Things to do at Selime Cathedral

Selime sits at the northern end of Ihlara Valley, about 1 hour 20 minutes from Göreme by road, and is best known for the rock formation called the cathedral and the monastery carved into the cliff above it.

Unlike the flat riverside walk through the canyon itself, Selime's monastery climbs through multiple levels of chambers, stables and passages cut into soft tuff, with uneven steps and a few sections of light scrambling rather than a level path.

It works either as the natural endpoint for anyone who has walked the valley from Belisırma, roughly 4 kilometres away, or as a standalone stop for drivers arriving directly from Aksaray or Ihlara village. Entry is by the same Ihlara Valley ticket. Give the monastery 45 minutes to an hour, more if you climb into most of the upper rooms.