Göreme

Göreme (Goreme, pronounced guh-reh-meh, uh like er in "her") is a town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey.

Understand
Göreme is in the middle of an internationally popular region that is best known for its natural rock formations, often called "fairy chimneys". The rock formations are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

By bus

 * Istanbul – Several bus companies have connections, they take about 10 hr and costs 110-145 TL. There are more services to close-by Nevşehir. Make sure you book a couple of days in advance in peak times as buses sell out.
 * Nevşehir – There is regular bus service to Nevşehir center every (full) half hour 07:30-20:00 ((15 TL, September 2022). In Nevşehir you have connections from/to regional destinations including the underground cities at Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu. Dolmuses also run about every hour to nearby towns like Avanos and Urgup. They will charge 10 TL (2022) for Uchisar, which is just up the hill&mdash;you are better off walking of hitchhiking.
 * Kayseri – The best way is to take a bus to Avanos or Ürhüp (1 hr) and then to take a Dolmuç to Göreme. If you came to Kayseri by train, or if you are in the city center, take the bus 900 to the bus terminal. From there, you can find direct buses to Avanos. Take care, some companies (like Nevşehir Seyahat, not recommended because they are not fair) will say to you that they go directly to Göreme, will charge you the price of a ticket to Nevşehir (60 TL) and then will leave you in Avanos where you will have to take another bus and pay for it. So the best and cheapest way, when you are at the bus terminal is to go to the Kayseri West Villages Bus Station which is the bus station next to the Kaysri bus termnial (2 min walk) and then buy a ticket to Ürgüp. The company Ürgüp Tasimacilik will charge you only 30 TL (2022) to go to Ürgüp. They leave every hour from something like 7AM to 7PM. From Ürgüp you will find a Dolmuç (small local bus) that will go to Göreme in 10 min and will charge you 15 TL (2022). They leave every 30 minutes.

There are also connections from/to Konya (3½ hr), Ankara (5 hr including a transfer in Nevşehir, 40 TL), Alanya (9 hr), Antalya (9½ hr, 60 TL as of Nov 2017), Bodrum (13 hr), Canakkale (17 hr), Denizli (10 hr), Kusadasi (12 hr), Marmaris (13 hr), Pamukkale (10 hr night bus, 110 TL as of Nov 2019), Selçuk (12 hr), Çıralı (10 hr), Trabzon, and Van.

Note, if you book your ticket to/from Göreme (as stated in the ticket), make sure that the bus (or a smaller van associated with the bus company) will actually go to/from Göreme bus station (otogar) and not Nevşehir.

By plane
The nearest airports to Göreme are in Kayseri or Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport. To Kayseri Airport, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus have several flights a day from Istanbul. SunExpress is another low-cost option. Turkish also flies daily to Nevşehir.

Outside the airport are only taxis (cost 12 TL to the main bus station, otogar) and arranged shuttle buses, no dolmuş. The stop for city buses is a bit down the road following the airport exit. The Kayseri otogar is far from the airport. From otogar, there are very few direct lines to Göreme (10 TL), but more frequent lines to Avanos, where you can transfer to a local bus for the remaining 9 km to Göreme; the station is unmarked and the ride costs 2.50 TL.

If you have a hotel transfer option, take it: it is much more convenient, and will cost about 20 TL per person from Nevşehir Airport, 50% more from Kayseri Airport (Nov 2017).

Turkish Airlines offers a shuttle from Nevşehir Airport to Nevşehir, Uchisar and Göreme for 12 TL (Nov 2017).

On foot
The town of Göreme is fairly small, and walking is your best option. Walking also provides excellent views of the surrounding canyons, which are sights themselves.

By thumb
To get around in the valley around Göreme, hitchhiking is very convenient and easy.

By road
Available for rent are mountain bikes (at 180 TL very overpriced and not feasible in the valleys), scooters, motorcycles and all terrain quads.

See
Göreme has a wide selection of natural and cultural wonders. Walking through the village you will be amazed at the bizarre 'fairy chimney' rocks cut naturally by the wind and rain. On the way, many cave churches can be seen, just look up the points in your map (see below). If you are on a budget, some churches with simple geometrical motifs can be seen for free in the chimneys across the street (easy hike).

The Turkish government offers a museum pass for many sights and museums of Cappadocia for 130 TL. Check out what is included and buy it if it makes sense for you. Numerous sights can still be seen for free and the biggest joy is just walking around and sucking in the atmosphere.

Further afield
Also there are underground cities used by Christians hiding from enemies, which have up to 8 stories of underground tunnels and caves, about 85 m deep. 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. Of the 36 underground cities built by the Christians to escape persecution, Kaymakli and Derinkuyu are the widest and most famous. 8 different levels, of which you can explore 4, and has a network of wineries, kitchens and living areas.

