Şirince is a cute little village with a fun history, beautiful views, wonderful food, hospitality, and so much more. It's perhaps the perfect synthesis of a traditional Turkish village and traditional Greek village. The village lies across a hill about 12 km from the ancient city of Ephesus, 85 km away from Izmir proper. The architecture is truly special and a few houses have been opened to the public to give the public the opportunity to admire it up close and to get a sense of the architectural history of the village. Its location on a hill and its fertile fields have made it a haven for vineyards, olive orchards and amazing peaches, figs, apples, walnuts and more. The narrow city streets are preserved as well by the prohibition of vehicles in the city center. Horses are allowed, so either stroll through the quaint streets on foot. The village breakfast is some of the best Turkish breakfast you'll ever eat, with an endless array of cheeses and olives and tomatoes and cucumbers and jams and more. Local herbs are used in many of the more substantial meals, picked from the hills and often cooked using local olive oil. The Şirince bazaar is one of the great markets of the Aegean coast. This bazaar has amazing trinkets, souvenirs, jewelry, soaps, dried fruit, handmade clothing, so much produced by the village and its surroundings. Turkish coffee is brewed using a pan filled with sand that's then heated over an open flame.This method is local and traditional and makes the coffee taste strong, thick and delicious.
