Detailed instructions: how to get to Cappadocia (Göreme) from various cities. Goreme in Turkey ↓ Distances from resort towns to Goreme
sightseeing 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, and until the troubled period of iconoclasm for Christianity in the 8th-9th centuries, when Cappadocia again became a refuge for believers.
Ancient monastery complex. Photo: tomas meson, Flickr
Caves that served as cells and dwellings 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 lira. The price also includes admission to the Buckle Church (Tokali Kilise), the largest cave church in Cappadocia. It is not located on the territory of the museum, but a little down the road in the direction of Göreme.
Cave church. Photo: Curious Expeditions, Flickr
Valleys of Cappadocia
Long walks through unusual, but very picturesque valleys - that, in fact, for which they go to Cappadocia. You can pick up a map with hiking trails at any hotel or guesthouse. To one of the most picturesque valleys - the Rose Valley - evening trekking is regularly organized from the city, which allows you to watch a magnificent sunset in the valley.
Rose Valley. Photo: Jonathan Reid, Flickr
Hot air balloon flight over the valleys of Cappadocia. Photo: Fatima Kazmi, Flickr
Many of our compatriots travel around Turkey in a rented car. If you have an international driving license and you are not afraid of unfamiliar roads, this is a convenient option to see all the most interesting places in Turkey, including Cappadocia. The cost of renting a car in Turkey - from 30 to 50 euros per day. Discounts apply for long-term rentals.
In our article, we will talk about how to get to Cappadocia by public transport from other Turkish cities popular with tourists. Distance between Istanbul and Cappadocia in a straight line - 566 km, on the roads - 733 km.
There are 3 options:
1. By plane via Kayseri Airport (Cappadocia). The price of a ticket for the Istanbul-Keyseri plane is total from 45 lira ($ 13). You can take a taxi from the airport which will cost $ 57 to Goreme, Urgup or Avanos.
Taxi prices from Kayseri Airport to all other cities and towns in Cappadocia:
Taxi prices from Kayseri Airport to Cappadocia
As we can see, a taxi is quite expensive, so I advise you to request a transfer through your hotel in advance by email. It will cost much less: just 30 lira per person ($ 8.6). At the airport, all tourists who booked a transfer will be met by a minivan and taken to their hotels within an hour and a half.
It is worth booking a hotel in Cappadocia in advance, and through the Booking website you can find a suitable room with good discounts:
2. By bus. Get about 10-11 hours, there are day and night buses. You can buy a ticket at the Bayrampaşa bus station (Otogar metro station), ticket price 50-55 lire ($15-16). Usually from Istanbul the bus goes to the center of Cappadocia, the city of Nevsehir. From there, you can already go to other villages on a local minibus (dolmush) for just 2.5 lira.
3. By train. There is such an option, but usually no one uses it. Because it will take about 18 hours to get to Cappadocia by train, and it will cost much more than a bus.
From Ankara
The capital of Turkey, Ankara, is located quite close to Cappadocia (250 km), so it makes no sense to fly by plane, it will take much more time than when traveling by land.
1. By bus which is only 4 hours long. Ticket price 25-30 lira ($7-9).
2. By train. As in the case of Istanbul, it is not advisable to travel from Ankara to Cappadocia by train. It will turn out almost 2 times longer and much more expensive.
From Antalya
1. By plane. Antalya-Kayseri airfare costs from 60 lira ($ 17.5). Then a taxi ($ 60) or a transfer (30 lira per person) to Goreme or another tourist village.
3. Can also be purchased 2-day or 3-day excursion. This will be the most convenient option: they will take you everywhere, bring you and tell you about everything. The approximate cost of an excursion to Cappadocia from Alanya is $ 100−150. However, this option is not suitable if you want to walk through the valleys of Cappadocia on your own, climb rocks, look into ancient dwellings without crowds of tourists. Still, if you have enough time, we advise you to come to Cappadocia on your own, for at least 3-4 days.
Such views, and not a soul around! On an organized tour, you can’t dream of such luxury ...
From Moscow
Today, cheap low-cost airlines Pegasus (via Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport) and Atlas Global (with a transfer at Ataturk Airport) fly from Moscow and many Russian regions to Cappadocia (via Istanbul). You can buy tickets with a minimum transfer and not go out into the city. Ticket price Moscow-Istanbul-Kayseri Total from 8500 rubles. Travel time (including transfers) - from 8 hours.