The room complexes in the underground city are nicely illuminated but not overly exciting, after having seen and explore 3 or 4, you know the drill. The long tunnels and ventilation shafts are interesting. Nevertheless, if you do not get easily excited, you might skip this experience for the Uchisar or Çavuşin castles, which some people consider far better value for money. Also, you will not need a full day to visit them.



Do

 * Balloons at Sunrise View – Probably the most popular thing after ballooning itself is watching the balloons to take off from the valley in the morning. The view is magnificent, but it requires an unpleasent early wakeup and potentially 1 hr hike, if you want to skip car or taxi. The pictures taken then are well known&mdash;dozens of balloons scattered in the air all over Cappadocia. The time to be at a viewpoint depends on the sunrise, and it is best to be at any view point about 15 min before (official) sunrise. In the following the most popular viewpoints, starting with the closest:
 * – An easy hike 10 min up southeast from Göreme center, if you are willing to pay 5 TL for the private road leading there. Otherwise, there are at least 3 other regular trails leading there, one directly left of the private road ticket booth. Especially good after the sunset when the balloons have moved northwest down the valley.
 * – Also just 10-15 min from the center, but a better overview of all the starting balloons towards the rising sun. Also, from here you can hike further towards the edge of the Love Valley and watch some of the balloons touching down into the valley. This is especially good to take some closeup pictures.
 * – This is the best and most popular viewpoint, which you will notice from the many people, cars and buses that turn up there at sunrise. From the café walk a little further south to find some more quiet spots. The advantage of this spot is that all taking-off balloons fit into one simple picture frame at the beginning and the balloons will actually move towards you, some touching down into the Love Valley. As soon as the sun is fully up you get an excellent panoramic shot with the balloons all over the Çavuşin-Göreme valley. It takes 1 hr to walk from Göreme here along the highway, but be sure to have a proper map, or you will miss the turn and might end up in the Love Valley itself&mdash;hard to get out again. Otherwise, there are shortcuts from Göreme directly through the Love Valley, probably cutting down the time to 30-40 min. However, you need a proper map and potentially some hiking skills.


 * Sunset/sunrise Point – There are many sunset and sunrise points around Göreme, just have a search in your map application. Note that they started charging for the road that leads to Göreme Hill just 10 min east of the center, which is probably illegal, because all other access options, even the official trail with signs does not charge anything. Hence, do not support this practice&mdash;there are more than enough trails that go around the ticket booth and up to the viewpoint.


 * Hamami/Turkish Bath – There is a Turkish bath near the center of town to relax after a long day of hiking. The standard service for steam room, mud face mask, soap massage, and scrubbing is 80 TL (Nov 2017). An additional tip for your bath attendant is strongly urged. For a cheaper option take the 15-min scenic minibus ride to the nearby city of Nevşehir where you can get the same service in a non-tourist place for as low as 25 TL. Just get off at the main intersection in Nevşehir and ask around for "Hamam".




 * Apart from that local tour companies are offering everything that is known to appeal to the common tourist, like quad bike (150 TL, always slow and with a guide), paragliding, horseback riding, jeep safari, classic car ride, pottery visits, etc.
 * Apart from that local tour companies are offering everything that is known to appeal to the common tourist, like quad bike (150 TL, always slow and with a guide), paragliding, horseback riding, jeep safari, classic car ride, pottery visits, etc.
 * Apart from that local tour companies are offering everything that is known to appeal to the common tourist, like quad bike (150 TL, always slow and with a guide), paragliding, horseback riding, jeep safari, classic car ride, pottery visits, etc.
 * Apart from that local tour companies are offering everything that is known to appeal to the common tourist, like quad bike (150 TL, always slow and with a guide), paragliding, horseback riding, jeep safari, classic car ride, pottery visits, etc.

Hiking
Following the paths along the valleys is an amazing (and free) option. Check with your hotel owner or the tourist office for a map of the area with suggested walks and trails. There are several nice loops on packed dirt, sand and rock, that maintain a constant elevation and pass through the scenic valleys. All stunning landscapes and fun to walk around. The paths are poorly marked&mdash;often contradictory and in addition local guys pointing you into the wrong direction. Hence, it is important that you have GPS navigation and a reliable map with comprehensive trail and sight information with you&mdash;use OpenStreetMap, which is also used by this travel guide, and by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz. Or just download the according GPX or KML files through Waymarked Trails for such trails on OpenStreetMap. (Note, you just need to change the OpenStreetMap relation ID to download the GPX or KML files through the same link.)

Each trail offers different landscapes, and you can easily combine multiple valleys for a longer hike.



