The Rose Valley Hike
by Paul2001
On my second day in Cappadocia, I took a guided tour through the Rose Valley. It was a very delightful experience that I highly recommend. The scenery in the valley is some of the best in Cappadocia. The valley itself is littered with interesting churches that, if you did not have a guide, you would propably miss as they are somewhat hidden. The hike was probably about 1.5 hours long. Good walking shoes are a must.
If you want to hike on your own just the same, the trailhead is about four kilometers west of Goreme.
we kiss twice :)
by FAIRYCHIMNEY
Some local customs for you :
If your served some tea or coffee before you asked for or ordered , dont offer any money as it can be rude.This shows Turkish Hospitality.
If your invited into a Turkish house take your shoes off before entering.
Tipping guide ,restaurants, tour drivers are all common in Turkey but we dont tip taxi drivers unless they carry some heavy stuff for us :)
Swords Valley: Goreme's Bedrock City
by Tijavi
The fascinating lunar landscape around Goreme make for great hiking locations.
Accessed through well-beaten tracks running off the Goreme Open Air Museum-Goreme road is Swords Valley (Kiliclar Vadisi), a magnificent collection of out-of-this world rock formations, ancient rock cut dwellings now abandoned, and if you have the energy to climb up a few strategic look outs, breathtaking vistas of the Cappadocian landscape. Not even the damp, cold weather (around 2-5 degrees centigrade) could prevent a couple from having a mid-morning picnic!
The abandoned cave dwellings are the most interesting attractions here. You can still figure out how these rocks have been carved inside to make room for living spaces. It is still possible to imagine how people here lived in the past! The area could have been perfect location for the Flintstones' hometown - Bedrock City.
Swords Valley is one of the most accessible hiking sites from Goreme. To go there, take the spur road to your left (on the way to the Goreme Open Air Museum) at the junction where the "Swords Valley" sign stands. From there, the whole place is virtually all yours to explore. Word of caution, though: some rocks could be very slippery when wet, so use suitable hiking shoes with good traction.
The Church of St. John's
by Paul2001
The Church of St. John's is on the way to the Zelve Open Air Museum from Goreme. As it is just off of the main road, it is easy to visit by car but if you are like me you will probably stop by on the hike along the way to fairy chimneys. The church was carved into the rock around the 13th century. It features sum of the more interesting frescos that you are going to find in Cappadocia.
Authentic village cooking
by Tijavi about Dibek
Housed in a restored village house, Dibek is where you go for authentic village cooking. It is the only restaurant in Goreme that requires advance orders for very famous testi kebap (meat and vegetables in a sealed terracota claypot that is broken during serving) that requires three hours of slow cooking in an oven.
Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to try this local speciality. But what I had - kurufasulye (white beans with sundried lamb and tomato sauce) - was good. Their locally-produced house wine was surprisingly not bad, and the dessert, apricots cooked in syrup was a perfect ending to a wonderful meal.
Ambiance is homey, made comfortable by thick cushions around brass tables. Highly recommended.
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Ihlara Gorge
Red Valley - near Goreme
Getting ready
Inside the fairy chimneys