(April 2019 UPD: Ataturk Airport in Istanbul was closed, and instead, the world's largest airport away from the city), so it became much more difficult to get into the city even with a long transfer in Istanbul. 
But it's best to buy a ticket Moscow-Istanbul (from 3500 rubles per person), walk around Istanbul for a few days, and then fly to Cappadocia. Istanbul-Kayseri ticket prices - from 750 rubles from a person. In addition, you can also go from Istanbul to Cappadocia by bus (we wrote about this above).
Cheap tickets to Cappadocia we found here.
Goreme this is a small town, which is rightfully considered a tourist center Cappadocia. Despite the fact that the administrative center of the district is the city Nevsehir, the main stopping place for tourists to access the main attractions Cappadocia is precisely this small town with an unusual landscape. The bus stop is located on the main square. On different sides of the square there are many restaurants, cafes, ATMs and several car, bicycle and ATV rental offices. Travel agencies that offer day trips are also located around this main square.
A Brief History of Goreme
The valley in which the picturesque town is located Goreme, like dozens of neighboring valleys, were formed as a result of volcanic eruptions Erciyes, Gulludag And Hasandag. For many millions of years, they filled the local space with ash and hot lava, which solidified in the most bizarre combinations and shapes. Then . People also put their hands on this transformation, having lived here for hundreds of thousands of years and adapted a significant part of the stone formations for housing and outbuildings. Throughout its long history, the town has had five different names. It is believed that her oldest name Korama The Byzantines called her Matiana, Christian Armenians - Macan(Macan), the Turks - Avcılar, and only then it was renamed into Goreme.
Attractions Goreme
Near Goreme and the immediate vicinity there are about 400 churches, mostly small, rarely two or four pillars, rarely three apses. The most famous and well-preserved churches are Tokaly, Charykly, Karanlyk, Elmaly, Yilanly, Sakly and the dilapidated El Nazar.
The ensemble of churches that we see in the vicinity of the town appeared approximately after 850. The frescoes that adorn them can be attributed to the second half of the 11th century. The mural style, inspired by works of clearly Byzantine origin, is remarkable for its extraordinary simplicity. The architectural decoration is admirably combined with the paintings made by professional artists thanks to the philanthropy common at that time. Many inscriptions (sometimes accompanied by portraits) introduce us to the names of artists and donors. According to historical and iconographic studies, the donors were usually noble and wealthy members of the rural community, united in unions, the purpose of which was to finance works of art. Due to the moisture resistance of the tuff and the constant climate inside the building, not subject to fluctuations in the external environment, the colors here have retained their brightness over many centuries. Biblical and gospel stories are accompanied by inscriptions made in Greek, but in Cyrillic.
Sunrise - Decorations on trees are beads from the evil eye
Goreme National Park
In addition to historical sights, there are a lot of natural sights around the city. goreme, is the center of the “National Historical and Natural Park” of the same name, which covers an area of 300 km². At the bottom of the article there is a map on which you can see the location of the national park. On the map, the territory of the national park is indicated in green. , Pigeon Valley, Meskendir, Red and Pink valleys, all of them are included within the national park. national park and cave settlements Cappadocia are included in .
Night Goreme – Cappadocia Turkey What to do in Goreme?
Goreme, this is the best place to start exploring . Hiking in the vicinity of the city are the most preferred type of pastime by tourists. If you are afraid of long walks in the valleys adjacent to the town, then you can rent a bike, motorcycle or quad bike and ride through the valleys. If you love horses and horseback riding, you can also make horse rides.
Walk through the valleys of Göreme on quad bikes
How to get to Goreme?
All bus companies that travel in this direction ( Kamil Koch, Syuha, Metro/ Kamil Koç, Süha, Metro) or passing through Goreme or come to Nevsehir and from there they transfer passengers to shuttle basses to Goreme, or . Bus schedule at the bus station Nevsehir can find by this link. How to get to Cappadocia is described in more detail in this one.
Goreme - bus stop Where to live, where to stay?
