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Göreme is the main tourist center in Cappadocia, Turkey. It sits at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Göreme Historical National Park (Göreme Tarihî Milli Parkı).
History of Göreme
For the majority of its history, Göreme was a small agricultural village. In ancient times, it was known as Kórama (Κόραμα). During the Byzantine period up until 1928, it was known as Matianí (Ματιανή) or Matianá (Ματιανά). The Turkish government, in a bid to Turkify the names of towns, changed the name to Göreme, which is a variation of the ancient name of Kórama.
When tourism exploded in the 1970s, many locals converted caves and other homes into hotels. They also transitioned from agriculture to tourism as a way of life. By 2000, the town had become the tourist capital of Cappadocia.
What to See around Town
There’s not much to see in modern Göreme itself. All the major attractions sit outside the town, such as the Göreme Open Air Museum and several beautiful valleys containing fairy chimneys and rock-cut churches.
There are plenty of hotels and restaurants to choose from as well as souvenir shops and other tourist facilities. A balloon viewing area, also good for sunrise and sunset, sits on a hill above town.
Göreme Panorama
Göreme Panorama is a scenic overlook near town. It runs for about 900 meters along a ridge following the road between Göreme and Üçhisar. If you’re on a guided tour, there’s a very good chance the guide will stop here to let your group enjoy the incredible views. If not, it’s only a short walk from the town of Göreme.
From the overlook, it’s possible to see down into Pigeon Valley, the town of Göreme, and Üçhisar Castle towering above Üçhisar. You might spot some hikers down in the valley as well.
Looking down, there are fairy chimneys scattered throughout the landscape as well as dovecotes where locals used to harvest pigeon droppings.
Facilities
In addition to the amazing views, there are plenty of tourist facilities. You’ll find restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, and more along the entire ridge.
Red Valley
Red Valley (Kızılçukur Vadisi) is one of the most beautiful natural places in Cappadocia. It’s actually a series of valleys between Göreme and Çavuşin. The valley is true to its name, with a variety of red hues that appear on the rocks during sunrise and sunset. It also has a few spectacular cave churches worth visiting.
Red Valley was developed in the 10th century during the Byzantine period. Local Greeks built cave churches and carved dovecotes. They also terraced parts of the valley and installed an irrigation system.
Scenic Overlook
Most people stop at the scenic overlook at the highest point of Red Valley while on a guided tour of Cappadocia. It’s a developed area with plenty of restaurants, souvenir shops, and other tourist facilities. With panoramic views in just about every direction, it’s possible to spot prominent landmarks such as Üçhisar Castle in the distance.
Looking east, on a clear day you can see snowcapped Mount Erciyes (Erciyes Dağı). It’s one of the two volcanoes that poured ash over Cappadocia millions of years ago. Erosion of that ash resulted in the fairy chimneys and rock formations dotting the landscape today.
Hiking Red Valley
The best way to see Red Valley, however, is on foot. It’s one of the most scenic places to hike in the entire region. You can hire a guide to navigate the difficult terrain or go it alone with a map in hand. Not to miss are the Grape Church (Üzümlü Kilise) and the Cross Church (Haçlı Kilise).
It’s also possible to see the valley on horseback or a mountain bike, but hiking is preferable due to the challenging terrain. Motorized vehicles such as ATVs or motorcycles are forbidden.
Where to Stay in Göreme
I’ve only spent the night in one hotel in Göreme. It was an unforgettable experience.
Anatolian Houses
On a visit to Cappacodia in June 2022, I spent the night at Anatolian Houses. It’s the only hotel in the region built inside eight fairy chimneys. The hotel is only a few minutes walk from the center of Göreme, with plenty of choices for restaurants and souvenir shopping nearby.
Rooms at Anatolian Houses
There are 33 rooms divided into 2 sections of the hotel connected by an underground passage. The first section consists of 19 rooms built directly into the fairy chimneys while the second section contains 15 rooms in restored Anatolian homes.
Each room is uniquely decorated and features antiques such as vases, kilims, or sculptures. Some of the rooms have terraces and others have jacuzzis.
My room was in the section of restored homes. It was extremely comfortable and cool at night. There were antique vases showcased in a small section behind the bed. I had a wonderful night of sleep.
Breakfast at Anatolian Houses
Anatolian Houses has a small dining area where a delicious buffet breakfast is served every morning. There are typical Turkish specialties such as olives, cheeses, honey, and breads, as well as international options.
Spa and Pool
The spa and swimming pool sit underneath the property in the passage connecting the two sections of the hotel. Heated chairs and a hamam are available to all guests. Spa services such as massages cost extra and must be reserved in advanced.
Balloon Viewing Platform
Finally, for guests who opt not to take the balloon ride at the crack of dawn, there’s a viewing platform on top of one of the rooms in the restored homes section of the hotel. It’s a great place to witness one of the highlights of Cappadocia.
My Thoughts on Anatolian Houses
Overall, my experience was excellent and I would be more than happy to stay at Anatolian Houses again. Staff was extremely helpful throughout, but the only problem was that they charged my credit card twice by mistake. They woke me up after midnight to tell me about it. Instead of the logical solution of canceling the charge, they sent a wire to my bank in the United States to process the refund. Aside from that annoyance, everything was incredible.
Where to Eat in Göreme
On our one night in Göreme, we walked down to the town center for dinner.
Kebapzade
Kebapzade serves decent Turkish cuisine at reasonable prices. We sat up on the top floor for the nice views of town. I had the Hatay güveç, which is a hearty stew with lamb and vegetables served bubbling in a stone bowl. The rest of my group had kebabs and meze dishes.
