Sirince - the cute wine village near Selcuk

Wednesday, 12 March 2025 10:02
Written by Portal Editor

Not far from Kusadasi and another highlight of a trip to Turkey could be a visit to the town of Sirince near Selcuk for every tourist.

You immediately feel like you've been transported back to the last century, enjoying the charm of the small idyllic houses and the flair of the colorful market. Many small traders offer homemade fruit wines that are inexpensive to buy. There is also a small church in Sirince.

Here is the report of a traveler who is unfortunately unknown to us:

The pretty village - Sirince

An old sleepy village whose houses look very different from other villages in Turkey: white brick houses with tiled roofs. Like something out of a picture book. If you look at the houses up close, you'll discover little surprises....

If you drive through Selçuk towards Izmir, you'll see an inconspicuous sign on the right-hand side pointing to the village of Sirince. If you are curious, take this little detour and drive 7 km along the winding road about 350 m up into the mountains. There we discover a beautiful, idyllic, sleepy village.

The different architectural style of the houses immediately catches your eye because it is different from other Turkish villages. At first glance, time seems to have stood still here. But unlike a few years ago, tourists from home and abroad discovered Sirince as the only Turkish village where wine is grown. You can get home-made fruit wine made from apples, sour cherries, peaches and strawberries. Taste is a matter of opinion. The cultivation of peaches, grapes and apples continues to be a source of income.

The village is a listed building

There are also a few guesthouses and hotels here, of which the Nişanyan houses have been restored according to their original model and are recommended. The architecture of the entire village is also largely preserved, but there are many damaged houses that are not being restored. The village is a listed building. This is probably the reason why 2-3 houses disappear completely every year.

White brick houses with lots of wide windows and tiled roofs dominate the place. There are day trips to this village from the surrounding area. The location is excellent: Kuşadası 28 km, Ephesus 11 km and Selçuk 8 km away. In summer this village is so crowded that you will hardly find a free seat in one of the few restaurants in the village. The Artemis Restaurant, located in a restored schoolhouse, offers regional cuisine. But in winter it is really worth enjoying the idyll and the wonderful panorama of the village.

In the old sources the village is called "Ephesus in the mountains" or "the old Ephesus".

The residents of Ephesus fled in summer from the malaria-causing mosquitoes of the Little Menderes Delta. Şirince was therefore the summer residence of the Ephesus residents.

According to another source, the first inhabitants settled here around the 5th century BC.

They fled from the difficult living conditions in the area around the Küçük Menderes River and found shelter here.

There are also other legends that say that the village was founded by exiled farmers of the feudal lords. When the exiled farmers found the present site of Sirince to settle and establish their village, a feudal lord asked: "Is this place beautiful?" The farmers answered: "No, quite ugly". The feudal lord then replied: "So your village should be called Çirkince" (Çirkinçe means "a little ugly"). And the farmers founded the village of Çirkince. Under the rule of the Ottomans, Greeks lived here in the 19th century. At that time there were 1800 households. Another source says that the village was called "Kırkınca", the Greeks pronounced this word "Kirkince", from which the word "Çirkince" was created.

In 1924, a governor of Izmir is said to have renamed this village "Şirince", which means "a little pretty", because he was warmly welcomed here during his visit.

Exchange of population between the Greeks and the Turks

In 1922, the last war between the Greeks and the Turks ended with the defeat of the Greeks. The exchange of population between the Greeks and Turks.

At this time, the time of the Greek population in what is now the Turkish Aegean region ended. The residents of Sirince also left the village. Turks from the area around Thessaloniki were settled in the village over time.

The villagers, almost all resettled Turks from Greece, are very friendly and warm. The residents who settled here at that time preferred to tear down their houses in order to build new houses in Selçuk, Kuşadası and Izmir with the material because they did not like the village.

That is why there are about 180 households here.

If you come to Sirince for the first time, it is best to start your walk from the garden of the old schoolhouse.

From here you have a wonderful view of the village and the surrounding area.

After that, it is worth going to the lower church. If you are lucky, you can visit it, because it is usually closed.

But you can also enjoy a beautiful panorama from here.

The minibus stop to Selçuk is in the square behind the mosque. Here, delicacies from Şirince are exhibited and sold:

The women of Şirince offer olives, olive oil, syrup, tarhana, freshly picked fruit, herbs from the area, homemade goat cheese, wine and handicrafts.

Near the oven, there is the smell of fresh bread, which tastes particularly delicious here. The upper church has been renovated.

If you walk a little further up, you can see the details of the houses decorated with Byzantine stones and lion reliefs from above. A visit that is always worthwhile.

Please also read:

The Roman Pollio Aqueduct near Sirince

Selcuk near Izmir - Isa Bey Mosque