The city has a large number of hotels for every taste and budget - both simple boarding houses in the rocks, and expensive stylish mini hotels. You can see the location of some hotels by clicking on the link below. About how to choose and you can read by following
| Hotels in the city Yurgup |  |
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| Hotels in the city Uchisar | Hotels in the city Ortahisar | |
| Hotels in the city Nevsehir | Hotels in the city Avanos |
Photos of Goreme
Spring Cloudy
Rock Hotel
Cappadocian horse
rock cone
Goreme - view from afar
I lived in Turkey for almost a year, and I can say with confidence that this is an absolutely magical country. I would even say that these are several different countries in one country. Here, let's take at least kebabs: there are as many varieties of them in Turkey as there are regions in the country. Adana kebab, Izmir kebab, Urfa kebab, Iskender kebab (invented in Bursa)... Do you know why? Because each city wants to do it in its own way, in a special way, better than its neighbors.
Kayseri and Nevsehir are already Cappadocia, but not yet what you need. The center of Cappadocia is Goreme, from Nevsehir and Kayseri it is an hour away by car/bus/taxi.
Transport
Trips around the cities of Cappadocia cost from 0.5 EUR (2 TRY) to 4 EUR (15 TRY) - it all depends on the remoteness of the cities you want to see. In Cappadocia, you can often get to a neighboring village / city on a "ride" - then everything varies from "free" to "as agreed with the driver."
Nutrition
There are a lot of cafes and restaurants in Goreme, the average bill for a lunch of salad, soup and a second course is 6.3 EUR (25 TRY). It is problematic to eat on your own, there are only two cities in the region with large supermarkets: Avanos and Nevsehir, in other cities there are shops in the spirit of "selpo" with the most necessary set of products (vegetables, sausage, bread, cheese, chips, juices, etc.) It is very possible to take bread, cheese, wine and tomatoes with you on a hike.
Main attractions. What to watch
Frankly, even if you just leave Göreme and walk wherever your eyes look, you will find a lot of beautiful places, rocks, caves and valleys. Of course, you need to come to Cappadocia first of all for the extraordinary "alien" landscape: craters, volcanoes, rocks, cave cities - all this is a real miracle of nature, which resembles a beautiful oriental ancient fairy tale. 
If you are interested in Christian shrines, then, of course, from all over Turkey, you should choose Cappadocia. After all, the entire rocky Cappadocia is a former Christian city, whose inhabitants were forced to hide from persecution and persecution. True, all churches and temples are now not operating, except for Easter and Christmas, no services are held there. But many of them have preserved ancient frescoes, which tourists from all over the world come to see. 
And, of course, in Cappadocia, many newlyweds spend their weddings and "honeymoon", because it's warm, delicious, a lot of wine, beautiful sunsets, caves, rocks and balloons :)
Top 5
Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit
There are a lot of churches and temples in Cappadocia, because these are real Christian cities, where at first the early Christians simply settled, and later hid from persecution. There were quite a few of them, and there were a decent number of churches left after them (to be honest, at every step). These churches and temples do not operate, but services are held in some of them twice a year: at Christmas and Easter, and the rest of the time they are open to tourists. Almost all churches with frescoes have an entrance fee (2-3 EUR). If you're planning on avoiding paid museums and churches, Cappadocia has a large number of free, well-preserved churches.
There are a lot of beautiful churches on the territory of Cappadocia, where there are frescoes, photography, unfortunately, is usually prohibited. Do not try to go around absolutely all the churches in the area - even a month is not enough for this. Choose a couple of paid and a couple of free churches for review, after all, almost all of them were built at the same time and according to the same model.
Museums. Which are worth a visit
Of course, almost every major city in Cappadocia has a city, archaeological or ethnographic museum. But the number 1 museum in Cappadocia is, of course (Goreme Open-Air Museum). This museum is located in the Goreme National Park. All the churches that I wrote about above are located in the open-air museum. 
This is a large monastic rock and geological complex with bizarre tufa mountains, hills, in which dwellings and churches of Christians have been preserved. This site is protected by UNESCO. Entrance - 5 EUR + 2.5 EUR for the entrance to the Dark Church.
