Goreme at Night and Love Valley Panorama
15km (9 1/3 miles) east of Nevsehir; 6.5km (4 miles) west of Ürgüp
With so many other charming and more characteristic vilagges in Cappadocia, it's a wonder that Göreme's popularity never wanes. Its name recognition has been high among backpackers, a state affairs that led to a profusion of charmless, dormitory-style pensions and fly-by-night bars catering to a coed crowd.
As travellers to the region increase, young ambitious entrepreneurs are stepping up the plate with better-endowed pensions and outright luxury hotels. For the most part, however, the presence of :modern:, albeit low-rise concrete slabs detracts from the magic of the horizon.
Taking Goreme as a base does have its advantages. The main appeal of Goreme, besides the Open Museum located on its fringe, is the village proximity to some of the most scenic valley walks. Inconspicuous early churches dot the landscape between the town and the Open Air Museum, popping up unexpectedly at the edge of a lonely corner of a valley. In Goreme itself, one of the few villages in which the rock homes and fairy chimneys have been continually inhabited, the attractions share the spotlight with daily lives of the locals. Gentrification has yet to push out it's natives and with it, the authenticity of the village. In Goreme, it's still common to run into a donkey delivery, or stumble upon a devout gaggle of chatty woman and chickens, while staying fairly accessible to food, transportation and internet cafes.
Cappadocia (Kapadokya in Turkish) is a region of exceptional natural wonders, none more than the giant monuments left by Mother Nature in Love Valley. Situated in the very heart of modern day Turkey, this natural wonder sits on a high plateau over a thousand meters in altitude. Rainfall is sparse in this area and the place has hot dry summers and bitterly cold snowy winters. There is little rainfall and so the region is generally arid. In this environment these huge phallic natural structures seems like some sort of ancient homage to male fertility. However, they are far from man-made despite the possible resemblance to manhood. Have a good look. Seeing is believing indeed!
With so many other charming and more characteristic vilagges in Cappadocia, it's a wonder that Göreme's popularity never wanes. Its name recognition has been high among backpackers, a state affairs that led to a profusion of charmless, dormitory-style pensions and fly-by-night bars catering to a coed crowd.
As travellers to the region increase, young ambitious entrepreneurs are stepping up the plate with better-endowed pensions and outright luxury hotels. For the most part, however, the presence of :modern:, albeit low-rise concrete slabs detracts from the magic of the horizon.
Taking Goreme as a base does have its advantages. The main appeal of Goreme, besides the Open Museum located on its fringe, is the village proximity to some of the most scenic valley walks. Inconspicuous early churches dot the landscape between the town and the Open Air Museum, popping up unexpectedly at the edge of a lonely corner of a valley. In Goreme itself, one of the few villages in which the rock homes and fairy chimneys have been continually inhabited, the attractions share the spotlight with daily lives of the locals. Gentrification has yet to push out it's natives and with it, the authenticity of the village. In Goreme, it's still common to run into a donkey delivery, or stumble upon a devout gaggle of chatty woman and chickens, while staying fairly accessible to food, transportation and internet cafes.
Cappadocia (Kapadokya in Turkish) is a region of exceptional natural wonders, none more than the giant monuments left by Mother Nature in Love Valley. Situated in the very heart of modern day Turkey, this natural wonder sits on a high plateau over a thousand meters in altitude. Rainfall is sparse in this area and the place has hot dry summers and bitterly cold snowy winters. There is little rainfall and so the region is generally arid. In this environment these huge phallic natural structures seems like some sort of ancient homage to male fertility. However, they are far from man-made despite the possible resemblance to manhood. Have a good look. Seeing is believing indeed!
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The closest human habitation is the small town of Göreme. Although you might expect hordes of tourists visiting such a place this is not the case. The Turkish are gregarious but modest people – you do not get group outings to Love Valley to see the ‘willy shaped’ rocks as you might had they occurred in any number of other countries. As such the town is small and friendly with little commercialization as such. What you will find there, however, is a very genuine and relaxed atmosphere and a warm welcome. Although it is unlikely that you will get lost it is considered the right thing to hire a local guide when you head out to see the local geological features
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If you want to see a unique geological site, then this is certainly it – no run of the mill vague shapes here. These structures mean business. And they weren’t made by Mother Nature having a funny five minutes – these strange pinnacles are in fact eroded volcanic ash. You need to be pretty healthy to take all of this is as generally people will go for hikes around the valley rather than driving. If you are really not inclined to healthy walking then you are able – at some expense – to hire a hot air balloon and see the whole site from the skies.
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