Goreme has, to some extent, become the focus of the Cappadocian tourist industry. It's proximity to the Open Air Museum, Zelve and other bits and pieces of fairy chimney charm, coupled with it's downright cheapness has been drawing people from all over the world for the last 20 years or so.

Basic accommodation and supplies are here in volume as a result of the rapid response to the areas tourist potential and Goreme is a favourite amongst budget travelers, many of whom stay a while, sometimes finding work in the tourist industry themselves.

Central location and cheapness apart you may not feel there's much to distinguish Goreme from it's neighbors. It is, perhaps, less organised and a little bit more laid back than Urgup or Avanos and it's probably livelier than either in the season. If you're looking for somewhere to hang out for a while, meet people and maybe blend in a little then Goreme is probably the place for you.

If you're there for anytime at all, or even just passing through, take the time to have a look at the Konak Turk Evi, a finely appointed 19th century house.

Known in Roman times Cappadocia is one of those rare regions in the world where the works of man blend unobtrusively into the natural surroundings. Dwellings have been hewn from the rock as far back as 4,000 B.C. During Byzantine times, chapels and monasteries were hollowed out of rock, their ochre-toned frescoes reflecting the hues of the surrounding landscape. Even today troglodyte dwellings in rock cones and village houses of volcanic tufa merge harmoniously into the landscape. The Goreme is calling a Open - Air Museum in the world. A monastic complex of rock churches and chapels covered with frescoes, is one of the best - known sites in central Turkey. Most of chapels date from the 10th to the 13th century, the Byzantine and Seljuk periods, and many of them are built on an inscribed cross plan with a central cupola supported by four columns. In the narthexes of several churches are rock cut tombs. Among the most famous of the Goreme are the Elmali Church, the smallest and newest of the group; the Yilanli Church with fascinating frescoes of the damned in serpent coils. Local tradition has it that there were as many as 365 churches, one for each day of the year, of which about thirty are open to the public. All churches still standing in Goreme were built after about 850 A.D. and decorated up to the 11th century with frescoes which, despite their Byzantine influence, have extremely simple lines. architectural features were enchanced by paintings by professional artists financed by locals. Various inscriptions -sometimes accompained by portraits-bear the name of the artists and his financers; accurate historic and iconographic research have ascertained that benefactors were usualy country squires who sometimes formed trusts to carry out costly works of art.

Hacibektas - The founder of the Bektashi dervishes founded a monastery in the 14th Century. A place of pilgrimage for many Muslims.
open daily - 68km NW of Urgup

Ortahisar - Village dominated by a vast fortress rock, riddled with excavations and giving a great view out over the surrounding landscape.
7km SW of Urgup

Ozkanak - The most recently discovered and possibly the largest of Cappadocia's Troglodyte cities. Recent research estimates it's one time population at 60,000. Take a torch 25km N of Urgup

Nigde - Built around an 11th Century citadel, Nigde is visited for it's 14th Century Monastery. Worth a visit if you have time for its excellent frescoes and unique design 105km S of Urgup

Soganli - Another delightful church filled valley.
50km S of Urgup

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