Goreme is a small but most popular tourist village in Cappadocia. Although there are larger cities in the area (Kayseri and Nevsehir) with an airport, markets, museums and bustling bars, it is Goreme that is the tourist center of the region. 95% of tourists rent a hotel here, buy excursions, take walks through the valleys and forays to various attractions from here.

Why do people mostly travel to Goreme (Türkiye), and not to other places in Cappadocia?

Firstly, the village is very advantageously located: it is located in the very center of the Goreme National Park. This is a huge open-air museum, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The national park is famous for the fact that many centuries ago it was the largest Christian center with a large number of rock churches, monasteries and individual monks’ cells. In addition, many beautiful valleys with unique “lunar landscapes” are also located in this park and begin right next to Goreme. This is very convenient for independent walks and walking tours.

Secondly, Goreme (Türkiye) is equipped especially for tourists. There are a huge number of hotels and restaurants, souvenir shops and tour desks, and there are many bicycle and ATV rental offices. There is also a playground near Goreme. Local residents live off tourism and try to make vacationers feel comfortable and cozy.

Third, Goreme (or rather its center) is more tidy and clean compared to neighboring resort “cities”. But on the outskirts, the colorful atmosphere of a Turkish village has been preserved: women pick seeds from pumpkins, chickens run around, and tractors line the road.

Sights of Goreme and the surrounding area

  1. (Türkiye)– the most famous attraction of Cappadocia. Read more about it in a separate article from our author’s guide.
  2. Valleys near Goreme. Near the village there are many valleys where you can walk, take beautiful pictures, and if you’re lucky, watch turtles and lizards. A detailed description of the valleys with photographs can be found by looking at, and see ready-made walking routes for walking.
  3. Observation deck. It is clearly visible from almost everywhere. Towers over a small one. It offers a wonderful view of Goreme (also called the “Göreme panorama”), the Görkünder valley and the surrounding area.
  4. UFO Museum. It is no coincidence that a small museum was opened here in 2005, because Cappadocia is one of the top five places where increased UFO activity is observed. Here are clippings from newspapers and magazines in 8 languages ​​with descriptions of various paranormal phenomena and interviews with people abducted by aliens. But the most interesting thing in the exhibition is the installation depicting a scene of four aliens studying an inhabitant of the Earth. Museum opening hours: 09.00-19.00. Finding the UFO Museum in Goreme is not difficult: it is located 200-300 m to the left of the road to the Open Air Museum.

Where to stay in Goreme: hotels, pensions, hostels, campsites

Goreme (Turkey) has the largest number of different hotels, boarding houses and hostels. There are so many of them that even in high season it is not necessary to book in advance (unless, of course, you are tied to a specific hotel). You can always find something on your own upon arrival.

The types of housing in Goreme are different: there are cave hotels, completely or partially carved out of the rock, there are real Sultan's stone palaces, there are family hotels, there are simple hostels, and there are comfortable campsites.

Checkout time is usually 09.00 (before the arrival of morning buses). If you have already left, but you have free time and want to take a walk somewhere else before the bus departs, you can leave your things at the reception.

Where to eat in Goreme: restaurants, cafes, bars...

There are a lot of different establishments in Goreme where you can eat or drink a cup of coffee, have a light snack or relax with a glass of Cappadocian wine. There are restaurants, cafes, pide places (that is, pizzerias), bars... There are places where vegetarians can dine, and places where they serve halal (food without pork). There are restaurants with Turkish cuisine, and others with European (French, Italian, Austrian) or even international (American, Indian, Chinese, Korean). It’s just that there is no Russian and Ukrainian cuisine in Goreme in Turkey yet, but I think it’s a matter of time!

We talked about the five best places to eat in Goreme (three restaurants and a couple of cafes) in the material (see rating). Here we will list a few more food establishments that are also among the top ten.

Cappadocian Cuisine– family restaurant with traditional Turkish cuisine. The hospitable hostess Khatizhda greets you at the door in national clothes, sometimes with a cigar or a cup of coffee. She knows how to say “Hello” and “Come see us” in many languages ​​and accurately, at first glance, determines how to address you specifically. All the waiters in the restaurant speak excellent English. The menu is extensive: here you can order individual dishes to suit your taste, as well as a set lunch, which includes soup (for example, chorba), a main meat dish (testi kebab or something else), rice, salad and tea. The service is fast, but so that guests don’t get bored while waiting for their order, they are given a free “compliment from the restaurant” - a basket of warm bread with ayran sauce with herbs (it’s so “tasty” to break off small pieces from the flatbread and dip them in the sauce), sometimes tea or small puddings if you come with children. You can eat inside the restaurant or on the street. You can bring your own wine. Portions are average. Prices are moderate. Address: Uzundere Cad., 5/B.

