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Şirince is a quaint little town a short drive east of Selçuk. Although it’s become quite touristy, it still maintains an air of authenticity.
History of Şirince
Settlement in Şirince dates back to ancient times. The current village was founded by Greeks who moved there from Ephesus when the city was abandoned in the 15th century. They produced wine, figs, olives, tobacco, and vegetables. Although the inhabitants were Greek Orthodox Christians, they spoke mostly Turkish.
Legend has it that the first settlers were freed Greek slaves who called the town Çirkince, meaning “ugly” in Turkish, to deter anyone from joining them. The name was changed to Şirince, meaning “pleasant”, in 1926.
Şirince suffered greatly during the forced population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923. The Turkish-speaking Greek population was replaced with Greek-speaking Muslims from Crete and northern Greece who had a difficult time integrating. They had no experience with olives and figs, so most of the trees were sold or cut down for firewood. The village became semi-derelict after the population exchange.
The new residents did, however, maintain the winemaking tradition. They also pay homage to their origins in Greece and the former Greek residents. Many souvenir and wine shops are named for the places their ancestors came from or have Greek names.
In the 1990s, Armenian-Turkish linguist Sevan Nişanyan and his wife, Müjde Tönbekici, settled in Şirince. They were instrumental in having the village declared a national heritage site. The couple began restoring historic 19th century homes using original materials and building techniques. Local residents followed suit, converting their homes into guest houses, hotels, and restaurants.
Şirince made international headlines in December 2012 when tourists flocked there to witness the Mayan Apocalypse. Mystics believed the village’s positive energy would prevent them from perishing.
Getting to Şirince
Şirince can be reached via minibus from Selçuk. They leave every half hour and the ride takes about 15 minutes. Buses drop off passengers at the entrance to the village. The best time to visit is during the week. It gets packed on weekends and when cruise ships are in port, which tends to take away from the charm.
What to Do in Şirince
Şirince is a great place to wander around for a day. I’ve visited several times on day trips from Selçuk. I enjoy strolling through the streets, relaxing in cafés and wine houses, and admiring the scenery.
Also, many of the streets throughout the village are lined with souvenir shops. You can find all kinds of Turkish souvenirs. Much of it is junk, but there are also plenty of local handicrafts and products for sale. I usually take home some jams or olive oil. Other local products available are honey and fruit syrups.
Buying Wine in Şirince
As previously mentioned, the locals have kept up the winemaking tradition of the village. Şirince is famous for fruit wines, and there are plenty of shops selling different varieties of the product. Shopkeepers are happy to give you samples.
In addition to the fruit wines, there are wine shops selling a variety of different wines from all over Turkey. We stopped into Yorgo’nun Mahzeni for a free wine tasting. To be honest, we only liked one of the five wines we tried and weren’t happy with the hard sell at the end. Prices were terribly inflated for what they considered “premium” wines. I wouldn’t have paid ¼ of what they were asking. There are much better Turkish wines at fair prices in other places.
Churches in Şirince
As Şirince was 100% inhabited by Greek Orthodox Christians before the population exchange, there are two partially-restored churches to visit.
Church of St. Demetrios
The Church of St. Demetrios (Aziz Dimitrios Kilisesi) is up a flight of stairs near the entrance to the village. Before entering the church, take the time to admire the stunning views from the porch. It overlooks olive groves and forested hills.
The construction date of the church is unknown. It was left to the elements after 1923, allowing the roof to cave in, but it was renovated by a local in 2015. On one visit, photos inside detailed the restoration efforts.
Of particular interest is the beautiful wooden iconostasis. The wooden screen was repainted by an artist who brought the colors back to life based on traces of original paint.
The Church of St. Demetrios was the starting point of an annual pilgrimage to the House of the Virgin Mary, about 15 kilometers west of the town near Ephesus. The procession took place every August 15 and took about five hours. It’s not known when the pilgrimages began, but they continued until the population exchange.
Church of St. John the Baptist
The Church of St. John the Baptist (Vaftizci Yahya Kilisesi) was completed in September 1805 and was the most important church in Şirince. It was part of a complex containing the church, the priest’s house, and a fountain. The present look of the church dates back to a restoration in 1832.
In the courtyard of the church is a wishing well topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary. Off to one side is a fountain with a faded inscription in Greek.
A porch covers the entrance the church and a candle box. The year 1832 is carved into the top right of the marble doorway indicating the restoration date.
Above the entrance is an inscription in Greek. The inscription roughly reads:
The Church of the Prophet and Baptist St. John was built on the order of the blessed priest of Heliopolis together with His Grace Bishop Kallinikos of Sifnos for his very dear God and was completed with the invaluable help of the dear religious people here and around. The church was destroyed after completed and a new church was erected at great expense and effort as well as with the help of God in September, 1805.
The church was excavated and restored between 1988 and 1993 by the Ephesus Museum and again from 2015 to 2016 by the Government of Izmir and Selçuk Municipality. Occasional art exhibitions are held inside. Legend has it that the church basement was once used to mature local wines.
The interior is bare but there are a few restored frescoes. The frescoes in the niches on the east side of the church, on either side of the apse, depict Christ.
The frescoes on the southeast wall depict saints, liturgical figures, and scenes from the Bible. Only a few sections remain partially intact.
Where to Eat in Şirince
There are lots of choices for food in Şirince. I’ve usually eaten at the same places on every trip.
Panorama Restaurant
Panorama Restaurant is a small place on the upper west side of Şirince. It’s situated in a historic home and features a few tables on a balcony on the upper floor. I’ve eaten there a few times. You’ll have a hard time finding a restaurant with better views.
The menu contains several traditional Turkish dishes. I’ve had the mantı, salad, gözleme, stuffed zucchini flowers, stuffed grape leaves, and erişte (noodles). Everything has been excellent and it’s easy to tell the ingredients are very fresh. The only drawback is the service can be slow.
Manzara Café
A few steps from Panorama is Manzara Café. If you’re looking for a coffee or cold drink, this is a decent place with a nice comfortable setting and good views.
Fındık Café
I really enjoy having Turkish coffee at Fındık Café. It’s at the south end of the main road through town. They specialize in Turkish coffee cooked in hot sand. In fact, each table has a machine to heat sand.
