Things to do at Göreme Open-Air Museum

The Göreme Open-Air Museum is a UNESCO-listed cluster of rock-cut Byzantine churches carved into the fairy chimneys just outside Göreme village, not the village itself and not the wider national park.

Entry runs roughly 20-25 EUR and covers most churches, but the Karanlık Kilise, the best-preserved of the group, requires a separate ticket of around 10 EUR on top of that, which catches out visitors who budget for the main gate only. The site opens early and fills fast once the Red Tour minibuses arrive, so the first hour after opening and the last hour before closing are the calmest windows.

Interiors are dark, low-ceilinged in places, and flash photography is banned to protect the frescoes. Allow one to one-and-a-half hours to see the main churches properly rather than rushing through.