Firin Express- a cafe with no frills in its interior, but this is where you can try the best Turkish pizza in the city - pide. It is served straight from the oven, hot and juicy. There are many variations of pide on the menu, but the most popular is with cheese and spinach. They also bake etli ekmek - a thin and narrow long pizza with minced meat. The kitchen is located right in the hall, and you can watch your order being prepared (and, if you wish, film it on video). In a huge oven, meat and vegetable dishes are stewed, as well as everything that is rolled in egg. In addition, here you can order lentil or tomato soup, rice with vegetables, tuna salad, and of course, dough kebab. It is possible to purchase pizza to take away (everything will be perfectly packaged for you). Address: Cami Caddesi, 4-5.

Red red wine house– a cozy wine bar in Goreme (Turkey) with delicious homemade wines, as well as alcoholic drinks from local wineries. It's a good place to relax with friends, smoke a hookah and watch the fire in the fireplace. There is wi-fi. Light Turkish music creates a pleasant atmosphere. The bar is open all year round in memory of the fact that Carlos Santana, an American guitar virtuoso and winner of numerous Grammy awards, once visited here (because of this, Red wine is sometimes called Santana Bar). If you're hungry, you can order food from the restaurant next door, owned by the bar owner's son. The only negative is probably that you can only order house wine by the glass (on tap). If you want to try wine from local wineries, you need to purchase a whole bottle. Address: Muze Caddesi, 9.

Excursions and entertainment in Goreme (Turkey): safaris, hammams, hot air balloons…

There are a huge number of tour agencies and private guides in Goreme. All of them offer, as a rule, a standard set, the most popular of which are tours. The only downside is that they are conducted mainly in English. If you want to have a Russian-speaking guide, then you can book some excursions online in advance, while still at home, for example, on the website.

Among the entertainment in Goreme (see also) the leading ones are ATV safaris, shows, walking tours, hammams and excursions to wineries.

Souvenir and grocery stores

While vacationing in Goreme (Turkey), you can choose and buy various souvenirs (see) both for yourself and as a gift to friends and family. They are sold in small souvenir shops, as well as on observation decks near the city. Please note that Goreme does not have its own production, so ceramics are brought here from Avanos, wines from Uchisar or Urgup, and carpets from Kayseri or Avanos (in these cities, of course, they will be cheaper). But in Goreme there are gallery shops where you will be offered original handmade items.

We recommend paying attention to Art By Emre - this is a small shop with jewelry, accessories, postcards, handbags that the owner Emre makes himself (besides, he speaks excellent English and loves to chat with tourists). The best carpet store in Goreme (Turkey) is Sultan Carpet (Address: Muze caddesi, 32). And you will find beautiful ceramics at Hattuşa Handmade Ceramics (Address: Muze caddesi, 42/4).

Two grocery stores are located to the left of the road at the very exit from Goreme towards Cavusin. One is a small private store, the other is a Dias chain store. The Dias store sells everyday food and hygiene products at regular prices. Bank cards are accepted for payment.

Useful places for tourists: information kiosk, bank, post office

Information kiosk, located at the Goreme bus station (Turkey), is open during the arrival time of most intercity buses. It belongs to the Goreme Tourism Society and is essentially an association of restaurant and hotel owners, whose main task is, of course, to advertise their establishments (which is why the staff does not have any significant information). But here they can give you free neighborhood map and change money (although the rate will be much lower than at the bank).

Withdraw money in the city it is possible at ATMs located at the bus station (otogar) and around it. Exchange currency It’s best to go to the post office or Deniz Bank (note that it is closed on Saturdays and Sundays). These days you can change money at travel agencies or at your hotel. Advice! It is best to change currency somewhere other than Cappadocia, because the exchange rate here is much worse than, say, on the Mediterranean Sea or in Ankara.

At the post office in Goreme you can buy souvenir cards for friends and stamps to send them. In addition, there is a telephone and currency exchange service. There are always a lot of tourists at the post office - everyone wants to send postcards.

How to get to Goreme (Türkiye)

Goreme is the tourist center of the region, and we described in detail how to get here from different cities in Turkey, as well as from Russia or Ukraine.
First we select hotel on Booking. They have an excellent base of offers, but the prices are NOT the best! The same hotel can often be found for 20% cheaper through

attractions, things to do

Goreme Open Air Museum

It is the most famous and most visited attraction in Cappadocia. This is a monastery complex that was rebuilt from the first centuries of our era, when Cappadocia became a refuge for the first Christians fleeing the persecution of the Roman Empire, until the troubled period of iconoclasm for Christianity in the 8-9 centuries, when Cappadocia again became a refuge for believers.

