Ortahisar, Cappadocia

Ortahisar is a traditional town built around a dramatic 90-metre rock castle riddled with tunnels and dovecotes. Quieter and more authentic than its neighbours, it's surrounded by orchards and old Greek houses, and its cool caves are still used to store the region's citrus.

What to do in Ortahisar

• Climb the Ortahisar Castle rock for a view over the orchards and valleys.
• Wander the old town of carved Greek houses below the castle.
• See the lemon-storage caves that still keep the region's fruit.
• Base here for a quieter, more local stay near Göreme and Ürgüp.

How to get there

Ortahisar is about 10 minutes from Göreme and Ürgüp, and roughly 45 minutes from Nevşehir Airport (NAV). A taxi or dolmuş reaches it easily.

Where to stay

Ortahisar is cave-hotel country — rooms carved into the soft rock, from family pensions to luxury suites. See our guide to cave hotels, or message a local host.

Nearby: walk the valleys, take a balloon flight, or see all the Cappadocia towns.