Places to visit in Goreme, what to see in Goreme, Nevsehir
Göreme, one of the indispensable addresses of Cappadocia, is home to many fairy chimneys. In addition, the surrounding valleys have made this place much more meaningful. In this article, where you will have information about the places to visit in Goreme, you can find details about the region.
The historical relics in Goreme, which has a mystical atmosphere, have enabled the region to enter the Unesco World Heritage. There are many routes in Goreme, which has a wonderful view with its balloons floating in the sky at the first light of the morning and illuminated fairy chimneys in the evening. Goreme Attractions There are many unique regions such as Love valley, Cavusin village, Cappadocia fairy chimneys and Goreme open air museum.
Where is Goreme Places to Visit Map
- 1- Kizilcukur Valley
- 2- Pasabag Valley
- 3- Goreme Open Air Museum
- 4- Valley of Love
- 5- Zemi Valley
- 6- Valley of Swords
- 7- Aydin Kiragin Hill
- 8- St. Barbara Chapel
- 9- Yusuf Koç Church
- 10- Çarıklı church
- 11- Al-Nazar church
- 12- Elmalı Church
- 13- The Dark Church
- 14- Tokalı Church
Before going into details about the places to visit in Goreme, it is necessary to have information about the region. It is known that the geological formation of Göreme, which is located on a tuff land, started 60 million years ago. Because in ancient times, Mount Erciyes, as an active volcano, constantly spewed lava and these lava were transformed by the power of water and wind. For these reasons, many cone-shaped fairy chimneys were formed in the valleys of Cappadocia. Moreover, these fairy chimneys can be carved very easily. There are also fairy chimneys that attract attention with their soft structure.
Göreme’s history dates back to the beginning of the 7th century. The first christians fleeing from the war between Byzantium and Sassanid settled here. In addition, according to the results of archaeological excavations in this region, which increased the number of shelters due to Byzantine pressure as of the 8th century, there are more than 350 monasteries and churches in the valley. Geometric shapes are also used in these historical buildings with different biblical scenes on the walls.
In Goreme, a Roman tomb consisting of 2 different columns was also found in one of the large fairy chimneys. Apart from this tomb, which was built in a different way compared to other tombs in the vicinity, do not forget that you will witness a unique view from the valley. While watching the view of the hotels and houses carved out of the rock, you should know that you will of course be mesmerized by the beauty of the fairy chimneys. Those coming from Uchisar to Goreme will continue to witness many more beauties in this direction.
In fact, the current face of Goreme has been renewed. While the boutique hotels built according to the texture of nature offer a truly unique view, those who want to come here can easily reach by taxi, minibus or bus from Nevşehir center.
Kizilçukur valley is located at the top of the Goreme open air museum and although it is closer to Goreme, it is a region of Ortahisar town. To reach the Kizilçukur valley from Goreme, you need to use a car. In fact, no matter which location you are in, you can easily reach Kızılçukur valley by car. Valley occupies a large place in the region with its unique sunset view and formation. Since Kızılçukur valley is a large area, you need to adjust your time and sightseeing walking opportunities well.
Göreme Paşabağ valley, formerly known as the Valley of Monks – Monks valley, hosts young and old fairy chimneys. Many activities are organized in the Paşabağ valley, which is an extremely peaceful region. Naturally, Göreme has taken its place in the list of places to visit.
Göreme Open Air Museum Göreme open air museum, which must be seen by every visitor to the region, has been on the Unesco World Heritage list since 1985. This museum, which is 2 km away from Göreme, contains beautiful and different artifacts. Opened to visitors in 1950 before Unesco and Turkey’s largest open air museum, the history of this region dates back to the 4th century BC. While noticing the Byzantine church architecture in the region, you can dive into the deep thoughts of many more structures.
With a 1000-year monastery history, Göreme open air museum has formed a valley over time. Especially in this region, which has an important place in the history of Christianity, a bishop came to this region in the 4th century and started to give thought – religious education. Naturally, the first known monastery system started here. In the area where the open air museum is located, you can encounter many tombs, toilets, dining halls, sitting areas, chapels, churches and many other historical buildings.
Immediately after entering the museum, you can visit the Monastery of Girls and boys. This building dates back to the 11th century and you can visit 2 floors in the Girls’ Monastery. Only the ground floor of the men’s part is open to visitors. There is also St. Basil’s chapel at the entrance.
