Şirince Village Travel Guide: Cobbled Streets, Village Breakfast and Wine Houses

Şirince is a mountain village surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, a short drive from the Selçuk district of İzmir. Highlights of a visit include walking the narrow streets between stone and wooden houses, having a village breakfast, tasting fruit wines and handmade products and seeing the village's old churches. As it is very close to Ephesus, the two are usually combined on the same trip.

The story of Şirince

Şirince was once a village with a Greek Orthodox population, and after the population exchange in the early 20th century, migrants from Greece settled here. It is said that the village's old name was "Kırkınca" and that it later took the name "Şirince" (meaning "pretty") in tribute to its beauty. Today you can see traces of this many-layered past in the village's architecture and products.

Built on a hillside, the houses preserve the traditional village fabric of the Aegean, with their whitewashed walls, bay windows and red-tiled roofs. This well-preserved fabric has made it one of the most visited villages in the region.

What to do in Şirince

Walking the streets

The real pleasure of Şirince is a walk without a map. When you leave the main bazaar street and turn uphill into the side streets, the crowds thin out and you come across vines and bougainvillea hanging over the courtyards of the houses. The stone ground is sloping and slippery in places, so comfortable shoes are important.

Seeing the churches

There are two churches in the village from the Greek period. The one dedicated to St John the Baptist has been restored over time and has become one of the most visited buildings in the village. The other church also stands among the houses, as part of the village fabric. Whether the churches' interiors are open to visitors may vary with the period.

Village breakfast

Şirince is famous for its spread-style village breakfast. Olives, village cheeses, home-made jams, gözleme and eggs with herbs come to the table. Most breakfast places have gardens or terraces with a view.

Tasting the fruit wines

Şirince is known for its wines made from fruits such as blackberry, peach, sour cherry, mulberry and apple. There are many wine houses and tasting points in the village. For those who do not drink alcohol, fruit juice and syrup options are also widely available.

Handmade products

In the bazaar, olive oil, olive oil soaps, dried fruit, jams, lavender products, hand-knitted items and ceramics are sold. Shopping from local producers supports the village's economy.

When should you go?

In spring the countryside around the village turns green and blossoming trees add colour to the streets. Autumn is the grape harvest season and the weather is ideal for walking. In the summer months the village can be very crowded at weekends; choosing the early morning or a weekday makes your visit easier. In winter you will find a quiet, peaceful Şirince, though some businesses may be closed.

Getting to Şirince

Şirince is reached from Selçuk by a narrow, winding mountain road. Minibuses run from Selçuk to the village. If you are driving yourself, bear in mind that the car park at the village entrance can fill up in the summer months. The village itself is not suitable for traffic, so you explore it on foot.

Combining Şirince with Ephesus

As Şirince is very close to Ephesus, you can visit both on the same day. Two popular options are to explore Ephesus in the cool of the morning and go up to Şirince in the afternoon, or the other way round, to start the morning with breakfast in Şirince. We describe what to see in Ephesus in our Ephesus Ancient City travel guide.

Seeing Şirince on a tour programme

Both of TatiliYakala's Aegean programmes stop in Şirince, but at different times and in different ways:

• Ephesus, Kuşadası, Çeşme, Alaçatı and Pamukkale tour: Day two starts with a spread-style village breakfast and free time in Şirince, then continues to Ephesus.
• Salda Lake, Pamukkale, Ephesus, Kuşadası and Şirince tour: On day three, after Ephesus and the stops around it, you visit a tile workshop and the day ends with a walk in Şirince village.

Small but useful notes

• If you are taking wine and other liquid products on a plane, check the airline's rules.
• There may be few cash machines in the village; carry cash for small purchases.
• As the streets are narrow and sloping, a baby carrier or sling is more comfortable than a pushchair.
• Do not enter the courtyards of houses when taking photos; remember that people still live in the village.

What is a day in Şirince like?

Seeing Şirince only as a shopping stop means missing the village's real beauty. Arriving early in the morning and starting with breakfast in a garden, then heading up the streets, stopping at the churches and looking out over the valley from the upper parts of the village, lets you see Şirince's quiet side. Towards midday the bazaar gets busy; this is a good time to visit the tasting points and shops. In the late afternoon, when the day visitors leave, the village grows quiet again. If you have the chance to stay a night, these calm hours are Şirince's most beautiful moments.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to Şirince?

Şirince is reached via Selçuk. There are minibus services from Selçuk to the village; you can also drive yourself, following a narrow, winding mountain road.

What should you buy in Şirince?

Fruit wines, olive oil, olive oil soaps, home-made jams, dried fruit and handmade ceramics are the most popular things to buy in Şirince.

How many hours does it take to see Şirince?

A few hours is enough to walk the streets, stop for breakfast or coffee and do some shopping.

Can you visit Şirince and Ephesus on the same day?

Yes, the two places are very close to each other. You can plan Ephesus in the morning and Şirince in the afternoon, or the other way round.

Can you stay overnight in Şirince?

Yes, the village has guesthouses converted from old houses and small hotels. Once the day visitors have left, the quieter evenings and mornings show overnight guests a different side of Şirince.