An ancient monastery complex. Photo: Thomas Meson, Flickr


Caves that served as cells and housing for monks. Photo: Louisa Gibson, Flickr

The museum is open daily from 8.30 to 19.00 in summer and until 17.00 in winter. Entrance to the museum costs 10 liras. The price also includes a visit to the Church of the Buckle (Tokali Kilise), the largest of the cave churches in Cappadocia. It is not located on the territory of the museum, but a little down the road in the direction of Goreme.

Cave Church. Photo: Curious Expeditions, Flickr

Valleys of Cappadocia

Long walks through unusual, but very picturesque valleys are, in fact, what people go to Cappadocia for. A map with hiking trails can be obtained from any hotel or guesthouse. Evening treks are regularly organized from the city to one of the most picturesque valleys, the Rose Valley, which allows you to watch the magnificent sunset in the valley.

Rose Valley. Photo: Jonathan Reid, Flickr

Hot air balloon flight over the valleys of Cappadocia. Photo: Fatima Kazmi, Flickr

Ave. Duration 4h 5m When Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday Estimated price 650 ₺ - 2.500 ₺
Flights from Ankara to Nevsehir via Istanbul Ataturk
Ave. Duration 4h 15m When Every day Estimated price 650 ₺ - 2.600 ₺
Flights from Ankara to Nevsehir via Bodrum, Sabiha Gokcen
Ave. Duration 5h 55m When Saturday Estimated price 750 ₺ - 2.700 ₺
Flights from Ankara to Nevsehir via Izmir, Sabiha Gokcen
Ave. Duration 6h 15m When Wednesday, Friday and Sunday Estimated price 700 ₺ - 2.700 ₺
Flights from Ankara to Nevsehir via Antalya, Sabiha Gokcen
Ave. Duration 6h 30m When Wednesday and Friday Estimated price 700 ₺ - 2.700 ₺
Flights from Ankara to Nevsehir via Edremit, Istanbul Ataturk
Ave. Duration 6h 45m When Monday and Saturday Estimated price 700 ₺ - 2.700 ₺
Flights from Ankara to Nevsehir via Bodrum, Istanbul Ataturk
Ave. Duration 6h 50m When Monday, Wednesday and Sunday Estimated price 750 ₺ - 2.800 ₺

How to get to Goreme from Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara and other cities? Which airports are the best to fly to? And how to get to the city from Nevsehir and Kayseri airports. Everything you need to know before traveling to Cappadocia on your own. How to get there, where to rent accommodation, prices in cafes and restaurants.

I rarely sing the praises of particular cities, countries and tourist destinations, but Cappadocia is not that case. Goreme is really a very cool place. Just space (like Stas from the song “Leningrad”). Therefore, if you suddenly find yourself in Turkey, be sure to visit this place for at least a full 2-3 days. You'll like it. And I, for my part, will tell you how to organize such a trip for yourself.

The easiest way is, of course, to simply go to one of the many travel agencies in Istanbul and buy yourself a ready-made tour to Cappadocia. There are no tricks here. But keep in mind that the prices there are off the charts. I won’t even list them, because depending on the duration of the trip, the quality of the hotel and included options and the language in which the guide will speak to you, their cost can vary greatly. Therefore, in this article I will not consider such options for traveling to Cappadocia. Instead, I’d better tell you how to get to this region on your own - by bus or plane.

Let's define the concepts

Cappadocia is a fairly large region located in the central part of Turkey. The largest cities here are Kayseri and Nevsehir. However, from a tourist point of view, they can only be considered as a transit point. Most of the attractions for which people actually go to Cappadocia are located in the area of ​​the city of Urgup. It is next to it that such popular tourist villages as Goreme, Uchisar, Zelve are located, as well as various valleys, caves and open-air museums.

Where is the best place to live in Cappadocia?

Panorama of Goreme from the terrace of the Arch Palace Hotel.

The most popular tourist center in the region is Goreme city . Well, like a “city”... There are two streets along and two across. The entire settlement, in fact, is a collection of hotels, cafes, travel agencies and souvenir shops. There's not much else there. Well, you can only remember the mosque that will wake you up every morning. It was in Goreme that we ourselves lived during this trip.

In principle, if for some reason Goreme is not suitable for you, you can rent a hotel for the duration of your trip in the village Uchisar . There is a famous cave castle there, and also very close to it is the Pigeon Valley, which is one of the popular tourist routes.

Uchisar fortress.

From a logistics point of view, Uchisar is also a good place. But there is one important “But”: balloons. I personally am not sure that their morning flight from Uchisar will look as picturesque. One young Turk (who generally impressed me as an educated person) swore by his mother that balloons were also perfectly visible from Uchisar. "But"! I repeat: I doubt it. The thing is that in Goreme they fly right above your head. And in Uchisar, they will most likely be visible in the distance (even though it is located on a hill, which in theory should provide a good overview).

