Göreme National Park

The Göreme valley alone boasts eleven churches with unique architecture and wall decorations. Carved out of tufa, the region's typical volcanic rock, these religious buildings have much in common with the troglodyte dwellings of Göreme. The interior spaces vary in size, but most of the churches are narrow.

Of all the churches in the city of Göreme, theChurch of the Loop –also known as Tokali Kilise– is the largest and undoubtedly the most visited. Built in the tenth century, it consists of three distinct parts. Its walls are covered with scenes illustrating the life of Christ, and the wall decorations are extremely well preserved.

A little further south of Göreme, in the municipality of Nevşehir, theDark Church of Cappadocia is the only church in the region still intact. Dating back more than 5,000 years, this building was once a monastery before being rehabilitated as a residential area, with several chapels and churches. It is located within the grounds of the Göreme Open-Air Museum, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As the paintings are fragile and can be affected by breathing, visits to the dark church are limited to a maximum of 3 minutes, in groups of 15 people.

Located less than 2 kilometres from Göreme town centre (about a 20-minute walk), the Göreme Open Air Museum is one of the most important tourist facilities in Cappadocia. Also a UNESCO World Heritage site, this open-air museum contains the region's most beautiful rock art sites.

For just 100 TL per person (just over €5), you can visit the many buildings - mainly religious - carved out between the fairy chimneys. Allow at least 2 to 3 hours to visit the site in its entirety. Don't miss the Convent of the Nuns and theChurch of Saint Barbara, as well as theDark Church mentioned earlier in this article (entrance fee extra).

Please note that in order to preserve the paintings, photography is prohibited in several of the museum's buildings. Please pay particular attention to the signs.

The city of Göreme is packed with restaurants and is very popular with tourists. Although the setting and views are generally splendid (especially from the rooftop terraces), the quality of the food is often not as good as in the country's other cities. There are a few pleasant establishments, however, such as Buyuk Adana Kebap and Omurca Art Cafe, where many cats roam freely. It's also worth noting that vegetarian options are rare, apart from a few mezzés (hummus, gozleme with cheese, etc.).

For those wishing to stop off for a few days to take in the sights of the Göreme valley, there are both guesthouses and hotels to welcome tourists. Most of these accommodations are dug into the rock, just like the troglodyte villages of yesteryear.

In the city of Göreme, you'll have no trouble finding accommodation to suit your budget and/or your needs. For those on a budget, the guesthouse Kose Pension offers dormitory beds and private rooms from 220 TL per night (just over €10), with breakfast included. If you prefer to experience life underground, the Melek Cave Hotel and the Anatolian Houses Caves Hotel & Spa offer guests comfortable troglodyte rooms and suites overlooking the Love Valley.