Escape of the Week: Goreme, Turkey

Welcome to the country where east meets west.

A land entrenched in history, Whirling Dervishes, bazaars, spice-filled foods and a wide-range of landscapes to choose from. If you’re planning a trip to Turkey, take note — no trip here is complete unless Cappadocia travel is included.

The Cappadocia region of Turkey is in the middle of the country, but worth a stop. Here, visitors are greeted by sunrise of pinks and oranges casting their colors across white rocks, and fairy chimneys to spark the world of fantasy.

Formed from an eruption of Mt. Erciyes ages ago, the chimneys and valley are the permanent reminder of Mother Nature.

While I was on my Fez Bus Tour, we stopped in Goreme, a little town in the region. For three days, I lived in the land of whimsical and ancient cave hotels (which used to be dwellings) and phallic rocks jutting out into the crisp blue horizon.

It’s an understatement to say the world of fairy chimneys and enormous rocks sprouting from the ground is cool. It’s mind-blowing.

While the town of Goreme itself isn’t huge, there is plenty to do since it caters largely to tourists.

One must? Sleep in a cave. There are plenty of options, from budget friendly hostels like Shoe String Cave Pension to more expensive lodging like the lush Sultan Cave Suites Hotel.

By day, take time to explore the region. There are plenty of tours operating from here that whisk people away on treks, to explore the underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, or local ATV rides through the rock formations.

For early birds, the sun rise hot-air balloon ride over the fairy chimneys is absolutely magical. For those who prefer to keep their feet planted on the ground, try visiting the Goreme Open-Air Musuem which takes people through tiny cave churches still in use.

Don’t forget about food.

During my visit, I stopped in at Dibek, a darling authentic restaurant where we sat on gorgeous colorful carpets and drank homemade wine and dined on flavorful testi kebap. This dish is kebap, sealed in a terracotta jar, and slow-cooked for three hours in a stone oven. Then, it is brought to the table and broken open and served.

Delicious.

Getting there:

If in Istanbul, take the night train. It’s between 11 – 12 hours, but the Turkish bus system is largely run very well.

From Anakara, the bus is 4 1/2 hours. From Antalya, the trip by bus is 9 hours.