly) and Nevşehir (2 daily flights from Istanbul).

The best way to get to Urgup is to book a shuttle bus in advance, which will be waiting for you even if your flight is delayed. They will bring you to any address in any city of Cappadocia. The price is 25 TL per person. To make a reservation contact or .

Otherwise you will be paying for a taxi.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking also works very well in all of Cappadocia

Get around

Dolmuş (minibus) service all areas of the city and leave from the bus station every 1/2 hour.

See

• Cave dwellings. In abundancy throughout all town. 
• 1 Ürgüp museum. Smallish museum showing coins, clothes, pottery and some other historical findings from Ürgüp area. Free entrance. 
• City market which is open every Saturday, 500 m from the city center on the road to Mustafapasa.

Of the city centre

Urgup

• Fairy chimneys (On the road Nevsehir-Ürgüp). 
• Devrent valley (2 km following the road to Avanos). Devrent valley and its remarkable rock formations, including the one in the shape of a camel. Superb view on the city. Climb the hill Temmeni through narrow streets lined with old Greek houses, to the tomb of a Seljuk Pasha. 
• 2 Pancarlik Valley, SW 3km (there is a turning to the valley 2 km passing Urgup when going to Mustafapasa). A spectacular lunar landscape of the volcanic rock formations. Also there are three rock-cut churches. And the beautiful and frescoed church of San Teodoro Pancarlik (built in the 10th century) is the most important and interesting one. It's surrounded with a number of caves carved into the volcanic rock. Overall, Pancarlik Valley is not crowded at all comparing to some other valleys. 
• Gomeda Valley (on the road to Mustafapasa). 
• 3 Sobesos. Ancient Roman city dating back to the 4th century. It houses some well preserved mosaic areas, two chapels and a few other buildings. 

Do

Turkish hammam

• Hamam. The Turkish bath is quite basic, but the operators doing quite well. For €25 you will be bathed, massaged and provided with the usual towel. The personal is very helpful and friendly. 
• Ballooning. Cappadocia is one of the best places in the world to make a hot air balloon ride. Admiring the tufa formations of the sky is an unforgettable experience. €120-240, the only difference seems to be the duration of the flight either 1 hr or 1 hr 30 min; price can be bargained down to €90 but you have to push hard. 
• Wine tasting (Turasan winery), Yunak Mahallesi Tevfik Fikret Caddesi No: 6A-B, ☏ +90 384 341 4961. 08:00 – 18:00. Offer guided tours. There is also wine shop available. Guided tour to the wineries + 3 wine samples 18 TL. 
• Various hiking and trekking tours. You can buy tours through the travel agencies to be accompanied by the professional guides, or organize your trips by yourself. With a guide you will save time and you will not get lost, but the pace will be taxed and you will surely end up in a carpet shop or very very expensive pottery at the end of a day. All agencies in Urgup perform more or less the same tricks. Needless to book well in advance, it is better to tour agencies in the centre of the city the night before and put them in competition. Also be aware that you will be mixed with tourists of different nationalities and that the guide should therefore give the explanations successively in different languages. It is quite possible to visit by yourself all attractions using local bus or hitchhiking which works quite well to get to the starting point of your walk. 

Buy

Many carpet stores and kilims (woven rugs) on the main street sell at prices that are much more interesting than the department stores.

Beware of the store that claims to be "a carpet museum" that is just a shop like the others, but can be a little more expensive than others.

Eat

Beware of the restaurants which offer you a variety of stews cooked in a wood-fire in pottery, because these dishes require a long cooking and to reduce it they are prepared ahead of time, sometimes several days in advance if the sales were not good, and therefore they pose food safety issues.

• There are several patisseries on the main street and near bus station.
• Ürgüp Pide. Excellent pide (Turkish pizzas) and a good assortment of grilled meats in the courtyard of the bus station. The service is friendly and fast. A good solution to eat before taking a bus for a few euros. 
• Sofra Restaurant (on the main street and Ikinci bahar near the Grand Mosque). Offers authentic cuisine at a very reasonable prices. 
• Somine Cafe and Restaurant (located in the heart of the city). A very nice room with a fireplace in the center. Fine cuisine and quality service. 
• Ziggy Cafe and Restaurant (located on the heights of the city). A varied menu and a lovely setting. 
• Dimrit Café and Restaurant, Yunak Mahallesi Teyfik Caddesi 40 (Near the Turasan wineey in Esbelli district.), ☏ +90 (384) 341 8585. It is an old house converted into a restaurant. It has a panoramic terrace where you can enjoy a superb view of the valley. It also has an cave-like inside room. 

Drink

• Angel bar (on the main square). M-Sa 08:00-03:00, Su 08:00-24:00, hours vary at Eid-al-Fitr. Take a drink while listening to a good music in this trendy place. It has a lovely terrace. 