In general, an extravagant option to stay during a trip to Cappadocia in Nevsehir. In fact, even there there are actually tourists in the hotels (despite the fact that Goreme National Park is 12 kilometers away from here). Typically, tourists who choose Nevsehir simply rent a car or buy some kind of off-road tour and thus move around the region. Again, the question here arises only with balloons. As for the rest, of course, Nevsehir also has its advantages. For example, cafes in Goreme are relatively expensive. In Nevsehir, I am sure there is no such problem. And it’s easier to get from the airport.

I’ll write a few words on a separate line about Urgup. This is another important center of Cappadocia. But I wasn’t there, so I’ll leave Urgup out of the equation. I read in one article that it is something between Goreme and Nevsehir. Let's settle for that.

How to get to Cappadocia?

Let's still consider Goreme as the final point. This is right in the heart of Cappadocia. Therefore, the phrase “how to get to Cappadocia” in this article will mean “How to get to Goreme”. So... Let's get down to business. There are two different ways to get to this region from Istanbul: by bus or by plane. More about everything separately.

How to get to Cappadocia by bus (from Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya)?

To do this, you need to buy tickets on the website or at the office of bus companies such as Metro, Nevsehir Seyahat or Kamil Koc. These three companies operate flights directly to Goreme. Some other companies have flights to Nevsehir or Kayseri, but going to Cappadocia with a transfer, of course, is not very convenient, so I will leave them out of the equation.

Ticket prices . At the time of writing flights from Istanbul to Goreme cost 100 liras (about 20 euros) for one way travel. Travel from Ankara cheaper (such a ticket will cost you about 50 liras). From Antalya the ticket costs 70-80 liras.

Travel time It’s also different everywhere. From Istanbul to Goreme it is a 10-11 hour drive. From Ankara – 4 or 5 hours. And from Antalya – 8 or 9 (depending on specific flights and traffic on the roads).

For more information, see the following sites:

  • metroturizm.com.tr
  • nevsehirlilerseyahat.com.tr
  • kamilkoc.com.tr

The advantages of this option . Buses in Turkey are very comfortable. There are soft chairs, monitors in the seats, toilets, wi-fi, sockets. I heard that some of them even provide food like on an airplane. But, as they say, this is not accurate. Another advantage of traveling to Cappadocia by bus is that many flights are overnight, which means you can save on hotel costs. This is important for many travelers. However, I would personally like to draw your attention to another circumstance - the fact that buses come directly (!!!) to Goreme. Planes, in turn, fly to nearby airports - to Kayseri or Nevsehir, from where you still need to somehow get to the final point (I will write about this separately). Another advantage of buses is a large amount of free luggage, which in the same Turkish low-cost airlines is limited to certain parameters (8 kg and 55x40x20 cm). In general, as you understand, buses also have their important advantages. Carefully weigh all the pros and cons before choosing one option or another.

This is interesting ! A lyrical digression in the style of “A Minute for the Curious.” On Turkish buses, seats for men and women are initially separated. Yes, if you are husband and wife, you can go together. But in general, by default, men and women are seated separately in the cabin (girls with girls, boys with boys). Seats in the cabin are even highlighted in different colors - blue for men, pink for women. Like in a maternity hospital. Gee-gee-gee...

Disadvantages of traveling by bus . In fact, there are only two of them: it takes a long time and it is quite expensive. The thing is that the cost of air travel and bus travel is almost identical. But at the same time, a plane from Istanbul flies for 1 hour, and a bus takes as much as 10.

How to get from Goreme back to Istanbul/Antalya/Ankara

Everything is simple here. Come to the Goreme bus station and buy tickets right there from one of the bus companies. Pay attention to the photo - it clearly shows that there are a lot of different offices there (and they are located next to each other).

Prices are the same everywhere. Only the companies themselves and departure times differ. Choose the right time, buy a ticket and eat. The bus station in Goreme is located in the city center. You won't miss it. I repeat: there are two streets along and two across. If anything, focus on this monument.

Looks like a zombie crawling out of the ground and clutching the Turkish flag in his hands.

How to get to Cappadocia by plane?

Buy a ticket and get there. Everything here is extremely simple. Flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport in this direction are operated by such companies as TurkishAirlines and their low-cost “daughter” AnadoluJet. Low-cost airlines also fly to Cappadocia. Some sites on the Internet also mention the Atlas jet company, but I personally was quite confused on their site.

In fact, I personally recommend that you watch Anadolu Jet and Pegasus flights. The cost of a flight here starts from 60 liras (12 euros), but of course it can vary significantly depending on the day of departure, the amount of luggage you need or, for example, the class you are going to fly.

