Turkish Towns & Villages - KD16
This tour is designed for guests who are looking for an option for "off the beaten path". Board your coach and head to the lovely town of Sirince (pronounced as she-RIN-jay), a wonderful little Aegean village of 600 inhabitants. Most of the houses in the village date from the 19th century or earlier and they were built at a time when Sirince was predominantly a Greek village. The village lies in a lovely bowl of hills surrounded by peach orchards, vineyards and olive groves. The higher hills are covered with pine forest. Nearly all houses command a pastoral panorama extending over many miles, undisturbed by any modern development. Farming remains the principal activity. Villagers make wine and olive oil, and grow some of the best peaches in the country.
After exploring the village of Sirince with a stop in one of the wine houses for tasting the homemade fruit wines, the tour departs for Tire, another interesting town about 62 miles away from Sirince. Tire, which is one of the biggest provinces of Izmir, was established on the northern feet of Aydin Mountains. It is remembered as "Green Tire" due to its geographical structure and natural vegetation. From the First Ages until the periods before Turkish Civilizations, the town was called "TEIRA." It took the name of "TIRE" in the Turkish period. The town has a variety of cultural inheritances from different layers of civilizations that once inhabited this area. Tire has a rich cultural accumulation of handcrafts thanks to its ancient settlement in Western Anatolia. Among Tire hand crafts you can list rope making, pack saddling, felting, quilting, matting, horseshoe making, and embroidery, which are the main products of Turkish genuine culture and which are considered as dying artcrafts. The town has a lot to offer to foreigners, as there are more than 100 mosques in the town and many remains form different civilizations.
After the visit of Tire and lunch in a local restaurant, on the way back to Kusadasi you will have a refreshment stop in a native carpet weaving art center with shopping opportunity and a carpet presentation.
Following this visit, you will continue to Kusadasi where you will have free time for shopping and browsing or you may return directly to the ship which is within walking distance.
Note: Guests must be able to walk approximately 1,5 mile over uneven surfaces, inclines and 10 - 30 steps. Comfortable walking shoes, comfortable clothing, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent are recommended. Guests should watch their step at all times in order to avoid injuries. The order of the tour itinerary may vary in order to avoid congestion at the sites. Due to the nature of this tour, it is not recommended for guests with walkers or wheelchairs and for persons who have difficulties in walking, climbing, and/or managing steps. Drinks are at an additional cost.