Göreme travel guide
Göreme Tourism | Göreme Guide
You're Going to Love Göreme
Göreme is the most popular place to stay when visiting the larger region of Cappadoccia in central Turkey. This UNESCO World Heritage Site protects ancient cave dwellings, church frescoes, and so-called "fairy chimneys", and welcomes over a million visitors every year.
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Göreme
1. Hot Air Balloon Ride
Guided tours leave at sunrise and offer breathtaking panoramas of the valley below.
2. Göreme Open-Air Museum
This area offers many ancient cave dwellings and churches to explore within walking distance of downtown Göreme.
3. Ihlara Valley
Join one of the tours to visit this expansive valley where you can relax by the river with a warm glass of tea.
4. Derinkuyu
This underground city is hundreds of years old and was strategically built to protect against Muslim invaders at the time.
5. Selime Monastery
An ancient fortress, this site was almost used as a backdrop by George Lucas in his "Star Wars" trilogy, and remains an eye-catching and popular tourist spot.
Where to Eat in Göreme
Safran Restaurant is a family-run restaurant in the center serving local delicacies like manti, a Turkish-style ravioli. Meal prices cost around ₺50 for two people.
When to visit Göreme
The best time to visit Göreme is in the spring between April and June when the weather is cooler and prices are slightly cheaper out of season.
How to Get to Göreme
Plane
Kayseri and Nevsehir Airports are the closest domestic airports, located 46 and 26 miles away from Göreme, respectively. Many travelers will then transfer by hotel shuttle bus to Göreme.
Car
Take the D750 from Turkey's capital city of Ankara to reach Göreme in 3.5 hours.
Bus
Nevsehirliler and Metro all offer connections to Göreme from main Turkish cities like Izmir, Antalya, Istanbul, and Ankara. The trip from Ankara takes four hours and costs around ₺80.
Airlines serving Göreme
Where to stay in Göreme
Rock Valley Pension is a great place for solo travelers with dorm-style accommodation, an outdoor swimming pool, and incredible views of the valley. Shoe String Cave House has rooms carved into the local caves and a free buffet breakfast included.
Popular neighbourhoods in Göreme
Downtown - the center of Göreme has many tourist shops, hookah cafes, and restaurants - some even built into the surrounding caves.
Uchisar - this neighborhood offers amazing views looking down on Rose Valley, the Open-Air Museum, and Uchisar castle.
Ürgüp - here you can enjoy more the nightlife scene, with bars and restaurants serving liquor late into the night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Göreme
Most booked hotels in Göreme
How to Get Around Göreme
Public Transportation
Most of the town is accessible by foot, however there are small "dolmus" buses that can connect you to other neighboring cities of Uchisar and Kayseri. The cost is ₺10 and can be paid directly to the driver.
Taxi
There are no traditional taxis in Göreme, and any transfer should be pre-arranged beforehand with your hotel to get you between destinations safely, directly, and for the correct fare.
Car
Göreme Rent A Car and Silk Road Rent A Car offer daily vehicles for as little as ₺100.
The Cost of Living in Göreme
Shopping Streets
Müze Caddesi is the main shopping area in Göreme, with many stalls selling rugs, scarves, key chains, and other souvenirs. The nearby town of Avanos attracts visitors for its beautiful pottery demonstrations and wares for sale.
Groceries and Other
BEĞENAL Supermarket and Ilhan Supermarket are the two biggest grocery stores. A dozen eggs costs ₺6.