This is the most visited place in Cappadocia, come as early as possible (opening at 8.00), especially if you come in the season to see everything calmly and not stand in lines (15-30 minutes). Perhaps this is the only paid museum that I would still recommend visiting. But, if the budget does not allow, do not despair, Cappadocia is full of beautiful fantastic landscapes and free churches. Every tourist who has been there for more than 1 day will have some favorite secret place of his own - a mountain where it is best to meet the dawn, a cave where the most bizarre tunnels are, a crevice in which you can hide - there is a lot of free Cappadocia and enough for everyone.
Food. What to try
About Turkish cuisine, you can write collected works in 10 volumes, and there will be little. Here in, you can read about Turkish cuisine in general, there are many dishes in Cappadocia.
But in general, the cuisine of Cappadocia is a special cuisine, which in some places is very different from Turkish. Famous Istanbul mussels drizzled with lemon? Who will say why they are not in Cappadocia? That's right, six hours to the nearest sea. Shrimp, gobies, trout and other red mullet? They are served in restaurants in Cappadocia, but they will never be as tasty as fresh ones, alas (although some craftsmen may argue with me).
The cuisine of Cappadocia is, first of all, all kinds of pots and tandoor. Stewed vegetables + stew + pickles in earthenware = home cooking. A long cold winter (and the Turks believe that Cappadocia has cold winters, yeah, +2C on average in January), a lot of clay around - all this contributes to the preservation of products and the abundance of dishes in pots and in clay tandoor.
Tandoors remained in many underground cities, churches and monasteries. Near them it was possible to bask in a cold cave. And in the operating tandoors they cook soup, meat and magnificent long and flat (like a big boat) local bread. Long, crispy, fresh bread (sometimes as long as your table) is made by many cafes and restaurants, and this bread with fresh vegetables, feta cheese, sausage (from a local grocery store) can be taken on hiking trips. And to meet the sunset, you can also take local crayfish (aniseed vodka) or wine.
The real gastronomic attraction of Cappadocia is "testi kebab", or it is also called "potyri kebab". At the very beginning, I wrote that there are as many kebabs in Turkey as there are cities, and I did not lie. Cappadocian kebab is cooked in a tandoor in a clay pot, which is broken in half with a large knife in front of you already on the table. This is lamb with vegetables, juice flows from the dish, which remains in the rim of the pot and you can dip the freshest bread into it. This is a real hearty Cappadocian food, served in almost all cafes and restaurants. 
Eggplants are very popular here in different versions (this is my favorite vegetable, only for the sake of it I can return to Cappadocia again and again). Pickles, jams, marinades, all this is present in large quantities in home cooking.
Also in Cappadocia they love to cook lamb on a spit and all kinds of steaks. And, of course, rich lentil soup, however, it is loved throughout Turkey.
The nearest large supermarkets are located in Avanos and Nevsehir, so if you are staying in Göreme and there is nothing to go for groceries, then you should know that local stores do not have a very large selection. Fruits, vegetables, local meat (no pork), olives, sweets. There are no problems with alcohol: wine, beer, crayfish are sold almost everywhere.
Be sure to try the local wine (if you drink alcohol, of course). Cappadocia is the wine region of Turkey, there are a large number of vineyards, and some winemakers still make wine in the ancient way - in a reservoir carved into the rock. And the corks are corked with clay to give the bottle a resemblance to the Cappadocian rocks. 
Be sure to buy some local wine (if it does not contradict your beliefs) and drink it on the terrace overlooking Cappadocia at night (the stars in this area are especially bright). You can also smoke hookah and cigars on the terrace (check with the owner of the restaurant / hotel).
Security. What to watch out for
Cappadocia is a very peaceful area. It's not noisy at all with a bunch of thieves, beggars and suspicious taxi drivers :) You can go to Cappadocia with one girl and absolutely nothing to fear. Even night buses are very comfortable, and you will be waiting for them at a busy bus stop.
The main thing to remember in Cappadocia is that you are in the mountains and actively climb them without special training, in non-tourist places, in uncomfortable shoes, imagining yourself as a climber, and especially in winter, when slippery is dangerous.
Also, be careful away from the tourist trails, where you can’t see that around the corner (quad bikes, bicycles, motorcycles drive in Cappadocia), accelerating all these vehicles can harm you.
And finally, balloons. Balloon crashes are extremely rare, most often ending badly when a tourist refuses to buckle up during an emergency landing because of the wind and continues to photograph scenic views.