The history of the St. Barbara chapel and the Serpent church, which you can visit in the Open Air Museum, dates back to ancient times. The 11th century St. Barbara chapel and the Serpentine church are actually among the buildings where the art of fresco art is performed in the best way. In order to visit these churches, you can buy a ticket different from the museum ticket and start your historical journey.
In the museum, the 11th century St. Catherina chapel and the 12th century Tsarikli church must be seen. There are many frescoes in these churches with different and beautiful figures. Finally, the Buckle Church is also among the places to visit, even though it is outside the museum.
You can watch countless fairy chimneys from the Love valley, also known as Göreme Love valley, also known as Bağlıdere valley. Love valley, which has an average track of 4,900 meters, fascinates with its lush green appearance in spring and summer. To get here, you can follow the Göreme – Avanos signs or take the Uchisar – Göreme road.
To go to Göreme Zemi valley, 500 meters before the open air museum on the Göreme open air museum road, you turn right with the help of the signs. You need to proceed on foot to Zemi valley. By entering from Babacık on this road, you can enter the Zemi valley even by car. After a certain way, of course, you have to proceed on foot. Fruits hanging from lush trees and colorful butterflies will accompany you on this walk.
There are 4 different churches in the Zemi valley, which attracts attention with its historical and natural beauties. Görkündere, Hidden church, Cistern church and El-Nazar church are among the structures worth seeing in the region. Roman tombs, interesting fairy chimneys and tunnels are also located in the Zemi Valley.
Kılıçlar Valley, which contains different church groups together, extends between Aktepe and Göreme. A unique view of nature awaits visitors in this valley where you can witness a different view every season. In this region where there are interesting fairy chimneys, you can also visit the tunnels right next to the rocks and fairy chimneys. It is possible to see the church of the Virgin Mary and the Kılıçlar church in the same place. Those who want to visit the Kılıçlar Valley can reach the beginning of the Valley by going up a little bit from the opposite of Göreme open air museum. The point you need to pay attention to is that the road in the valley is a bit dangerous and there are places to proceed with caution.
Aydın Kırağın hill is the best place to see the Goreme settlement from above. Early in the morning you can watch the balloon images in the most beautiful and comfortable way. When you go up the hill in the evening, you can relieve the tiredness of the day with a tea or coffee while watching the unique lighted view of Goreme.
Göreme is one of the churches in the open air museum. Since photography is prohibited, we share its view from the outside with you. We recommend that you visit the open air museum, where the most churches in Goreme are together, and visit all the churches here.
This church, known as Yusuf Koç, is actually a church with an unknown name. You can reach this church, which was converted into a dovecote after a while, by following the Adnan Kahveci street in Karşıbucak. Yusuf Koç church, whose entrance consists of an iron staircase with a total of 13 steps, is also known as Durmuş Kadir Church.
This church, which is thought to have been built for procedures such as votive dedication and confession instead of christian rites, has remarkable frescoes. In these frescoes, there are symbols such as people in military uniforms and husband and wife. At the entrance of the church, constantine and Helena are depicted with a cross in their hands.
It is one of the most interesting and must-see churches in the Goreme museum. The interior and location of the Çarıklı church makes you feel that this church is special.
El Nazr church is a church in almost the same location as Zemi valley. Those who will go to Zemi valley can visit El nazar church by following the road before entering the valley.
Apple church is also located in the open air museum. It seems that the church has a lower floor and different areas apart from other churches. There is security in the church to prevent special photography directly inside the church. You can learn the historical details of the church from our topic on the site.
We can say that Göreme is the most mysterious church among the churches in the open air museum. It is both mysterious and has a magnificent structure due to its location. There is also a fee for the entrance.
It is a church that attracts attention among the churches of Goreme. The church on the way to the open-air museum has a special structure. The interior construction of the church amazes those who see it. We recommend that you feel and examine the iatmesferi motifs in the church in a special way.
Places to Visit in Goreme
Places to Visit in Göreme Watch Youtube
You can watch the places to visit in Göreme in detail in our 4K YouTube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5jjVNSpwOc&t=729s
Göreme Pigeon valley, named after the pigeon nests in the region, has a very beautiful appearance with pigeons feeding in the hollows. The fertilizers taken from these nests were previously used in vineyards by the local people who were engaged in agriculture. Eggs were also preferred in frescoes. This valley, which has a very important value among the places to visit in Goreme, has become the first choice for those who want to spend a quiet and peaceful time.
Places to visit in Goreme in the evening
Göreme, which is one of the regions known for its rich historical texture as well as the places where you can have a pleasant time, has different places you can visit in the evening.
