Göreme
Göreme (pronounced gur-reh-meh) is a town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, with a population of 2034 in 2022. It's at the heart of the "fairy chimney" landscape, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, with soft volcanic tuff eroded into fantastical rock formations and excavated into cave dwellings. It's very touristy.
Get in
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By plane
[edit]Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV IATA) is the closest, with flights from both Istanbul airports - in summer these are every couple of hours, taking 90 min. Most package tours to Cappadocia get in this way. It's 30 km north of Nevşehir town and has car hire; otherwise take a taxi.
By road
[edit]From Ankara head south on O-21 (toll). Exit at Alayhan, where a caravanserai recalls the tolls and tribulations of long-ago journeys, and follow D300 east to Nevşehir, then D302 into Göreme.
By bus
[edit]Every tourist town in Turkey markets package tours of Cappadocia. If you were based in one of the Antalya - Alanya coast resorts, that might be the most convenient option.
Buses run frequently from Istanbul (10 hours) and Ankara (3 hours) to Nevşehir's grubby edge-of-town otogar, where you change for the dolmuş to Göreme. Bus lines on these routes are Metro Turizm, Flixbus and Nevşehir Seyahat. If they sell you a through ticket to Göreme you'll probably still have to change, but the onward ride should be included in your fare, check when buying.
It's a similar story with inter-city buses from Konya (3½ hr), Alanya (9 hr), Antalya (9½ hr), Bodrum (13 hr), Canakkale (17 hr), Denizli (10 hr), Kusadasi (12 hr), Marmaris (13 hr), Pamukkale (10 hr), Selçuk (12 hr), Trabzon, and over the hills and far away.
Kayseri 71 km east of Göreme has an airport and ponderously slow trains to eastern Turkey. Buses run every hour or two towards Nevşehir and points west, and from these you change at Avanos 18 km north of Göreme.
A swarm of dolmuşes buzzes between the Cappadocia towns of Nevşehir, Göreme, Uçhisar, Avanos, Çavuşin, Ürgüp and Ortahisar. They run every 30-60 min, with journey times under 30 minutes and low fares.
1 Göreme Otobüs Terminali is central in town. The toilets are authentic squateurs, filthy and fly-blown. Lots of ticket agencies and cafes around, and an ATM across the street.
Get around
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Walk, the town is small, and the open-air museum is within a 30 min walk.
You need wheels for outlying sights such as Rose Valley, or you'll be tired and dust-caked before you get there. Consider organising a taxi ride or joining a tour.
See
[edit]- Museumpass is a pass for government-run museums. The Cappadocia version is valid for 3 days from your first museum visit and costs €65 or 2000 TL in 2024. The only site it includes in Göreme is the Open Air Museum, and you'll have to gallop around the other towns to break even on it.
- Sunrise and sunset are the best times to see the rock formations, with the slanting light colouring them and casting deep shadows. Those are also the best times for balloon launches, as the winds are lightest - see below for some vantage points, but where they fly on any given day varies with conditions. You need a bright sky for the rock formations, overcast conditions turn them into dollops of porridge. If you go out at sunset, don't get caught by nightfall on unfamiliar rough ground.
- Halil Ağa Mosque just south of the bus station was built in 1254 AD. It's only open at prayer times.
- Bahceli Mosque next to it was built in 1377 AD. It's sadly derelict.
- Roman Castle 100 m south of the bus station is one of a pair of outcrops that resemble rotten fangs. It has a rock-cut Roman tomb; only the upper portions of its temple facade survive.
- Central Mosque (or Hacı Mustafa Ağa Mosque) is 200 m south of the bus station on Eminbey Sk. It was built in 1962 in traditional style. They have a stock of Korans in Japanese, just in case.
- Kasabası Mosque is on the parallel İsalı Cd. It was similarly built in 1968 in traditional Ottoman style.
- 1 Lovers' Hill (Aşıklar Tepesi) is a viewpoint 200 m southeast of town centre. Several trails lead up, also a private road off Muze Cd with a small toll.
- 2 Göreme Open Air Museum (Göreme Açık Hava Müzesi), Muze Cd (1 km east of town), ☏ +90 384 271 2167. Daily 08:00-19:00. Remarkable series of frescoed cave churches and fairy chimneys along a loop trail (see diagram). Try to slot in between the tour groups, it's no fun sharing a tiny church with 20 overfed visitors following a green parasol. It's worth the extra to see Karanlık Kilise, the Dark Church - originally this had no windows, and the darkness preserved the frescoes. It takes 2-3 hours to get round the site, then hold onto your ticket, as 50 m outside the main compound is Tokalı Kilise, "Buckle Church". This has a 10th and an 11th century portion, both richly frescoed. Adult 480 TL plus 130 TL for the Dark Church.