Personally, we ourselves traveled to Nevsehir from Istanbul on an Anadolu Jet flight (110 liras for a one-way flight). And personally, I was completely satisfied with them. At the moment this is the best low-cost airline I have ever flown with. They have new planes, a convenient website. And there is as much as 8 kilograms of free included luggage (+ laptop, handbag, etc.). This, by the way, is one kilogram more than that of the national airline of Ukraine – UIA. In addition, there is free food on the flight (they give you a sandwich, a muffin and drinks). The national airline of Belarus, Belavia, despite the draconian prices, only has “Vzletnye” sweets and stunted chocolate.

Retro photo from my archive.

In general, Anadolu Jet are great. When the flight was delayed by two hours, they even gave us a dry meal (while my beloved Ryanair ignored us in a similar situation last year). So stop... Enough about Anadolu Jet... Everyone has already realized how wonderful they are. Let's talk about airports now...

Which Cappadocia airport is the best to fly to?

As I already said, there are two airports in Cappadocia - in Nevsehir and Kayseri. The first is located 35 kilometers from Goreme. The other is in his 70s. Therefore, flying to Nevsehir is a little more convenient. Personally, we did just that - we flew to Nevsehir, and from there we took a separate transfer directly to Goreme.

By the way, the airport in Nevsehir is one of the smallest I have ever seen.

How to get to Goreme from Nevsehir/Kayseri airport

Everything is quite simple here. You can order a direct transfer yourself or through the hotel (this is also very popular). The thing is that there are a huge number of transfer companies in Goreme. They are here like freaks in “House-2”. Hotel owners, as a rule, are friends with certain companies and constantly order transfers from them for their guests.

All that is required of you personally is to write to the hotel and ask them to organize a transfer for you. We booked the hotel on the AIRBNB website. There, writing to the landlord is generally easier than ever. Our own transfer from Nevsehir airport to Goreme cost 25 lira. Focus on this amount. At the exit from the airport, a driver with a sign meets you and leads you into a minivan. There is a roll call on the bus. When all the tourists have been collected, the car sets off.

The bus brings you directly to the hotel door. It is very comfortable. And one more thing... By the way, for the transfer itself we did not pay the driver who met us at the airport, but at the hotel. I don’t know, maybe he paid for the transfer with his own money before the trip. Or maybe the whole point is that they (hotel owners) receive some percentage from transfer companies? But the fact remains: prices are the same everywhere.

  • Transfer to Goreme from Nevsehir airport costs 25 liras;
  • Transfer to Goreme from Kayseri Airport costs 30 liras.

Sometimes hotel owners may ask for a larger amount for the transfer. Such people immediately go through the forest. However, there is a reverse trick when the hotel offers you a free airport transfer (at least one way). This is not kindness or exaggerated generosity. It’s just that in return you will be offered to buy an off-road tour, a hot air balloon flight, or something else like that from the same hotel. See for yourself here. If you are interested in this arrangement, you can agree. There is no deception here.

How to get to Goreme from Nevsehir/Kayseri airport on your own

I could swear that as I walked out of the airport doors, I saw a minibus with the inscription Goreme and the price of 15 lire, which was indicated on the body. However, when I went to photograph these same minibuses, it suddenly disappeared, and only minibuses to Nevsehir remained in place. On the Internet, I also did not find any mention of that same mysterious direct minibus for 15 liras. Therefore, I will appeal to facts and write about what I know for sure.

So. Firstly, you can book the same “minivan transfer” that we were ordered from the hotel. For example, follow the links below.

The price will remain the same - 25 liras for Nevsehir and 30 for Kayseri.

Another option is to go to Goreme by transit. For example, you leave the airport and take a minibus to Nevsehir. Pay 15 liras for it. You get to the city, and there you buy a ticket to Goreme for another 3 liras. The savings are around 7 liras (about 1.5 euros). Whether this is worth the trouble, see for yourself. We personally ordered the transfer through the hotel.

Hotels in Cappadocia

I already wrote about where it is best to stay during a trip to Cappadocia at the very beginning of the article. There are two and a half options - Goreme, Uchisar or Nevsehir. But I repeat: Goreme is the juice. Therefore, we will take it as a basis.

Despite the touristy nature of this Turkish village, hotels here are generally inexpensive. For 30 euros you can easily find yourself an excellent hotel here with breakfast included and a terrace on the top floor. Personally, during this trip we lived in a Superior room at the ARCH Palace hotel. I liked him. I recommend. The breakfast is delicious, the view from the terrace is beautiful, and I could even sleep crosswise on the bed. Plus the owner speaks excellent English.

As for other places. Their choice is huge. All hotels can be divided into “hotels in the rock” and “hotels in the rock.”

The second option, in my opinion, is preferable. Since in the first it is often cold and the Internet connection is poor. Although I’ll make a reservation: here, of course, a lot depends on the hotel itself. Read reviews.

Budget hotel rooms in Goreme can be rented for 17-20 euros. But I would recommend that you still focus on an amount of around 30 euros per room. These will already be hotels of a slightly higher class.

