We had walked downwards the historic ruins of Ephesus, gorged on mouth-watering doners inward the Selcuk town marketplace in addition to sipped on warm apple tree çay (apple tea). After having spent five days inward the lovely petty town of Selcuk inward the Izmir percentage of Western Turkey, nosotros wanted a season of the ‘slow hamlet life’. The best house for this (as nosotros were told past times locals in addition to most guide books) was Sirince!
A little hamlet nigh 8 kilometres off the Selcuk town centre, Sirince has but nigh 600 inhabitants. It is a quiet, quaint hamlet in addition to most of the buildings at that spot appointment dorsum to the 19th century. While the hamlet straight off thrives on tourism in addition to 1 powerfulness tell it is getting a combat likewise touristy – its chief attraction is nonetheless the one-time basis charm. Walk away from the marketplace street into the little by-lanes lined past times shops & houses, spotter sheep grazing past times the strange meadow or walk uphill to larn a persuasion of the hamlet from the church building boundary.
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| The quaint chief foursquare |
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| Flowers inward bloom at Sirince |
We were staying at the Selcuk town in addition to took a dolmus (mini bus) from the Selcuk Otogar (bus station). 25 mins in addition to three Turkish liras took us upward a comfortable ride to Sirince village.
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| The dolmus (mini van) that shuttles passengers betwixt Selcuk & Sirince |
The Dolmus dropped us at a little hamlet foursquare where a petty brownish board announced that this foursquare was the dolmus station for the village. From here, nosotros could walk unopen to Sirince (walking is the primary fashion of carry for tourists – although locals maneuver their ain cars or tractors thru the narrow lanes). It was almost sunny alongside a mutual depression temperature nip inward the air – made the perfect weather condition for a walk.
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| The 'dolmus station' at the hamlet sqaure |
We walked past times the chief hamlet marketplace street where nosotros browsed through shops that sold wines, herbal soaps, wooden handmade toys in addition to artefacts. It was a colorful sight!
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| A diverseness of locally brewed wines made for a colorful sight inward the Sirince market |
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| Souvenirs inward the marketplace alongside the Turkish evil oculus 'nazar' |
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| Wooden Toys - most of them similar Pinochios |
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| Handpainted tiles, Herbal Soaps in addition to Pickles & Vinegar - all sold at the hamlet market |
When the vino sellers in addition to souvenir shopkeepers got likewise touristy for us, nosotros took off on 1 of the by-lanes flanked past times 19th century houses – some swanky, some dilapidated. We walked uphill past times the local mosque to cross a little meadow alongside sheep grazing to their hearts content.
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| Scenes equally nosotros walk past times the bylanes of Sirince - the hamlet mosque, a tastefully done upward draw of piece of job solid & sheep grazing inward a meadow correct behind it |
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| Scenes from the hamlet - a homo cutting forest for making woodfired kebaps, a farmer maneuvering his tractor thru the & a lady selling local spices in addition to pickles |
Further on, nosotros reached St John the Baptist Church – a 5th Century church building which looked similar it had seen amend days, The (what were once) beautiful frescos were damaged but thankfully undergoing structured restoration. We lit a candle at the altar in addition to said a tranquillity prayer. The church building path was lined alongside vendors selling paw made lace shawls, soaps in addition to fifty-fifty freshly baked bread.
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| St John the Baptist Church - the facade, the altar in addition to the 'what were 1 time artistic' frescos |
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| A lady selling handmade lace shawls & capes |
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| An one-time lady was selling freshly baked staff of life exterior the church building gate - which she had covered alongside a blanket to buy the farm along them fresh in addition to warm |
The walk made us hungry in addition to nosotros went to a eating seat called Ocakbaşı (meaning ‘fireplace’ inward Turkish). This was an opened upward air eating seat overlooking the valley serving upward hot gozlemes (stuffed crepes), wood-fired kebaps, meat stuffed vine leaves in addition to non forget the staple apple tree çay (apple tea).
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| The Ocakbasi eating seat overlooking the valley served upward hot woodfired kebaps made past times local village-women & meat stuffed vine leaves |
A eating seat possessor scrubbing the walls clean
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| Locals & Tourists grab upward over some Apple Cay at the hamlet sqaure. The conversation eventually broke out into a peppy Turkish song |
After a hearty repast that made us warm in addition to cosy, nosotros walked dorsum to the marketplace in addition to browsed through some to a greater extent than souvenirs earlier catching a dolmus dorsum to Selcuk.
There are several legends on how Sirince (pronounced Shi-rin-jé) got its mention – including 1 that says this hamlet was ready past times freed Greek slaves who named it Çirkince (meaning "Ugly" inward Turkish) to deter others from next them. The village's mention was subsequently changed to Şirince (meaning "Charming") inward 1926 past times the thence governor of Izmir. We indeed constitute the hamlet thence charming in addition to a bully agency to pass a brilliant sunny morning!
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Useful Info:
Getting There:
Sirince is ideally a twenty-four hours trip from Selcuk town inward Western Turkey.
Selcuk town is nigh an hour’s campaign from the Adnan Menderes Airport inward Izmir (Western Turkey). Izmir is good connected alongside daily domestic flights from Istanbul.
Selcuk town is nigh an hour’s campaign from the Adnan Menderes Airport inward Izmir (Western Turkey). Izmir is good connected alongside daily domestic flights from Istanbul.
Selcuk to Sirince: Take a Dolmus (Minibus) from the Selcuk Otogar to Sirince – 25 mins, three Liras per person. The Dolmus leaves from Selcuk every one-half hr during summertime in addition to drops you lot at the Sirince chief hamlet square. When you lot larn off, brand certain to enquire the driver for supply dolmus timings (especially the terminal coach back) thence that you lot tin fourth dimension your return.
Child Friendliness Quotient: Very High. Children volition dearest walking through the hamlet (with really petty traffic), spotter sheep/ cows/ donkeys/ roosters unopen to the village, sit down on the 1 of tractors (which most owners are okay with) or lead hold a horseback ride unopen to the village.Most of Sirince is cobble-stoned though, thence makes for a slightly oil pram ride if you lot lead hold infants.
Vegetarian Tips:
Most restaurants serve a diverseness of vegetarian Turkish meals – endeavor the vegetable stuffed vine leaves, cottage cheese stuffed gozlemes in addition to caprine animal cheese stuffed baked capsicum.