Uçhisar

Uçhisar is a small town in Cappadocia where pinnacles of soft tuff have been hollowed out into bastions and dwellings. Uç hisar means "outermost fort", the fortified main pinnacle. If you mistook Uç for Üç meaning "three" you'd still be on the money, as there are two other less prominent pinnacles within town.

Uçhisar in 2022 had a population of 3555. It's only 4 km from better-known Göreme and a scenic canyon stretches between.

Get in
Long-distance travel is via Nevşehir, which has flights from Istanbul and buses from all directions. A swarm of dolmuşes buzzes between Nevşehir and the smaller towns of Cappadocia: Uçhisar is off D302 on the route to Göreme. There isn't a bus station, the dolmuşes make multiple stops through town.

Get around
The sights are all within walking distance.

See

 * is a similar carved-out pinnacle east across the valley. There's a good walking trail around it, but the paths up its heights are in poor condition above the break-neck cliffs. Free to access, far fewer tourists, and you get the view of Uçhisar Castle.
 * is another carved-out pinnacle, which you may have to yourself.
 * (Güvercinlik Vadisi) can be viewed and entered from the coach parking lot at the south edge of town. It's a canyon riddled with caves and hidey-holes: many of these were pigeon lofts, as the bird droppings were used as fertiliser and as house paint.
 * (Güvercinlik Vadisi) can be viewed and entered from the coach parking lot at the south edge of town. It's a canyon riddled with caves and hidey-holes: many of these were pigeon lofts, as the bird droppings were used as fertiliser and as house paint.

Do

 * Hike down Pigeon Valley to Göreme, 4 km. It's easier in that direction as it's downhill, you go with the flow of other hikers, and the side-canyons are joining not diverging so you're unlikely to get lost up a dead end.
 * Hamam: Milagro is a modern free-standing spa at Adnan Menderes Cd, 1 km south of village centre. For old-style public Turkish baths head into Göreme.

Buy

 * Chez Kamal in town centre is the main store, open daily 08:00-00:00.

Eat

 * Town centre near the castle entrance has several small cafes, not too touristy.
 * Bindalli has a good view of Pigeon Valley but the buffet food is only so-so. It's on Adnan Menderes Cd 200 m north of the valley lookout and trailhead.

Drink

 * Cafes serve alcohol, there isn't a free-standing bar.

Connect
Uçhisar and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of July 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Nearby Göreme has an extensive landscape of "fairy chimneys" carved into dwellings.
 * Nevşehir the transport hub has an "underground city" around its castle. Two better-preserved underground cities lie south at Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu on the road to Niğde.