SIRINCE GREEK VILLAGE:

  This pretty old Orthodox village was once named Çirkince ("ugly"). Indeed its habitants gave this name on purpose as they did not want to be bothered by strangers.

Still after years, visitors understood that the village was not ugly at all and called it Şirince ("pretty"). Today the village is a perfect synthesis of Turkish and Greek culture as of the 1920s: after the Independence War, people exchange between Greek and Turks has occurred and all those typical Greek houses, though they kept their original outside characteristics, have received the local layout inside. The most beautiful specimens are open to visitors. And even in the courtyard of one of them, one will discover a nicely restored Orthodox Church. All the narrow streets of the village belong to the women, selling handcrafts of all kinds and olive oil. Another attraction of Şirince is its wine: try its taste in small cafés or in the former municipal school restored.

Though Şirince is developing its tourism very quickly, it has been able to preserve its authenticity and the meaning of its name.

  Situated 8 kms east of Selçuk, world famous site with the ruins of Ephesus and surrounded by olive groves, peach and tangerine orchards and vineyards, this lovely hillside village's name can be translated as "the Charming".

   While wandering around on the narrow streets squeezed by rows of old houses exhibiting interesting local architectural heritage, you will be missing the past old times. Sirince is an inspiring village. Myths created for Sirince has reached the present day by gaining more values during the times; old personalities of Sirince became the heroes of novels and stories written about Sirince. One of them is the famous biographical novel of Greek writer Dido Sotiriyu: "Farewell Anatolia". Her childhood was full of memories from Sirince. "If paradise really exists, Kirkindja, our village, was a little corner of it" she says.

  The old Kırkındja of Dido Sotiriyu and today's Sirince are very much different, but they both challenge the passing time; one by memories, the other by preserving the values. The old beauties can be traced with tangerine clad trees, fresh oxygen storage air, narrow streets with cobble stone pavements, warm and hospitable folk and the well preserved old Greek houses.