Organic Wine House is one of the places where you can spend time in an authentic way. It is in the center of Goreme and you can reach on foot. You will also not have transportation and parking problems by car. It will make you fall in love with Cappadocia once again with its magnificent view. Handmade wines are made from the grapes of Cappadocia.
Terrace Pub; It is one of the entertainment venues you can choose especially in the summer season. It attracts both local and foreign tourists. In addition, concerts are often organized in the venue. It can be an ideal choice for those who want to spend an active night.
Soffy’s Kitchen is one of the alternatives where you can have dinner and spend time at night. It has an architecture worthy of the historical structure of Goreme. It is a place where live music lovers can have a pleasant time.
Museum Teras Cafe; It is a place about 2 km away from the center of Goreme. The place where you can see the fairy chimneys directly has an authentic architecture and decoration. You can either have a meal or just enjoy the view with a drink.
Red Wine; It is a place you can choose when you want to spend pleasant times free from the stress of modern life. Especially if you are planning a trip to Cappadocia in autumn and winter, it can be a great choice to have dinner and spend time with your loved ones. You will love the rugs reflecting the history of Cappadocia and the harmony of the sofa and fireplace.
What is Goreme Famous for?
Tourists visiting Goreme may want to explore Goreme completely by researching what the town is famous for.
Goreme is a town famous for its vineyards. You can try the wines made from the grapes grown in the region and buy gifts for your loved ones.
Fairy chimneys are the most famous structure of the region. When you go to Goreme, you may not be satisfied with seeing only the touristic fairy chimneys. You can visit the fairy chimneys included in restaurants and hotels and spend time here. You can also buy miniature fairy chimneys sold as souvenirs.
You can come across hand-woven carpets in Goreme. Even if you do not buy large carpets, you can consider buying small decorative carpets.
Onyx stone is very famous in Goreme. For this reason, you can see that this stone is often used in souvenirs.
Test kebab is frequently made in Goreme. You can taste Göreme’s jug kebab in restaurants. Jugs are also sold in souvenir shops.
Sunset Point is one of the most common places in Cappadocia photos. It is a great choice for watching the sunrise and sunset of Cappadocia. It is one of the places you should definitely include in your Cappadocia trip.
The place where you can watch the famous sunset of Cappadocia is very close to Aşıklar Hill. It is within walking distance to the center of Goreme. Therefore, you will not have a problem with transportation. However, you can also use your private car if you wish. However, it is useful to act carefully considering that there is a steep slope.
For your Sunset Point trip, you can take care to reach the place 1 hour before. In this way, you can visit the surroundings before watching the sunset and if you wish, you can take a break and have a drink. There are also shops where you can buy small gifts for your loved ones.
To go up sunset point, you will first need to buy a ticket. You will have a wonderful memory of Cappadocia with the view that will greet you when you go up. From this point you can see fairy chimneys and balloons. You can capture magnificent frames at the point where you will have complete control of the environment. It is also possible to have professional photographs taken here.
After watching Cappadocia at sunrise and taking photos, you can also wait for the weather to get completely dark. With the lights on, you can approach Cappadocia from a different perspective.
Ürgüp and Göreme are not the same places. Both towns can be confused with each other as they are important touristic areas of Cappadocia. But they are completely different places.
The distance between Ürgüp and Göreme is approximately 9-10 km. You will not have any problems with transportation. In addition, both towns are small and cute places. In this respect, they are similar to each other.
Since Cappadocia is not the name of a city, it can be difficult to understand exactly which region is being mentioned when it comes to a trip to Cappadocia. The Cappadocia region has a history dating back to 7000 BC. It means “land of beautiful horses”. Today, when Cappadocia is mentioned, Nevşehir and its districts are considered basically. However, the provinces of Aksaray, Kayseri, Kırşehir and Niğde are also in Cappadocia.
Göreme is a town connected to the central district of Nevşehir. It is not the whole of Cappadocia. However, since the fairy chimneys are mainly in Göreme and Ürgüp, it is one of the first places that come to mind when Cappadocia is mentioned.
When it comes to fairy chimneys, Göreme comes to mind first. The reason for this is especially the fairy chimneys in Göreme National Park. These fairy chimneys are home to historical buildings and are considered as must-see areas for tourists. However, there are fairy chimneys in Ürgüp. If you do not have enough time to spend in Cappadocia, you can choose to see the fairy chimneys in Goreme.