Things to do
So, you are in my beloved Cappadocia. Things to do? Pfff. Guys, just get out of the hotel and walk, walk, breathe, climb rocks, kiss in caves, read a book in Old Gyor, fly a balloon, wake up at dawn (I am an owl myself, but Cappadocia just requires an early rise if you don't want to miss the flight of balloons). 
How to move around the region
Cappadocia - holidays with children
I would not say that Cappadocia is an ideal place for traveling with children. Although it depends on the children, and on the parents (some calmly climb the mountains with a child almost in a backpack), while others are afraid to go beyond the Moscow courtyard.
Of course, these are not the resorts of sunny Antalya, where there is a sea, sandy beaches, a buffet, baby clubs, water parks and zoos. This is a harsh mountainous Cappadocia with hiking, climbing mountains, dust, clay, transfers to planes, buses and minibuses. 
Be sure to check with hotels / excursions / hot air balloon flights whether it is possible with children. Some hotels do not accept children under the age of 15, and some firms do not allow children under 10 years of age on the balloons.
If your child is a fidget, you need to be prepared to keep him from very dangerous jumps in the mountains, and if he is just small and you are not used to taking him on hikes and trips, then leave the baby in Cappadocia with someone , it will be difficult. Well, this holiday is not designed for families with small children.
Although, if you are in a car and / or your children feel great on the road, then why not? We can say that this is a kind of "Disneyland", only created by nature.
How to get to Goreme from Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara and other cities? What are the best airports 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 a house, prices in cafes and restaurants.
I rarely sing the praises of certain cities, countries and tourist destinations, but Cappadocia is not the case. Goreme is a really cool place. Just space (like Stas from the song "Leningrad"). Therefore, if you are suddenly brought to Turkey, be sure to go to 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, just 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 go through the roof. I won’t even list them, because depending on the duration of the trip, the quality of the hotel and the options included, and the language 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 rather tell you how to get to this region on your own - by bus or plane.
Let's define 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 sights for which, in fact, people 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, as well as various valleys, caves and open-air museums are located.
Where is the best place to live in Cappadocia?
Panorama of Goreme from the terrace of Arch Palace Hotel.
The most popular tourist center of the region is Goreme city . Well, as 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 is nothing special there. Well, except that you can still remember the mosque that will wake you up every morning. It was in Göreme that we ourselves lived during this trip.
In principle, if for some reason Goreme does not suit you, you can rent a hotel for the duration of the trip in the village Uchisar . There is the famous cave castle, and not far from it is the Pigeon Valley, which is one of the popular tourist routes.
Fortress Uchisar.
In terms of logistics, Uchisar is also a good place. But there is one important “But” here: balloons. I personally am not sure that their morning flight from Uchisar will look as picturesque. One young Turk (who on the whole impressed me as an educated person) swore by his mother that balloons were also perfectly visible from Uchhisar. "But"! I repeat: I doubt it. The thing is that in Göreme they take off right above your head. And in Uchisar, they will most likely be visible at a distance (even though it is located on a hill, which, in theory, should provide a good overview).
In general, an extravagant option for a trip to Cappadocia to settle in Nevsehir. In fact, even there there are indeed tourists in hotels (despite the fact that the Goreme National Park is 12 kilometers from here). Usually, tourists who have made a choice in favor of Nevsehir simply rent a car or buy some kind of SUV 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'm sure there is no such problem. And it's easier to get from the airport.
In a separate line I will write a few words about Urgup. This is another important center of Cappadocia. But I was not there, so I will leave Urgup out of the brackets. I read in one article that this is a cross between Goreme and Nevsehir. Let's go to that.
How to get to Cappadocia?
Let's still consider Göreme 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 fly directly to Goreme. Some other companies have flights to Nevsehir or Kayseri, but going to Cappadocia with a transfer is, of course, not very convenient, so I will leave them out of the brackets.
Ticket price . At the time of writing flights from Istanbul to Goreme cost 100 lira (about 20 euros) for a one-way trip. Driving from Ankara cheaper (such a ticket will cost you about 50 lire). From Antalya a ticket costs 70-80 lire.