- 3 El Nazar Church, ☏ +90 384 213 1447. Daily 08:00-16:30. "Church of the Evil Eye" in a fairy chimney. Ask here about the key to Hidden Church.
- Sakli Kilise or Hidden Church is tucked away on the hillside, back towards the main road and Open Air Museum.
- 4 Aynalı Church (Fırkatan Church). Daily 09:00-17:00. Monastery church above the road to Ortahisar. The custodian will loan you a flashlight, which you'll need to see the frescoes in the gloomy interior. Adult 20 TL.
Further out
[edit]- 5 Ortahisar village is dominated by a 90 m tuff pinnacle, hollowed out into dwellings.
- 6 Love Valley (Aşk Vadisi) is lined by great phallic rock towers. With a vehicle enter from the north along the dirt road, suitable for 2WD in the dry. On foot there's a couple of shorter access routes.
- 7 Çavuşin is a village 5 km north of town with more rock dwellings. A group of fairy chimneys stands at its north end; south end is the cave church of St John the Baptist.
- 8 Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik) ascends southwest of town. It's riddled with pigeon coops carved out of the soft rock - the droppings were used as fertiliser. It's usually done as a one-way 4 km hike from Uçhisar so it's downhill, with the side-canyons joining not diverging so you've less chance of blundering into a dead end.
- 9 Cave Castle is a hollowed-out pinnacle off the road towards Rose Valley, similar to those of Uçhisar.
- 10 Rose Valley (Güllüdere) is accessed 2 km north of town. It's scenic and green, with beautiful formations and rock-carved churches. Best of these are Cross Church (Haçlı Kilise; you'll probably have to buy something from the cafe that controls access), Columned Church (Direkli Kilise) and Grape Church (Üzümlü Kilise).
- 11 Red Valley (Kızılvadi) further south is a vista of fairy chimneys. They sometimes charge admission.
- 12 Meskendir Valley drains north to meet Red Valley draining west. The church here has geometric frescoes.
Do
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- Balloon rides: over 20 agencies offer these. You're picked up from your hotel pre-dawn and taken to the launch site. A standard flight carries some 20 passengers and lasts an hour, for about €250 pp in 2024. Then they give you breakfast and return you to your hotel.
- Watch the balloons: you need to be up early to get into position, as they launch at sunrise. Anywhere with lots of cars drawing up and folk setting up camera tripods is probably on the money, and for a distinctive photo you want balloons and fairy chimneys in the same frame. Try Aşıklar Tepesi the hill just east of town centre, or the trail north of Kaya Camping along the rim of Love Valley, or just south of the cafe down in Love Valley. This last is often the landing area, so you see them bunched together on launch then approaching over the rock formations.
- Hamam: Elis are trad Turkish baths and massage at Belediye Cd 1172, 100 m northeast of the bus station and open daily 10:00-22:00.
- Horse-riding: almost as many riding centres as there are balloon operators. Some rides are suitable for first-timers and young children.
- Para-gliding in tandems suitable for beginners is available through the same outlets as balloon rides,
- Hiking: Three valleys - Rose, Red and Meskendir - can be done as a combined hike of 5 hours. Be on the trail at dawn to avoid being frazzled in the afternoon sun and dust-soaked from groups in tour jeeps. From Meskendir Valley ascend north to regain the main road, where you'll want to have a return ride to town organised.
- Love Valley (above) can be hiked, usually from the north.
- See Avanos for trails in Devrent Valley and Paşağabi further north.
- Tours: lots available: if you don't have your own transport, this is the obvious way to see outlying attractions. Check whether lunch and admission fees are included. A half-day tour might take in the open-air museum, the castle at Uçhisar, and sights at Avanos. Full day tours might venture out to Pigeon Valley, Derinkuyu Underground City, Soğanlı and Ihlara Valleys. Longer tours including accommodation are packages flying out from Istanbul. All tours are destined eventually to fritter away an inordinate amount of time in a souvenir shop.
Buy
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- Supermarkets: over a dozen around town centre. Opposite the otogar there are both a BIM and an A101. Open daily 09:00-21:00.
- Carpets: lots of shops, traditional carpets are made locally and prices beat those in Istanbul.
- Pottery is better bought in Avanos 18 km north, where it's a major industry. Think about the bumpy journey to get it home.
Eat
[edit]- The town specialty is testi kebap, served in a clay pot that you break open. It takes an hour to cook so restaurants may need notice.
