Ürgüp or Göreme? Where to Stay if You're Visiting Cappadocia

One of Cappadocia’s largest towns, Ürgüp is famous for its wine with the Turasan Winery supplying around 60% percent of all Cappadocia wines. As such, it would be safe to say that Ürgüp is definitely a great destination for wine lovers. Turasan offers free tours and tastings and you’ll be utterly mesmerized by their rock-carved wine cellar, as well as the vineyards where everything is still done by hand.

Another important point about Ürgüp is that it has the highest quality and greatest selection when it comes to accommodation. It’s here that you’ll find the fancier hotels in the region, so Ürgüp is more suitable for those travelers who like to keep a certain standard during their vacation. Of course, more budget options are also available in the form of old houses that have been converted into pensions by friendly locals. You’ll also discover that staying in Ürgüp means that you’ll be close to the social scene, which thrives in the town’s many restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars.

Unlike Ürgüp, Göreme has mostly budget and mid-range hotels and is a much smaller town, but it’s advantage lies to its close proximity to one of Cappadocia’s most important sites: the Göreme Open Air Museum. Perfect for travelers who want to be walking distance from the museum’s caves, fairy chimneys, and cave churches with their beautiful frescoes, as well as the famous Üçhisar Caslte, Göreme is the better place to stay. However, do be aware that other main sights such as the underground cities, the Monk’s Valley, the Ihlara Gorge, Camel Rock, and Soğanlı Valley are all driving (or bus) distance from both Ürgüp and Göreme.

Apart from also being a better jumping off point for more active endeavors such as hiking and mountain biking (bikes can be rented or tours booked) Göreme is also a great place to witness how man and nature live in harmony. In the village of Göreme, you’ll come across locals who continue to live in the rock houses or use them as storerooms, an experience that’s a bit removed from the touristic hotpots. The village also has excellent restaurants (also within the rocks) where you can really enjoy the local cuisine whilst being bewitched by the magical landscape.