Travel time also different everywhere. From Istanbul to Goreme 10-11 hours 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 websites:
- 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 some of them even serve food like on an airplane. But, as they say, this is inaccurate. Another plus of traveling to Cappadocia by bus is that many flights are at night, which means you can save on a hotel. For many travelers, this is important. However, I personally would 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 end point (I will write about this separately). Another plus 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 55 × 40x20 cm). In general, as you understand, buses also have their own important advantages. Carefully weigh all the pros and cons before choosing one or another option.
This is interesting ! Lyrical digression in the style of "A Minute of the Curious". In Turkish buses, seats for men and women are initially separated. Yes, if you are a husband and wife, you can travel together. But in general, by default, men and women are seated separately in the salon (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 is long 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, the plane from Istanbul flies for 1 hour, and the bus travels as much as 10.
How to get from Goreme back to Istanbul/Antalya/Ankara
Everything is simple here. Come to the Göreme bus station and buy tickets from one of the bus companies right there. 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 the time of departure 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 such a 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 is extremely simple here. Flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport in this direction are carried out by such companies as TurkishAirlines and their low-cost "daughter" AnadoluJet. Also, low-cost airlines fly to Cappadocia. Some sites on the Internet also mention Atlas jet, but I personally got pretty confused on their site.
In fact, I personally recommend that you watch Anadolu Jet and Pegasus flights. The cost of the flight here starts from 60 liras (12 euros), but by itself it can seriously change 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 lira 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. They have new planes, a convenient site. And the free included luggage here is already as much as 8 kilograms (+ laptop, handbag, etc.). This, by the way, is a kilogram more than the national airline of Ukraine - UIA. In addition, on the flight they feed for free (they give some kind of sandwich, cupcake and drinks). The national airline of Belarus - Belavia - despite the draconian prices, has only 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 lunch (at the time, my favorite Ryanair ignored us in a similar situation last year). So stop… Enough about Anadolu Jet… Everyone has already realized how wonderful they are. Now let's talk about airports...
What is the best airport to fly into in Cappadocia?
As I said, there are two airports in Cappadocia - in Nevsehir and Kayseri. The first is located 35 kilometers from Goreme. The other one 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 went directly to Goreme by a separate transfer.
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 pretty 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 lot 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 a transfer 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, you will be met by a driver with a sign and taken to the 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 door of the hotel. It is very convenient. And one more thing… By the way, we paid for the transfer itself not to the driver who met us at the airport, but already 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 (the owners of the hotels) receive some percentage from the transfer companies? But the fact remains: the prices are the same everywhere.
- Transfer to Goreme from Nevsehir airport costs 25 lira;
- Transfer to Goreme from Kayseri Airport costs 30 lira.
Sometimes hotel owners may ask for a transfer and a large amount. Such immediately go to the forest. However, there is a downside when the hotel offers you an airport transfer for free (at least one way). This is not kindness or exaggerated generosity. Just in return, you will be offered to buy from the same hotel an off-road tour, a hot air balloon flight, or something else in the same vein. See for yourself here. If you are interested in such alignment - you can agree. There is no deception here.
How to get to Goreme from Nevsehir / Kayseri Airport on your own
I am ready to swear that when I left the airport, I saw a minibus with the inscription Goreme and the price of 15 lira, 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 very mysterious direct minibus for 15 lira. Therefore, I will appeal with facts and write about what I know for sure.
So. Firstly, the same “minivan transfer” that we ordered from the hotel, you can book on your own. For example, the links below.
- Helios Transfer, [email protected]
- Argeus Shuttle Service, [email protected]
The price will remain the same - 25 liras for Nevsehir and 30 for Kayseri.
Another option is to go to Goreme in transit. For example, you leave the airport and take a minibus to Nevsehir. Pay 15 lire for it. You reach the city, and there you buy a ticket to Goreme for another 3 lira. The savings are in the region of 7 lire (approximately 1.5 euros). Is it worth it to bother, see for yourself. We personally booked a 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 here - Goreme, Uchisar or Nevsehir. But I repeat: Goreme is the juice itself. Therefore, we will take it as a basis.
Despite the touristic nature of this Turkish village, hotels here are generally inexpensive. For 30 euros you can easily find a great hotel here with breakfast included and a terrace on the top floor. Personally, we lived during this trip in the Superior room of the ARCH Palace hotel. I liked him. I recommend. The breakfast is delicious, the view from the terrace is beautiful, and on the bed I could even sleep across. Plus the owner speaks excellent English.
