What to Eat in Güzelyurt: Famous Dishes and Local Products

Famous Dishes of Güzelyurt

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  Testi Kebabı (clay-pot kebab)

  Testi kebabı, made by baking lamb and vegetables in a clay pot, is the signature dish of the Cappadocia region. The pot is broken open when the dish is served.

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  Arabaşı Çorbası (chicken and yoghurt soup)

  Arabaşı, made by adding a mixture of flour and yoghurt to chicken broth, is the traditional winter soup of Güzelyurt.

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  Mantı

  Small pieces of dough filled with minced meat, cooked and served with yoghurt and garlic sauce. Güzelyurt's home-made mantı is known for its thin dough and generous filling.

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  Tandır Ekmeği (tandoor bread)

  This traditional bread, baked in a clay tandoor, is an essential part of village tables in Güzelyurt.

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  Gelveri ekmeği (Gelveri bread)

  A bread specific to Güzelyurt (formerly Gelveri), known for the way it is made and for staying fresh for a long time. It holds a protected geographical indication.

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  Gelveri çöreği (Gelveri pastry)

  A pastry baked in a stone oven in Güzelyurt over oak wood, which stays fresh for a long time.

These dishes are known throughout Aksaray province; see the provincial food guide for details.

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  Aksaray Tava (baked meat and vegetable casserole)

  A regional dish in which tomatoes, capia and green peppers, garlic and plenty of meat are mixed with spices and baked in a clay pot with butter.

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  Aksaray İnceelek Tatlısı (nut-layered filo dessert)

  A dessert of thin filo layers sprinkled with walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds, baked and soaked in syrup; it received its geographical indication on 17 October 2019.

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  Aksaray Tahinlisi (tahini pastry)

  A tahini-filled pastry registered as a protected geographical indication on 25 May 2021.

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  Aksaray Köpük Helva (soapwort foam halva)

  A traditional foam halva made by whisking soapwort root (çöven otu) with sugar and water; it has a geographical indication.

What to Buy in Güzelyurt: Local Products

• Pekmez (grape and mulberry molasses) Grape and mulberry molasses are produced in Güzelyurt by traditional methods. Consumed in winter months as an energy source, pekmez is the region's best-known local product.
• Kuru Kayısı (dried apricots) Dried apricots, obtained from apricot trees suited to Güzelyurt's climate, are prepared by natural drying.
• El Dokuma Kilimler (handwoven kilims) Traditional kilim weaving continues in Güzelyurt. Kilims woven with local motifs are among the souvenirs tourists most often choose.

What Güzelyurt Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions

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  Cappadocian Rock Culture

  Güzelyurt holds some of the best-preserved examples of Cappadocia's tradition of rock-cut settlement. Underground cities, rock churches and monasteries bear witness to this unique culture.

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  Gelveri Heritage

  Güzelyurt's former name was Gelveri, and Greek and Turkish communities lived side by side there until the 1924 population exchange. This multicultural past can still be felt in the district's architecture and culture.

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  Ihlara Valley Monastic Tradition

  In the early Christian period, Ihlara Valley was an important monastic centre where monks withdrew to live in seclusion. More than 105 rock-cut churches bear traces of this tradition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Güzelyurt Travel Guide

• 📍 Things to Do in Güzelyurt 9 places to visit →
• 🗺️ What to Eat in Aksaray All the famous dishes of the province →

What to Eat in Other Districts of Aksaray

• Aksaray Central District 4 dishes Aksaray Tava, Arabaşı Çorbası and Bamya Çorbası
• Ağaçören 4 dishes Arabaşı Çorbası, Tandır Kebabı and Mantı
• Eskil 4 dishes Arabaşı Çorbası, Tandır Kebabı and Tarhana Çorbası
• Gülağaç 4 dishes Testi Kebabı, Arabaşı Çorbası and Mantı
• Ortaköy 4 dishes Arabaşı Çorbası (chicken and flour soup), Tandır Kebabı (tandoor-baked lamb) and Mantı
• Sarıyahşi 4 dishes Arabaşı Çorbası, Tandır Kebabı and Bazlama
• Sultanhanı 3 dishes Aksaray Tava, Testi Kebabı and Sultanhanı Aşı