Eski, or \'old\' Foça, is no exaggeration for a town that dates from the 11th century B.C. It is situated on the Aegean, 670 km southwest of Istanbul, 65 km north of Izmir. Homer\'s Siren Rocks, made famous from the Odyssey, can be seen only 3 sea miles away across the bay. Foça has 12,000 inhabitants, and a lively fishing fleet and market is based at its harbour.
Unfortunately many of the original Greek buildings have disappeared, but enough remain and are being restored, helped by small narrow streets, to preserve the authentic character of this ancient settlement. Visitors with an interest in archaeology will find that the world\'s second oldest amphitheatre, which has only recently been discovered, is within the town boundary. Foca also has a museum that shows pictures of excavations and tells about the town\'s history.
The town is a very safe family resort, and whilst there are some discotheques, they do not intrude in the way they can in a more \'developed\' resort. Most of Eski, or \'old\' Foça, is no exaggeration for a town that dates from the 11th century B.C. It is situated on the Aegean, 670 km southwest of Istanbul, 65 km north of Izmir. Homer\'s Siren Rocks, made famous from the Odyssey, can be seen only 3 sea miles away across the bay. Foça has 12,000 inhabitants, and a lively fishing fleet and market is based at its harbour.
Unfortunately many of the original Greek buildings have disappeared, but enough remain and are being restored, helped by small narrow streets, to preserve the authentic character of this ancient settlement. Visitors with an interest in archaeology will find that the world\'s second oldest amphitheatre, which has only recently been discovered, is within the town boundary. Foca also has a museum that shows pictures of excavations and tells about the town\'s history.
The town is a very safe family resort, and whilst there are some discotheques, they do not intrude in the way they can in a more \'developed\' resort. Most of the tourists are holidaymakers from Izmir, which helps the town\'s attractions stay Turkish, and visitors from abroad are mostly British with a number of Norwegian, French and Dutch accounting for the rest. The weekly market is on Tuesdays and has nearly everything you can imagine. Please visit the Activities page for ideas about what to do in Foça
The town has a hospital, ambulance, several doctors and dentists.
Distances:
To Izmir (province capital): 70 km
To Kozbeyli (picturesque village with market on Sundays): 10 km
To Yeni Foça (small laid back town with a great beach): 20 km
To Menemen (bargains on pots and wicker work): 30 km
To Bergama (Sanctuary of Asclepeion, Turkish carpets): 80 km
To Ephesus (old Greek town, famous for its ruins): 140 km
To Pamukkale (mountain side with white lime deposit, looks like cotton): 300km |