Şirince Village, one of the corners of paradise in our country, was a place whose name was not heard until 2012. After the apocalyptic prophecy that was put forward in 2012, Şirince suddenly sat on the agenda of both our country and the world.
In addition to its historical and natural beauty, we have compiled this article about Şirince, which is famous as the village where the apocalypse is tangential, and which is at the top of our List of Places to Visit in Izmir .
History of Sirince
This fairy-tale village, whose history dates back to the 5th century BC, was a place where wealthy families lived. These people loved Şirince so much that they called this legendary village Çirkince so that it would not be discovered and crowded.
After the population exchange in 1924, the Greeks in the village were replaced by the Turks, who were immigrants from Thessaloniki . When the governor of İzmir visited the village, he was so impressed by the beauty of the village that he thought it would be unfair to call this village Çirkince and changed the name of the village to Şirince.
1995 is a turning point for Şirince. After Sevan Nişanyan, one of our famous writers, settled in Şirince with his wife in 1995, the face of Şirince Village began to change gradually. The author, who gradually restored the old Greek houses in the village, has made Şirince one of the attraction centers of our country with this move.
Sevan Nişanyan, the architect of Şirince, who started to run in the tourism lane after that date, was sentenced to prison for making unauthorized construction in Şirince, which was taken under protection as a protected area.
Today, Şirince is quite different from other villages in our country and İzmir . You feel yourself in a very different atmosphere in this fairy-tale village where history and aesthetics are woven together.
As soon as you step into Şirince, on the fertile land with cultural treasures such as the Virgin Mary on one side and Ephesus on the other, you will not want to leave here.
Sirince Doomsday Prophecy
Şirince Village, with its natural and historical beauties, is one of the places where one would want to go again and again. But this beauty was not enough to make the village popular. Until 2012 that is.
In 2012, with a rumor spreading from ear to ear, Şirince was suddenly flocked by foreign tourists. So what was this rumor? According to the Mayan calendar, December 21 is marked as the last day of the world. I mean, hell.
A group calling themselves the Blue Energy Group said that on December 21, 2012, a planet called Marduk would hit the earth, and this collision would bring the end of the world. Again, the same group named two places in the world that would not be affected by this disaster: Bugarach village in France and Şirince. The news that the doomsday will pass tangentially to these two villages was an escape from the apocalypse for those who believed in this prophecy.
Tens of thousands of people flocked to these two villages, so to speak, before December 21. Accommodation facilities in Şirince, where not a single foreign tourist was seen at Christmas time until then, were full. It is said that there were even tourists sleeping on the street.
Another rumor is that Hollywood stars also come to Şirince. Of course, the doomsday prophecy did not come true that day. However, on December 21, he was instrumental in removing the dust of the years that had accumulated on Şirince.
Since then, Şirince, which has become more well-known both in our country and in the world, welcomes more and more visitors every year.
The rumor that the apocalypse would tangent to Şirince Village was most beneficial to Şirince’s shopkeepers. When you talk about the doomsday prophecy to the shopkeepers, you will see that they are all waiting for a new doomsday prophecy. This is the point of course. However, it is an indisputable fact that the earnings of Şirince shopkeepers in the period of December 21 are equal to the sum of all previous years.
Places to Visit in Şirince
Şirince is a full barrel, so to speak. Although it is quite small in terms of both population and surface area, there are many places to visit and see in the village. Let’s take a tour of Şirince together.
Sirince Streets
The unique streets and sidewalks in the village take you on a journey to a few centuries ago. As you step the streets, you walk in a different time zone. Meanwhile, you feel as if you are playing the oud and qanun taksim in the background.
Each stone on the streets of Şirince, where nostalgia is at its peak, whispers a different story. When you listen to someone, you hear the sobs and tears of a little Greek girl who does not want to leave her home. When you turn your ear to another, you read the most pathetic lines of the letters left from a lost love between Thessaloniki and Şirince.
If you can save yourself from this spell, you will get delicious shots on the streets of Şirince. When you press the shutter button of your camera by feeling the stories of the stones and walls, the photos you take literally come to life by flowing from the paper.
St John the Baptist Church
Although the construction of St. John the Baptist Church, located on the southern slope of Şirince village, has just been completed, its history is quite old. It is not known exactly when the church was built. However, at the beginning of the 1800s, a new church was built with the architectural features of the old church, without damaging the memory of the old church.
St. John the Baptist Church, which was closed to visitors for many years, was restored and opened to visitors in recent years. We strongly recommend you to visit this historical temple.
Nesin Mathematics Village
Aziz Nesin Mathematics Village, built by Sevan Nişanyan, who is considered a kind of architect of his son Ali Nesin and Şirince, to fulfill Aziz Nesin’s will, was built with the mission of warming up the new generation who do not like mathematics with mathematics.
Mathematics Village has no financial expectations. The only expectation of a generation that is quite afraid of mathematics is to overcome this fear and raise children who are at peace with nature, science and themselves.
For this reason, there are areas in Nesin Mathematics Village where children can plant flowers, saplings and be at one with nature.
In addition, children’s daily life can be useful for cooking, cleaning, etc. Various activities such as training are also available.
Theater Madrasa
The Theater Madrasa, which is very close to the Nesin Mathematics Village, was built by Sevan Nişanyan , who brought a breath of fresh air to many places in Şirince.
