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.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Göreme.
Area
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-strewn vistas in Cappadocia. As well as this, though, they hide fabulous, little-visited rock-cut churches boasting vibrant fresco fragments and intricate carvings hewn into the stone. If you only have time to hike through one valley in Cappadocia, this is the one to choose.
Church
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 frescoes. The modern name of the church is due to the lack of windows, which is also the reason the fresco colours survived so well. The walls and ceilings here are fully covered with Biblical depictions including Christ as Pantocrator, Christ on the cross and the Betrayal by Judas.
Historic Site
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 monks, then a pilgrimage site from the 17th century, this splendid cluster of monastic Byzantine artistry with its rock-cut churches, chapels and monasteries is 1km uphill from Göreme's centre. The site's highlight – the Dark Church – has an additional entrance fee. Note that the ticket office closes at 4.30pm October to April.
Church
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 ticket. Don't miss it as this is one of Göreme's biggest and finest churches with an interior completely covered in restored frescoes painted in a narrative (rather than liturgical) cycle.
Church
The 12th-century Apple Church (Elmalı Kilise) overlooks a valley of poplars below. Relatively well preserved, it contains both simple, red-ochre daubs and bright frescoes depicting scenes from the New Testament. The Ascension is pictured above the door. The church's name is thought to derive from an apple tree that grew nearby or from a misinterpretation of the globe held by the Archangel Gabriel, in the third dome.
Viewpoint
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 high above the village. From here you can follow a rough track along the ridge for sweeping views of the village on your left and vistas of the wind- and water-sculpted rock formations of Görkündere Valley to your right.
Church
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 on the left as you enter. The red-ochre scenes on the ceiling haven't been definitively explained by art historians – the middle one could represent the Ascension; above the St George representation on the far wall, the strange creature could be a dragon, and the two crosses, the beast's usual slayers.
Church
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 its sturdy columns carved out of the rock. Follow the signposted Güllüdere Valley trailhead and then veer through the orchard to get here. The church is accessed by a narrow bridge over a gully, which deposits you at the entrance to the church's lower chamber.
Area
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 you walk the entire length of Zemi you end up coming out on the Nevşehir–Ürgüp highway near Üçhisar. From here, either walk into Üçhisar and then hike back to Göreme via Pigeon Valley or flag down the dolmuş to Ortahisar or Ürgüp as it goes by.