Another important nuance is the location. Try to find a hotel near a local observation point (“View point” is sometimes also marked as “Sunset/Sunrise point”). This is a mountain topped with a huge Turkish flag.

It is most pleasant and convenient to photograph flying balls from there. If your hotel is located far from this point, you will simply have to run there through the entire village and get up early in order to be at the observation deck by 6 am.

On which website did I personally look for hotels in Goreme? On the AIRBNB website (+ small discount for registration).

I also recommend that you check out all the options through the RoomGuru website. It's an ugly interface. But it compares prices on different sites (like Booking and Ostrovka) and shows where a specific room costs the cheapest. After that, all you have to do is go to the desired website and complete your booking.

Travel insurance to Cappadocia

Look, the whole point is that health insurance can vary greatly in its coverage and the number of included options. Regular insurance will help you in case of food poisoning, sunstroke or, for example, if you suddenly have an unexpected toothache. A completely different matter is hot air balloon rides or, for example, horseback riding. Many companies can classify such entertainment as active sports (and such an option must be turned on and paid for separately). There are exceptions. For example, before my own trip, I was able to find out that insurance policies from Zetta or Sberbank the same hot air balloon flights are covered by default. As for everyone else, check this point separately before purchasing a policy. Well, or simply, if you get injured, crawl to the hotel and in a conversation with the insurance company, swear that you twisted your ankle in the shower, and not while riding a horse or ATV.

You can buy insurance online and immediately compare policies from different companies based on the number of included options. Company insurance is also sold there. Zetta And Sberbank.I bought my policy there for the duration of the trip. I took a policy from Zetta. Insurance cost me $7.5 (for a week). I did not include “active sports” in my policy. But I repeat, if you want to insure yourself in case of injury while riding a motorcycle or, for example, walking in the mountains (trekking), you need to include these items in your policy (see print screen below).

There's nothing complicated here. Roughly speaking, you just need to check the box next to the appropriate item. Insurance covering active sports will cost $12-15. Read more about travel insurance for Turkey in the article below.

Goreme excursions and hot air balloon flights

Excursions in Cappadocia are a popular thing. Some people drive jeeps. Someone flies in hot air balloons. There are many options here. You can book such an excursion directly on the spot or online. For example, here (excursions in Russian are presented here).

A balloon flight will cost you approximately 150 euros. Plus or minus. In winter, I heard that such flights can be found cheaper (for 80-100 euros). The balloons themselves fly all year round (the main thing is that the weather is suitable). The price is influenced by the qualifications of the pilot, the take-off location and the language in which that same pilot (or accompanying person) will speak to you. You will actually have to pay extra for Russian and English. Various extras also affect the price. For example, champagne upon arrival, some diplomas about a hot air balloon flight, a mini-excursion in the style of “look at the Valley of Love over there.”

As for ordinary excursions, they are very different. The most popular are Red Tour and Green Tour. Routes and prices can be seen in the photographs. Something similar is offered at every turn in Cappadocia.

An alternative option is to rent a car () and drive everywhere on your own.

Where to go and what to see in Cappadocia?

In principle, you can walk through the valleys of Cappadocia on foot. This is a little difficult, but not critical - all points are within step-by-step accessibility.

Plus, the path itself can only be done in one direction, and you can hitchhike back to Goreme. Distances – 5-6 kilometers. Stopping the car is not a problem. You go out onto the highway and after 5-10 minutes someone will pick you up. Turks are hospitable and friendly people.

So... What to see in the Goreme area.

  • Open Air Museum (there are old churches in the rocks and frescoes);
  • Valleys. There are many of them here. The most popular are the Valley of Love, Pigeon Valley, Red and White Valleys, etc.

  • Cave fortress Uchisar. It is located in the village of the same name. You can get there from Goreme by bus for 2.5 liras. Or walk through the Pigeon Valley.
  • Cave cities. Kaymakli, Derinkuyu and others. It's better to go with a tour. It's a little difficult to do on your own.
  • Flight of balloons. Starts every day at 6 am. It is best observed from the observation deck in the center of Goreme. Although it is also clearly visible from many hotels.

Food in Cappadocia: how much food costs

Goreme is a tourist place, so all those doners and kebabs that you saw in Istanbul for 3-5 liras cost 7-10 here. This bun with chicken and vegetables will cost you 7 liras.


Tea in the same cafe costs 2 lira. In a cafe for locals (where Turkish grandfathers play checkers for days), they asked for 1.5 liras for a glass of tea.

Pida (similar to a closed pizza or Georgian khachapuri) costs 14-15 liras in a cafe. Kebab - 25 liras.

