Foça, one of the favorite holiday resorts in Izmir, considered the capital of the Aegean region, took its original name, "Phocaea," from the seals living in the region. In fact, the famous Siren Cliffs of Foça still draw attention as the natural habitat of seals.
The history of Foça dates back to ancient times and there are even mythological legends about the town.
According to Homer, who frequently mentions Foça in his works, mysterious sounds resembling whistles come from the Siren Rocks in Foça. The odyssey passing through here is very affected by these sounds. He puts wax in his crew's ears so they won't stop there, stunned by these irresistible mysterious sounds that sound like an invitation.
Foça, an Ionian city in antiquity with many legends about it, is also a naturally protected area with its historical ruins and structures. Since construction is not allowed, people have created a living space about half an hour away from the historical region as a remedy. As a result, Foça is divided into two sections: Old Foça, which is historical and under protection and New Foça, where construction is allowed.
Old Foça, home to different cultures for thousands of years, has made a name for itself in recent years with its effort to become a slow city, or citta slow.
Although Old Foça is not yet a citta slow, the nature and animal-friendly locals who welcome you with smiling faces seem to have adopted this style of life. Foça, where you can witness the local life when you leave the coastline and enter the side streets, also has stone houses, each more beautiful than the next. Although there are stone houses in many Aegean towns, the ones in Foça always seemed different to me. Undoubtedly, you will want to be photographed in front of all these stone houses.
Apart from the coastline and side streets in Foça, there are historical buildings you should see, activities you should do, and local flavors that you should taste.
Reminiscent of a small fishing town, Foça is the center of attention of all local and foreign tourists throughout the summer with its Mediterranean climate, sea season starting from May to September, and warm waters. With its Blue Flag coves, untouched nature, and narrow streets full of stone houses, it welcomes visitors to an unforgettable experience. You can also take a boat tour to visit the large and small coves around Foça and Atatürk Island.
You can see the Siren Rocks, featured in Homer's "Odyssey." It is worth remembering that it is forbidden to swim on these rocks, which were formed due to the erosion of the waves and wind. Since this is the habitat of the seals, special care has been taken to not disturb the wildlife.
You can see the two windmills that the Turks and Greeks used to grind grain years ago and have survived to the present day.
Although it was built as a church, you can visit the Fatih Mosque, which was converted into a mosque during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II and has a stone minaret and a madrassa in its garden. You can also visit the cemetery from this period, and a Greek cemetery is said to belong to a Greek prince and princess.
You can visit Phrygian Hill to witness a wonderful sunset.
Also, be sure to visit the organic market, a representative of the Slow Food movement, one of the best steps Foça has taken to become a citta slow. I recommend you take time out of your holiday to visit the market, which is set up on Sundays, where natural products grown in Foça and nearby villages are sold and the local culture is promoted.
In Foça's Kozbeyli Village, you can visit the streets of the undiscovered town and see the historic stone houses, have breakfast in one of the restaurants that offer local dishes, and drink coffee at Şakir's Coffeeshop, which is famous for its dibek coffee.
You can relax in Foça Bays to enjoy the sea to the fullest in the deep blue and clean waters of the Aegean. The popular New Foça Beach belongs to the municipality, but there is no charge at the entrance. However, you have to pay a fee to the facilities for sunbeds and umbrellas.
Sazlıca Bay is also located between Old Foça and New Foça. You can also reach Mersinli Beach from Sazlıca, which is an ideal cove for camping. You can go to Acar Camping to camp in Foça.
English Cape, where there is no settlement, is also one of the most beautiful places to swim in Foça.
With its small and large islands located off the coast, clean coves, delicious Aegean cuisine and taking firm steps forward on the citta slow road, Foça offers all the expectations from a summer holiday.
Foça, which is the right address for those who want to start the day with an excellent breakfast consisting of natural products, have a wonderful dinner with fantastic sunset views, enjoy the clear blue waters, breathe the smell of history among the stone houses, and experience tranquility, awaits its visitors as a cute fishing town on the Aegean.
