The heart of Cappadocia — Göreme, a village set right among the fairy chimneys, packed with cave hotels, restaurants, tour agencies and the famous Open-Air Museum, and the main launch site for the balloons. Central, atmospheric and walkable, surrounded by the best valleys and trails; the classic base for a first visit who wants to be in the thick of it, with everything on the doorstep. The most popular and convenient place to stay. Cappadocia at its most magical.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€70–140
typical per night in Turkey
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Cappadocia — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Göreme and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- Pigeon Valley20 min walk1.7 km
- Uçhisar Castle7 min taxi2.5 km
- Hiking the Red & Rose Valleys8 min taxi2.6 km
- Devrent (Imagination) Valley16 min taxi5.4 km
- Cappadocian wine tasting22 min taxi7.4 km
- Ürgüp & the Three Beauties22 min taxi7.4 km
- Avanos & the Red River25 min taxi8.2 km
- Throw a pot in Avanos25 min taxi8.2 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 1.A hot-air balloon flight — The experience of a lifetime and the icon of Cappadocia — floating aloft at dawn in a hot-air balloon as hundreds of others rise around you, drifting silently over the fairy chimneys, honeycombed valleys and cave dwellings as the sun paints the surreal landscape gold. It's magical, serene and utterly unforgettable, and the single reason many people come. Book ahead, allow spare days (flights cancel in wind), and splurge — it's worth every penny. The definitive Cappadocia experience; simply breathtaking. Do not miss it.
- 2.Göreme Open-Air Museum — The spiritual heart of Cappadocia — the UNESCO-listed Göreme Open-Air Museum, a cluster of rock-cut Byzantine cave churches and monasteries carved into the cliffs, many adorned with astonishingly preserved medieval frescoes glowing on the cave walls. Wander from church to church exploring the painted chapels and monastic cells, a window into a thousand years of early Christian life in the rock. A fascinating, beautiful and essential highlight; don't miss the frescoed Dark Church (extra ticket). An unmissable, atmospheric plunge into Cappadocia's history.
- 4.Sunset & valley viewpoints — Cappadocia is made for golden-hour views — climb to the Sunset Point above Göreme, the Red and Rose Valley overlooks, or the Uçhisar castle rock, to watch the sun set the fairy chimneys and rippling valleys aglow in pink and gold. Grab a Turkish tea at a viewpoint café, watch the light change over the surreal landscape, and (in season) the last balloons drifting down. A magical, free way to drink in the region's otherworldly beauty. Every viewpoint delivers a jaw-dropping panorama; unmissable at sunrise or sunset.
- 6.Stay in a cave hotel — In Cappadocia, the accommodation is part of the adventure — sleeping in a cave hotel, in rooms carved into the soft volcanic rock, ranging from cosy backpacker caves to sumptuous boutique suites with private terraces and balloon views at dawn. Waking in a cave room and stepping onto a terrace to watch the balloons rise over the valleys is pure magic. A unique, atmospheric and quintessential Cappadocian experience; book a terrace room with a valley view for the full effect. An unmissable part of the region's charm. Wonderful.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Göreme; flights via Google Flights.