The purpose of constructing the Theater Madrasa is for dozens of artists, regardless of amateur and professional, to take the stage together.
In addition, the Theater Madrasa is a place where many researches, examinations and theses are put forward in the field of stage and performance arts, as if it deserves its name.
In the Theater Madrasa, where the audience and the artist can come together, one-man shows are staged throughout August. If you happen to be in Şirince in August, you can participate in this enjoyable activity.
Hodri Square Tower
When we talk about the Hodri Meydan Tower, we have to ring in Sevan Nişanyan’s ears again. Because the architect of this building is Sevan Nişanyan.
This 12-meter-long stone structure is located on the land where Nişanyan Houses are located. Sevan Nişanyan built this tower after the demolition decision for the houses he built.
The top floor of the tower serves as a viewing terrace. You can reward your eyes with a beautiful view by inhaling every shade of green from the viewing terrace, which you can climb for free.
Activities to Do in Şirince
Şirince is one of the most exclusive venues in our country. As such, you have the opportunity to do very enjoyable activities in Şirince. Let’s take a look at what you can do in this cute village.
- The first activity you should do after stepping into Şirince is to tour the streets of the village. If you get acquainted with the streets, you can integrate with Şirince much more easily.
- Apart from being the village where the apocalypse happened, Şirince is famous for its wines. If you are in Şirince, you can taste the famous fruit wines. The historical cellar within the Church of St. John the Baptist satisfies the visitors in this regard.
- In Şirince Village, you can taste elderberry syrup, which many of us have heard for the first time. This syrup, which is made from the essence of a flower that grows in wetlands, is also good for many diseases, especially colds.
- If you are tired while visiting this beautiful village, a cup of coffee in the sand will take you away from the tiredness. If you go to Şirince, we recommend you to taste the coffee in the sand.
- If you want to add color to your trip in Şirince with a different activity, Mehmet Abi, a native of Şirince, comes to your rescue with his horses. You can have a wonderful journey on horseback in the greenery.
- While you’re all the way to Şirince, an exciting, adrenaline-filled activity awaits you just ahead. Although the free parachute in Ephesus may seem a bit scary, if you can gather your courage, you can have an experience you will never forget.
Food and Drink in Sirince
Sirince Village amazes you with its delicious food as well as its beauty.
“We are on our way to Şirince, what can we eat?” If you are asking, the first thing we can recommend to you is definitely the breakfast. The places in Şirince almost compete with each other with their delicious spread breakfasts.
If you ask us, Zeytin Cafe & Restaurant is one step ahead in this race. A rich breakfast table ranging from pancakes to menemen awaits you at Zeytin Cafe, which is shown as the most famous breakfast place in Şirince. Especially the herbed cheddar pancake is the most preferred flavor of the place.
To enhance the taste of breakfast, you need a foamy Turkish coffee. You can enjoy Sirince’s famous coffee on the sand in many places.
But if you are looking for the most sparkling and most delicious, you should definitely choose Hazelnut Cafe . The unique decoration of Fındık Cafe adds to the pleasure of coffee. You can also experience a different taste with elderberry sherbet served with your coffee.
If you’ve started thinking about lunch or dinner after you’ve had your coffee and breakfast right, we recommend Artemis Restaurant & Wine House . At Artemis Restaurant, where you can taste Şirince’s famous Doomsday Kebab, you can sip your wine against the landscape of Şirince, embroidered with a thousand shades of green and stone houses. Although the prices are a bit high, the taste and the view deserve this value in our opinion.
Apart from this, Üzüm Cafe is one of the flavor stops that must be visited in Şirince. Even though it’s called a cafe, its operation is a little different from the cafes you know. As soon as you step inside the place, the smell of freshly baked cookies welcomes you.
There is also a wine bar in the cafe. Here you can taste wine accompanied by rich cheese plates. The very famous lemonade of Üzüm Cafe is one of the flavors that deserve to be tasted.
Places such as Bizim Ev Hanımeli, Gülgün Abla’nın Yeri, Dimotros Restaurant, Sedir Mantı Evi in Şirince also offer delicious moments to their visitors with their different menus.
Accommodation in Sirince
In order to fully enjoy Şirince, we recommend you to choose accommodation trips instead of day trips.
Sirince offers you a different accommodation experience. Boutique hotels, created by restoring stone mansions, open the door of past centuries to those who stay with their nostalgic atmosphere.
If you are looking for an accommodation facility in Şirince, we have some recommendations for you among the best hotels and hostels in Şirince.
Shopping in Şirince
There are many souvenir shops, large and small, where you can buy souvenirs on the streets of Şirince. In addition, cute and smiling aunts, who are locals of Şirince, open stalls in front of their houses. You can buy vests, booties and embroidered writings made by aunts from these stalls. There are also homemade products such as tarhana, noodles and jams in these stalls.
Scented soaps are among the most preferred souvenirs by visitors. You can make your loved ones happy with a few scented soaps you throw in your bag after returning from Şirince.
But Sirince’s famous fruity wines are undoubtedly the best gifts for those who prefer alcoholic beverages. Here, you can taste and buy wines made with orange, grape, strawberry, black mulberry and almost any fruit you can think of.