I’ll write separately about the Anatolian Kitchen cafe. Avoid him. It looks decent and is located right in the center of Goreme, but I personally got poisoned there. Maybe you will be lucky and your own trip to this cafe will not end so tragically. But it's better not to take risks. May my sacrifice not be in vain.

Friends, good day!

A large intercity bus station is located in the city of Nevsehir, which is 15 km from Goreme. But don’t let this scare you, since most routes either go directly to Goreme or take you to Nevsehir, from where small shuttles will take you to Goreme completely free of charge.

Some details of bus companies in Turkey

You can use 3 sites to search:

  • www.neredennereye.com
  • obilet.com
  • tickets.com.

It is best to use the 1st of them, since, firstly, it is in English, and secondly, it is the one in which you have the experience of buying tickets online. But the problem is that it shows that for some reason not all bus companies operate on one route or another.

The best and with the widest transport network is the Metro company - metroturizm.com.tr. I personally used their services and the rating is 5+. Everything is clear and professional. If you have the opportunity, then do not experiment!

  1. Kamıl Koç — kamilkoc.com.tr. Another monster of road transport. I consider this the number 2 moving company. I highly recommend it, but they simply don’t show up in the search engine.
  2. Güney Akdeniz - guneyakdeniz.com. This company provides transportation throughout the Mediterranean region: Bodrum - Antalya - Alanya - Isparta. Frequent flights and very reasonable prices.
  3. Pamukkale - pamukkale.com.tr. Another well-known and reliable company. But it seemed to me that it was a little more expensive than the previous one in the same directions.

What you need to know about traveling by bus

  1. When choosing seats It is not allowed to seat men and women together, so if you are a couple, then remind the ticket seller about this, otherwise you may not be close at all
  2. Almost always your luggage will be required to be checked into the luggage compartment. From my own experience, it is better to have a very small handbag or even a bag with you to throw in everything you need: a tablet, snacks, headphones and charger.
  3. Many buses have WiFi. You need to ask the steward for the password.
  4. If you want to drink, don’t be shy and don’t wait for the next steward to come in to hand it out.
  5. Remember your bus number , this is especially true for the Metro company. Very often, 2-3 identical buses with identical signs may be nearby.
  6. To find out the schedule, it is better to go to the bus station website. Here is the schedule for the bus station in Antalya: antalyaulasim.com.tr/nasil-giderim

Can a foreigner buy a bus ticket online?

As you've probably already heard, if foreigners have difficulty buying tickets online. No, citizenship is not required yet, but a Turkish bank card is required!

It is still possible for a foreigner to buy a ticket online, but for now only on the website www.neredennereye.com

Distances from resort towns to Goreme

  • from Antalya to Cappadocia 535 km
  • from Alanya to Cappadocia 495 km
  • from Side to Cappadocia 466 km
  • from Kemera to Cappadocia 582 km
  • from Istanbul to Cappadocia 730 km
  • from Ankara to Cappadocia 300 km
  • from Bodrum to Cappadocia 842 km
  • from Marmaris and to Cappadocia 781 km
  • from Pamukkale to Cappadocia 620 km
  • from Fethiye to Cappadocia 714 km
  • from Izmir to Cappadocia 770 km

Now you can answer for yourself which resort is closest to Cappadocia?

How to get to Cappadocia by bus

This is the easiest and most reliable way to get anywhere in Turkey from anywhere. Thanks to companies Metro And Kamil Koç direct flights at least once a day go to Cappadocia from all famous resorts. Below I will provide screenshots from the site www.neredennereye.com, but I recommend additionally checking the individual websites of the bus companies that I mentioned above.

If, suddenly, by the will of fate, there is no direct flight from your “village”, then focus on transfers at large bus stations. Your route will consist of two segments. This will cost 5-15 liras more, but will help you complete the route with maximum speed and convenience.

First get to Ankara, Konya, Isparta, Antalya or Maganauta, and from there look for tickets further.

From Istanbul

You already know that from Istanbul the easiest way to get to Cappadocia is by plane. Only from here there are direct flights to both Cappadocia airports - Nevsehir and Kayseri, and tickets are not at all expensive - check.

But if you decide to take a bus, then you will spend 10 hours on the road if the bus is at night, and 12 hours if it is a day bus. Worth the trip 120 liras, something around $25. ( 1$ – 4.5 lira).

And this is a screenshot from another site Bilte.com

Buses depart from the bus station Bayrampaşa. For some reason we’ll mark it on the map as Esenler Otogar. It is very easy to get to it, since there is a metro station right next to it Otogar.

From Ankara

Since you already know from the previous article that there are no direct flights from Ankara to Cappadocia, the best way to get there is by bus, which takes 4 hours. Fare 50-60 liras. Please note that there are no night buses.

Ankara Bus Station Asti is located in the western part of the city. From the airport it is easily accessible by company bus Havataş, and from the city by metro to the station of the same name Asti.

