Nevşehir

Understand

Volcanic eruptions between 9 and 3 million years ago laid a thick deposit of tuff or ignimbrite ash across Cappadocia. This is easily eroded, and where it outcrops at the edge of plateaux, it creates hoodoos or "fairy chimneys", weird towers. But all over the region, people found it more convenient to scrape out dwellings from the soft rock than to erect masonry, and these were easier to defend or hide away in. Underground cities have been found in 40 sites across Cappadocia, and more keep being discovered, to the dismay of anyone trying to refurbish their basement. They've been inhabited since 800 BC, Phrygian times, but were greatly expanded from hidey-holes into entire cities from 100 to 800 AD. Their inscriptions show the inhabitants were Christian, so the Romans get the blame for persecution, but the worst attacks came later at the hands of Arabs, Seljuks and Ottomans, which doesn't suit the Turkish narrative. Some were inhabited right into the 20th century.

Climate is semi-arid continental. Nevşehir stands at 1224 m / 4016 ft elevation, with thunderstorms April to mid-June, hot dry summers, and cold and snowy winters. See Cappadocia for a climate chart.

Get around

Nevşehir sprawls, but the sights within town can be explored on foot.

You need wheels to reach the outlying underground cities. Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu are substantial villages along D765 to Niğde, so there should be a dolmuş running every 15 minutes.

See

thumb | 300px | Nevşehir Castle is the centrepiece of Damat İbrahim Paşa complex, which also contains a library and hammam. Such complexes (külliyesi) typically also had a hospital and soup kitchen, but these have not survived. Damat İbrahim Paşa (1662-1730) was Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire until murdered by a mob - Sultan Ahmed III handed him over to save himself. is an old town quarter of higgledy-piggledy streets. There's probably another underground city below which it's not feasible to excavate, but property owners have created small hotels and restaurants in the cellars.

Do

Hamams - traditional Turkish baths - are within the Damati Ibrahim Pasa complex, open daily 07:00-23:00. Lunapark children's amusement park in town centre remains closed.

Buy

thumb | 300px | Within Kurşunlu Mosque Supermarkets: lots of stores downtown, usually open daily 09:00-21:00. Şok, Bim and A101 are the main chains.

Eat

Lots of small places along the main east-west street Atatürk Blv near its intersection with Lale Cd running north-south.

Drink

Cafes and restaurants serve alcohol, no stand-alone bars. Local wine: Cappadocia mostly makes red wine.

Sleep

thumb | 300px | Sarcophagus in the museum

Nigrum Hotel nearby at Atatürk Blv 37 has similar prices and quality. Nar has over a dozen small places called "cave hotels", cellars more like. See Uçhisar for accommodation further east.

Connect

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

Go next

Göreme and Ürgüp have the best of the hoodoo or "fairy chimney" scenery, so they're touristy. Avanos on the banks of the Kizilirmak river and Ortahisar by contrast have few visitors. Uçhisar castle is formidable rather than scenic but commands great views. Hacıbektaş 45 km north has the shrine of Hacı Bektaş Veli, a 13th century Sufi saint, with a commemoration held in August.