These are the best places to travel this summer

Göreme

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2025

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
Balloons at dawn over fairy chimney rock formations.

Mark Read

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Göreme

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

Surrounded by epic sweeps of golden, moonscape valley, this remarkable honey-coloured village hollowed out of the hills has long since grown beyond its farming-hamlet roots. Although the central 'downtown' strip has suffered what can only be described as 'un-beautification' from a flurry of roadworks, which have partially concreted over the old canal, in the back alleys Göreme's charm has not diminished. Sure, new boutique cave hotels are constantly popping up everywhere, but tourists still have to stop for tractors trundling up narrow, winding streets where elderly ladies knit on sunny stoops. Nearby, the Göreme Open-Air Museum is an all-in-one testament to Byzantine life, while if you wander out of town you'll find storybook landscapes and little-visited rock-cut churches at every turn. With its easygoing allure and stunning setting, it's no wonder Göreme continues to send travellers giddy.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Göreme Open-Air Museum

    Göreme Open-Air Museum

    Göreme

    This Unesco World Heritage site is an essential stop on any Cappadocian itinerary. First thought to be a Byzantine monastic settlement that housed some 20…

  • Güllüdere (Rose) Valley

    Güllüdere (Rose) Valley

    Göreme

    The trails that loop around Güllüdere Vadısı (Rose Valley) are easily accessible to all levels of walkers and provide some of the finest fairy-chimney…

  • Buckle Church

    Buckle Church

    Göreme

    The Buckle Church is 50m back down the hill towards Göreme and across the road from the main Open-Air Museum complex, but is covered by the same entrance…

  • Dark Church

    Dark Church

    Göreme

    The highlight of Göreme Open-Air Museum is the stunning and fully restored Dark Church, famed for the vivid colours and excellent preservation of its…

  • Sunset View Hill

    Sunset View Hill

    Göreme

    You get one of the best panoramas across Göreme by walking up the steep hill through alleyways to this wooden platform suspended on the edge of the cliff…

  • Chapel of St Barbara

    Chapel of St Barbara

    Göreme

    It's posited that Byzantine soldiers carved the 11th-century Azize Barbara Şapeli (Chapel of St Barbara), dedicated to their patron saint who is depicted…

  • Kolonlu Kilise

    Kolonlu Kilise

    Göreme

    Within Güllüdere (Rose) Valley, this church is easily missed as it's carved out of a nondescript rock facade. Once inside though, the nave is notable for…

  • Zemi Valley

    Zemi Valley

    Göreme

    The trailhead off Müze Caddesi leads into the narrow gorge of Zemi Valley lined with tall poplar trees and sided by cliffs studded with pigeon houses. If…

Plan with a local

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Göreme