From Antalya

There are a lot of buses going from Antalya to Goreme. Travel time is 9-10 hours. Travel cost approx. 80 liras. I also used this service.

Please note that if you choose a destination other than Goreme, but Nevsehir, the price will not change much, but the frequency of flights will increase. The main thing is not to use the company's services Igdir. Why? my revelation.

The bus station is located in the north of the city next to the tram station Otogar. You can get here either by tram directly from the airport or by company bus Havataş. There are a lot of buses with the names Otogar and Terminali from different parts of the city.

From Kemer

From Kemer today there is only one night flight to Goreme from the company Rahmi Hamurcu. The journey will take 10 hours and cost 90 liras.

If you are not satisfied with this turn, then you can skip from Kemer to the Antalya bus station (travel time 40-60 minutes) and from there go further to Cappadocia.

Kemer bus station is located in the north of the city near the highway going through Antalya to Kas. You can get to it from the resort part by minibus with a sign Otogar.

But to get to Antalya it is not at all necessary to go to the bus station. Local buses pass right through the center of Kemer.

From Alanya

It may seem that from Alanya you can only take a direct bus to Nevsehir. And then you can get there on your own by taking a minibus, or jump on a bus from another company going to Goreme.

Since buses from Alanya are night, this will not be a problem. Travel time is 10.5 hours, and ticket price 75 liras.

But there is still a direct flight. Like I said, check other sites for tickets. If this option does not suit you, then go from Alanya to the neighboring intercity bus station in Manavgat(about 1 hour). From there the choice of flights is much larger.

The bus station in Alanya is located at the western tip Cleopatra beach and entrance to the city from Antalya. You can walk or hop on bus number 2.

From Side

You can't get anywhere from Side itself. This small coastal town simply does not have an intercity bus station. First, you need to take a local dolmus to get to the bus station of the neighboring satellite city Manavgat. The drive is about 10 minutes. And from there, take a reputable bus and set off on a journey.

The drive takes 7.5 hours and the ticket costs 70 liras. There are a lot of flights (there are only a few on the slide as an example).

And here is the bus station in Manavgat:

From Izmir

From the Aegean region it is even further to get to Cappadocia than from the Mediterranean region.

From Izmir the bus to Goreme takes the same time as from Istanbul, about 12 hours. It’s just that it costs not 120 lira, but 100 . There are very few flights to Goreme itself, but there are many more to Nevsehir.

I hope you remember from the previous article that there are direct flights from Izmir for 100-150 liras? If you decide to fly, then read this article on how to get to Izmir airport from the city.

Izmir bus station is located at the exit from the city towards Istanbul. You can get here either by minibus or by free service bus from the carrier company. I know for sure that this way you can leave right from the company’s offices next to the railway. station Basmane.

From Fethiye

There are 3 buses a day from Fethiye to Goreme. Travel time is about 13 hours and the ticket costs 100 lira. All buses except Metro are pass-through.

The bus station in Fethiye is located in the southern part of the city next to the highway along which we enter it from the east. You can also reach it on foot.

To be honest, the bus station here is not very remarkable and is kind of hidden from view. So either ask passers-by, or be guided by maps.me .

From Marmaris

From Marmaris to Goreme itself there are only 2 evening flights per 90 and 110 liras(but there is a morning one in Nevsehir). Travel time is half a lifetime or 13 hours. You wouldn't wish it on your enemy.

The bus station is located almost at the exit from the city in a northern direction.

From Bodrum

There are no direct flights from Bodrum to Goreme in the search engine. So you will have to first get to Nevsehir, and only then jump to the local dolmuş. Until 18.00 - 19.00 in the evening - this is not a problem at all.

There is a morning for 90 liras and evening for 110 liras flight, but travel time is not determined.

But there is a direct flight on the website Kamıl Koç

Bodrum bus station is located in the city center next to the supermarket MMM Migros .

Good to know

Friends, pay attention in the last slide I pointed with an arrow to the phrase Stopover. This means that the bus passes by and will continue on to its final destination in another city. It is always better to clarify exactly how this stopover will occur. Since in my case I described in this article, I was simply thrown out at the nearest gas station 1 km from the bus station.

And further. Return tickets You can either buy it immediately upon departure or later at the bus station in Goreme. The fact is that there are 2 more local companies that deliver tourists to almost anywhere in Turkey:

  1. Nevşehir Seyahat — nevsehirlilerseyahat.com.tr
  2. Suha Tourism — suhaturizm.com.tr

Their ticket sales agency is located right at the bus station along with their offices Metro And Kamil Koc. So you can choose a convenient fare and departure time right on the spot. It’s especially convenient that their schedules are posted right in front of their offices.

Friends, I’m done with buses. If you have any questions or sensible comments, please don’t be shy and pour out your thoughts in the special column.

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