Goreme

Introduction

Hut formations - Goreme, Cappadocia

© Barney

Goreme is the main hub of Cappadocia, a region in Turkey. Strange rock formations and underground cities make this an alluring stop for any visitor to Turkey.

Sights and Activities

Goreme National Park

Göreme National Park is one of the most beautiful naturally formed sights in Turkey. Two of the inactive volcanoes surrounding the region used to be active in earlier geological periods and with the eruption of the volcanoes the whole region was covered with tufa. Over the centuries with the rain and the wind several fairy chimneys, caves and rock formations were formed.

Goreme, Turkey

© kavanadb

Goreme National Park is composed of caves that have 12 churches, a dining room and a kitchen. It is a religious site used by Roman Christians in order to hide themselves. In fact some say that the word Goreme derived from Turkish word gorme which means "don't see". It's a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The Underground City of Kaymakli

The Underground City of Kaymakli has nine levels beneath the ground with its ingenious exhaust systems, food storage places and ventilation spots. These were made by the people as a means of defence. When the levels go beneath the ground, they narrow, which is how the people protected themselves from mass attack, since the narrowness made it extremely difficult for attackers to get in with large numbers. That said, it's not the nicest place to visit if you're claustrophobic! The multitude of different passages were meant to hoodwink the enemy. The place also has a well and numerous ventilation ducts, some of which are hidden to the naked eye while others can be seen. The kitchen and the storage chambers are also worth looking at.

Other Sights and Activities

• Fairy Chimney Rock Formations: Houses were carved out of these rock formations.
• Ballooning is a popular but expensive way to see Capadoccia is by balloon.
• The Historical Museum is definitely worth a visit. It has a lot of fairy mountains which have been used by the Christians, as well as quite a few frescoes, though some of these had been removed.
• The Nightlife is laid back with a few clubs but not a lot of people, though Pacha Bar is a decent place to visit. Most of the places usually close by 8 pm. In the evening, the best thing you can do is watch the sunset from the hills where one can also view the colourful background of the land below.

* The Pigeon Valley is an amazing place where one can see a lot of pigeons. The valley also has red coloured hills which at the time of sunset look extra-terrestrial. There is also a craftsmen workshop, where you can buy souvenirs. Please note you can also bargain here - start with a third of what they ask and you could get something for an excellent price.

• The Rose Valley and surroundings should be visited in the evening partly because of the unrelenting sun at noon time and also because the best views can be had in the evening, as the valley's red hills change colour at sunset. A great way of getting around Goreme is on mountain bike and the trip to Rose Valley is achievable for most riders. There are some technically difficult tracks that will suit if you want a challenge but you should definitely consider a one day mountain bike whie in Goreme. A good tip though is to do your research and bargain hard. The best methos we found was to do the bargaining for the bike(s) the day before you intend to hire. This is when the best deals happen as you are not as desperate to get going and you can negotiate in a more relaxed frame of mind. Quality and prices vary so shop around and bargain hard.
• Avanos is a city where there are many locals. You can a lot of carpet weavers and workshops, as well as restaurants.

Getting Around

Goreme can be easily travelled on foot although for going to Avanos and other far areas one needs to take a taxi or better still rent a bike or car. However, many of the roads are poor and potholed, so be sure to drive slowly.

By Public Transport

Most people do one of two bus tours around Goreme. The tours are offerred by all hotels and guesthouses and are listed as the Red and ther Green Tour. Prices vary for the one day tours so shop around for the best deal. The Red tour takes in the Fairy Chimneus while the Green one heads South to the Valley region. Both are very good though the Green tour is the most popular.

Sleep

Upscale

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet cafes can be found everywhere except small rural villages. The cost of an hour use of internet ranges from 1 YTL to 1.5 YTL. Wireless internet is becoming popular in some cafes in big cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, and at airpots. But in many other places it's still not available, or sometimes at a very high cost.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

Turkey's international country code is 90. Dial 112 for an ambulance anywhere, from any telephone, without a charge. In case of a fire, dial 110; for police, call 155. However, in rural areas there is not a police coverage, so dial 156 for gendarme, a military unit for rural security. All these numbers are free of charge and can be called from a telephone booth without inserting a calling card, or any phone including cell phones.

There are telephone booths owned by Turk Telekom in major parts of cities. public phones now operate with chip telekom cards which are available in 30, 60 or 120 units and can be obtained at post offices, newspaper and tobacco kiosks.
It is estimated that approximately 98% of the population of Turkey lives within the coverage areas of Turkey’s three cell phone line providers. Line providers from most countries have roaming agreements with one or more of these companies. Pre-paid mobile phone SIM cards can be purchased for approximately TRY20-50. These can be purchased at the airport on arrival or from the many outlets in Istanbul and other large cities. Providers include Vodaphone.

Post

PTT is the national post service in Turkey. Services are generally moderately fast but quite reliable. There is an extended price list on the PTT website, where you can see the costs of sending items within Turkey, countries in Europe and further afield. For sending packages one might also use international companies such as DHL and UPS and local companies such as Yurtici Kargo. Post offices bear the distinctive yellow PTT sign and are generally open between 9:00am to 12:00 noon and 1:30pm to 5:00pm from Monday to Friday. Some might keep longer hours or be open during the weekend as well, but this mainly applies to the larger ones or those in central places and tourist areas.