Tours
Several tour operators offer one-day packages (green tour, red tour, blue tour) that may include a stop at a caravansari, one of the amazing underground cities, a walk through the ancient churches decorated with frescoes, and finally a stop at a carpet, pottery or onyx shop. The itinerary is essentially the same no matter who you purchase the tour from. Names and itineraries change occasionally, but expect that whatever name and itinerary is used at one agency will be the same at the others. This is basically because you just book with offices that just shuffle people around between tour companies depending on availability and demand. Tours will include transportation, but verify whether lunch and entrance fees are also included. These one-day tours can make your journey significantly easier. Prices are around €35 per tour (Dec 2019).

You can usually book tours through your hotel, but compare prices before deciding!

The Red Tour is the most basic, visiting sites in the immediate vicinity of Göreme including the open-air museum, the castle at Uçhisar, and the pottery shops at Avanos. It can include:
 * Göreme Esentepe for panoramic view over the town of Esentepe, and the surrounding landscape of fairy chimneys;
 * Göreme Open Air Museum
 * Pasabag (Monks Valley)
 * Devrent Valley
 * Avanos Pottery workshop
 * Three Beauties

The Green Tour is a bit more adventurous, visiting the Pigeon Valley and then going farther afield to visit Derinkuyu Underground City, Nar Lake, Ihlara Valley and Selime. It can include:
 * Meskendir Valley
 * Rose/Red Valley
 * Cavusin Village
 * Underground City
 * Pigeon Valley
 * Uchisar Castle
 * Love Valley

The Blue Tour is the most off-the-beaten path of the three tours, taking visitors to the former Greek town of Mustafapasa, the monastery at Soganli.

Buy
Göreme is a tourist hotspot and so are the prices. Food will easily be twice as expensive as in other regions of Turkey, not to mention the price of ice cream. Even the supermarket will demand a premium.

What

 * Pottery – Avanos, 10 km away, has been a pottery center for centuries. Many stores will sell pottery in Göreme, and you may end up at a pottery workshop at the end of a tour, but for the best prices, head into Avanos and wander around the back streets. Compare the prices and quality, and if you are worried about it surviving shipping or your backpack, ask them to stand on it to test the strength (vases, jugs, and larger objects should take their weight). While the quality in touristy shops is often high, you will be paying 2-3 times what you otherwise would.


 * Carpets – Göreme and the surrounding area are known as one of the top places to buy carpets in Turkey. Their proximity to well known local weaving villages means the prices are generally cheaper than Istanbul and the atmosphere for purchasing far more relaxed with few if any hassles.

Eat
Göreme has a wide selection of typical kebabs and pide, and some unusual 'pottery' dishes (testi kebap) that are prepared and served in a clay pot which you can 'break' open. Often the 'pottery kebabs' are cooked earlier in the day so check around to see which restaurants require a 'pottery kebab' booking - it's likely that they will be the places that make the kebab on the spot (they take about an hour to cook). Many of the restaurants and bars change hands on a regular basis, making specific recommendations difficult.


 * Alaturca is considered to be one of the finer dining establishments in central Turkey, but is overpriced for the quality of food and a stiff service that is out of place in an otherwise informal town. Alaturca is on the secondary road that heads towards the Open Air Museum.

Drink
Walking by carpet shops will lead to invitations for tea. If you're thirsty, take advantage of this free drink and learn something about carpets at the same time. However, it is not advised for solo females to accept tea from men, as they often expect more.

For a good western style coffee, M&M Cafe on the main street serves a great cappuccino, with real espresso and a nice little area to sit outside. Coffeedocia, near the bus station is a larger place, better to relax but with a very westernised feel, drinks are not as good and higher priced.

For the bar scene, several bars and clubs are open (primarily in the high season), and there is a disco in nearby Avanos frequented by locals and tourists alike.

Sleep
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.

Many of Göreme's hostels and hotels offer the unusual option of sleeping in a cave. Much of the rock in the area is sandstone (tufa) which is fairly soft, and for centuries rooms (and houses) have been created by cutting directly into the soft rock. Comforts in these 'cave rooms' range from truly cave-like to beautiful and tasteful with modern bathrooms; almost all have windows and are fairly well lit.

Camping – There are two camp grounds on the road into Göreme from Uchisar. If you're ok going without facilities for a night or two, there are limitless options for finding your own hidden away cave down one of the valleys and setting camp inside. It is also a quite romantic experience&mdash;no one will bother you being there. Check out the described in this article.

Stay safe

 * There is a large concentration of stray animals here in the high-season.
 * Women should not go hiking in the valleys alone as there have been a few incidents over the years.


 * Hiking is not strenuous or dangerous in general, but be careful on some steep footpaths / scrambles into and out of rockey valleys such as Love Valley.

Connect
Göreme and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Nov 2022, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Move on to Malatya or Kahta and take a tour to Mount Nemrut. (UNESCO World Heritage site).
 * Nevşehir. To get from Göreme back to Nevşehir bus station, the minibus will drop you at Kayser Caddesi bus stop in Nevşehir center. From here, take Dolmus No. 1 or 2 to Nevşehir Otogari (6 TL as of September 2022).