As for other places. Their selection is huge. All hotels can be conditionally divided into "rock hotels" and "rock-type hotels".
The second option, in my opinion, is preferable. Since in the first it is often cold and the Internet does not pull well. Although I will make a reservation: here, of course, a lot depends on the hotel itself. Read reviews.
Budget rooms in Goreme hotels can be rented for 17-20 euros. But I would still recommend that you focus on the amount 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 the local viewpoint ("View point" is sometimes also referred to as "Sunset/Sunrise point"). This is such a mountain crowned with a huge Turkish flag.
Taking pictures of flying balls from there is most pleasant and convenient. If your hotel is far from this point, you just have to run there through the entire village and get up early so that by 6 in the morning you can already stand on the observation deck.
On which site did I personally search for hotels in Goreme? On the AIRBNB website (+ a small discount for registration).
I also recommend that you check all the options through the RoomGuru website. It's an ugly interface. But he compares prices at different sites (like Booking and Ostrovka) and shows where a particular room is the cheapest. After that, you just have to go to the desired site and complete the booking.
Travel insurance for Cappadocia
Look, the thing is that health insurance can vary greatly in terms of coverage and the number of options included. Ordinary insurance will help you in case of food poisoning, sunstroke, or, for example, if you suddenly have a toothache. A completely different thing is riding in a hot air balloon or, for example, horseback riding. Many companies can classify such entertainment as active sports (and such an option must be included and paid 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 balloon flights cover by default. As for everyone else, check this point separately before buying a policy. Well, or just in case of injury, crawl to the hotel and, in a conversation with the insurance company, swear that you sprained your leg in the shower, and not while riding a horse or ATV.
You can buy insurance online and immediately compare the policies of different companies by the number of options included. They also sell company insurance. Zetta And Sberbank.I bought my policy there for the duration of the trip. Took a policy from Zetta. Insurance cost me $ 7.5 (per 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 corresponding item. Insurance covering active sports will cost 12-15 dollars. Read more about travel insurance for Turkey in the article below.
Goreme tours and hot air balloon rides
Excursions in Cappadocia are a popular thing. Some people drive jeeps. Some people fly in balloons. There are many options here. You can book such a tour right on the spot or online. For example, here (excursions in Russian are presented here).
A flight on a balloon will cost you about 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 right). The price is affected by the qualification of the pilot, the place of take-off and the language in which the same pilot (or escort) will speak to you. For Russian and English, you actually have to pay extra. The price is also affected by various perks. For example, champagne upon arrival, some diplomas about flying in a hot air balloon, a mini-tour in the style of “there is the Valley of Love over there, look.”
As for the usual excursions, they are very different. The most popular are Red Tour and Green Tour. See photos for routes and prices. Something similar in Cappadocia is offered at every turn.
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 along the valleys of Cappadocia on foot. This is a little difficult, but not critical - all points are within walking distance.
Plus, the path itself can only be done in one direction, and hitchhiking back in Goreme. Distances - 5-6 kilometers. Stopping the car is not a problem. You go out onto the track and in 5-10 minutes someone will pick you up. Turks are warm 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. 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 from Goreme by bus for 2.5 lira. Or walking through Pigeon Valley.
- cave cities. Kaymakli, Derinkuyu and others. Better to go with a tour. It's a little tricky 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 do groceries cost
Goreme is a tourist place, so all those doners and kebabs that you saw in Istanbul for 3-5 liras cost 7-10 here. Here's a bun with chicken and vegetables will cost you 7 lira.
Tea in the same cafe costs 2 lira. In a cafe for locals (where Turkish grandfathers cut into checkers for days) they asked for 1.5 lira for a glass of tea.
Pida (similar to a closed pizza or Georgian khachapuri) costs 14-15 lira in a cafe. Barbecue - 25 lira.
I will write separately about the Anatolian Kitchen cafe. Bypass him. It looks decent and is located right in the center of Goreme, but I personally got poisoned there. Maybe you are lucky, and your own trip to this cafe will not end so tragically. But don't risk it. May my sacrifice not be in vain.