- Cappadocia Kebap Center (formerly Silk Road), Müze Cd 16 (just south of bus station). Daily 09:00-23:00. Good food at competitive prices.
- Fırın Expres, Aylin Kırağı Sk (100 m south of bus station), ☏ +90 533 674 0002. Daily 11:00-22:00. Friendly speedy place for inexpensive food.
- Restoran Malaysia, Fatih Sk 1 (50 m north of bus station), ☏ +90 545 575 0897. Daily 11:00-23:00. When you need a break from Turkish food, this is the place.
- Dürümlet, Sağlık Sk (100 m north of bus station). Fresh wraps of every variety in dürüm or bulgur wheat, lots of vegetarian items. Try the spinach and egg.
- Safran Cafe, Müze Cd 36 (In Baykuş gift shop 200 m east of bus station). Daily 09:00-22:00. Friendly small place, they do a good breakfast.
- Orient Restaurant, Adnan Menderes Cd 3 (300 m northwest of bus station), ☏ +90 384 271 2346. Daily 10:00-01:00. Atmospheric restaurant, good meals and not expensive.
- Old Cappadocia, İçeridere Sk 8 (opposite Central Mosque), ☏ +90 384 271 2858. Daily 11:00-00:00. Small friendly place for home-style cooking, some western choices.
- Nazar Borek, Karamızrak Sk, ☏ +90 384 271 2201. Tu-Su 12:00-22:00. Good-value meals in a charming small restaurant west side of town.
Drink
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- Tea is the staple drink of Anatolia. Carpet and souvenir shops may invite you in for tea - trust your instincts on whether you'll be pestered once within.
- Red Red Wine House, Rupa Bar and Pasha Cafe are by the bus station.
- Try the local wine: it's mostly red.
Sleep
[edit]Göreme has a huge selection of hostels, hotels, and guest houses (some 60 odd). The friendly (and tout-free) accommodation office can help you find something. Upmarket and boutique hotels also exist in Göreme. Many places include breakfast in these prices.
- 1 Panorama Camping, Adnan Menderes Cd, ☏ +90 543 303 2800. Clean spacious site 1 km west of town, some noise from highway. 500 TL ppn.
- 2 Kose Pension, Ragıp Üner Cd 6, ☏ +90 384 271 2294. Friendly inexpensive hostel. Dorm 1000 TL ppn.
- Nomad Cave Hotel, Kapadokya Yürüyüş Yolu, ☏ +90 384 271 2204. Now called a "hotel" but still a very basic hostel with uncomfortable dorm, loud music from a disco, surly staff.
- 3 Çiner Hotel, Çiner Cd, ☏ +90 384 271 2515. Clean modern hotel north edge of town, no caves. B&B room 1000 TL.
- 4 Kookaburra Pension, Konak Sk 10, ☏ +90 384 271 2549. Small rooms, some in caves, but comfy. B&B double 1500 TL.
- 5 Local Cave House Hotel, Cevizler Sk 17, ☏ +90 535 458 6858. Great reviews for this central upmarket cave hotel. B&B double 8000 TL.
- 6 Arch Palace, Ünlü Sk 14, ☏ +90 551 961 1075. Clean simple pansiyon. B&B double 2000 TL.
- 7 Cappadocia Cave Suites, Ünlü Sk 19, ☏ +90 384 271 2800. Mostly good reviews, some lapses in cleaning and service. B&B double 4000 TL.
- 8 Kelebek Special Cave Hotel, Yavuz Sk 1, ☏ +90 384 271 2531. Attractive but mostly ersatz hotel, created in the 1990s from stones from a demolished district in Nevşehir. It now has 37 rooms (some in caves), a hamam, spa, and terrace views over town. B&B double 7000 TL.
- 9 Arif Cave Hotel, Aydın Kırağı Sk 11, ☏ +90 384 271 2361. Comfy cave rooms at the top of town. B&B double 6000 TL.
- 10 Traveller's Cave Hotel, Görceli Sk 7, ☏ +90 384 271 2780. Great value comfy cave rooms. B&B double 4000 TL.
Stay safe
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- Beware traffic and safeguard your valuables, same as anywhere else.
- Hiking is not strenuous or dangerous in general, but be careful on some steep footpaths and scrambles into and out of the valleys.
Connect
[edit]Göreme and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Nov 2022, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.
Go next
[edit]- The other Cappadocia towns are all within a 30-minute dolmuş ride.
- Nevşehir the regional transport hub is the way to reach the underground cities of Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu.
- Kayseri east has several museums and old mosques, and is the route to travel further east.