Sleep

Hotels built within caves in Ürgüp

• Hotel Selcuklu Evi. This is an old Seljuk house restored and tastefully decorated. The hotel is complete with a landscaped garden for relaxation. Some rooms have private terraces where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the old town. 
• Antik Cave House, Esbelli Mah., Dolay Sokak No. 14 (in the Esbelli district), ☏ +90 384 341-44-28. Check-in: 24-hr. Set around a stone courtyard dressed with flowers, this small hotels has double and triple rooms. Some are faux caves dug into the hillside, some are built from stone blocks. The relentlessly helpful staff, and the spectacular rooftop terrace, age highlights. Free wireless internet. €40-60 depending on the room. 
• Cave Konak Hotel, Dutlu Camii Mah, İstiklal Cd, Dar 2 Sk No. 5 (find the old hamam in the center, the hotel is opposite), ☏ +90 384 341-43-22. Check-in: 24-hr, check-out: 11:00. A newly restored historical building of traditional stone arched rooms and ancient underground cave rooms. Friendly, family-run hotel with atmosphere of Cappadocian culture. There are 4 suites for 1/2/3/4/5 persons (one with a private roof terrace). Great views from roof terraces and historical balcony. Prices: €99 for 2 persons, single person €30 discount, extra bed €30. Free wireless internet. 
• Altinöz Hotel, Ragip Uner Cad. No: 23, ☏ +90 384 2139961, fax: +90 384 2132817, Info@altinozhotel.com. 
• Anatolia Hotel, Imran Mah. Mehmet D?nler Bulvari No:56. 
• Cappadocia Perissia Hotel, Kaysero Cd, ☏ +90 384 3412930, fax: +90 384 3414524, Info@perissia.com.tr. 5-star hotel. 350 rooms, a large wellness area 
• Dinler Hotel, Mehmet Dinler Bulvari No: 7, ☏ +90 384 341 030, fax: +90 384 3414896, Urgup@dinler.com. 
• Gamirasu Cave Hotel, Ayvali Köyü, ☏ +90 384 3417485, +90 384 545815, fax: +90 384 3417487, Info@gamirasu.com. 
• Gomeda Hotel, Mustafa Pasa Kasabasi Ayvali Koyu Ayrimi, ☏ +90 384 3535471, fax: +90 384 3535459. 
• Hotel Janset, Kavakliönü Mah. Ahmet Sucu Cad., No:13. 
• Hotel Surban, Yunak Mh. Pk. 55, ☏ +90 384 3414603, +90 384 3414761, fax: +90 384 3413223. A hotel with typical architecture decorated with oriental decoration. From its terrace you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the troglodyte constructions. 
• Hotel Taskin, Kavakliönü Mah. Ahmet Sucu Cad. No:42. 
• Hotel Ürgüp In, Altikapili Mah. Ahmet Sucu Cad. No:9. 
• Janet Hotel, Ali Baran Numanoglu Bulvari No:155, ☏ +90 384 3413305, fax: +90 384 3415413. 
• Mustafa Hotel, Kayseri Cad. Karayazi Mevkii, ☏ +90 384 3413970, fax: +90 384 341 22 88. 
• Nomad Cave Hotel, Altikapili Mah. Atatürk Bulvari No:22. 
• Esbelli Evi, Esbelli 5B, ☏ +90 384 3413395, Esbelli@smallhgotels.com.tr. 8 rooms. 
• Yunak Evleri, Yunak Mah., ☏ +90 384 3416920, Yunak@smallhgotels.com.tr. 23 rooms, 4 suites. 
• Elkep Evi Cave House, Esbelli Mah. 26, ☏ +90 384 3416000, Elkep@smallhgotels.com.tr. 21 rooms, 1 suite. 
• Kayadam, Esbelli Mah.6, ☏ +90 384 3416623, Kayadam@smallhgotels.com.tr. 7 rooms. 
• The Room With A View, Esbelli Mah. 40, ☏ +90 384 3414967, Room@smallhgotels.com.tr. 1 suite. 
• Razziya Evi, Cingilli S 24, ☏ +90 384 3415089, Razziya@smallhgotels.com.tr. 7 rooms. 

Go next

• Goreme - lively tourist center. There are cave dwellings, as well as the rock cones in and around the city.
• Avanos, on the banks of Kizilirmak river, and Ortahisar are less visited towns.
• Superb views of the Cappadocia valley can be seen from the castle located in Uchisar.
• Also there are a number of underground cities used by Christians hiding from enemies. There were rooms for grain storage, sleeping chambers, kitchens and ventilation shafts. Underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu are the two most important. There are also two others named Mazi and Ozkaynak.