Foça, one of the most important Ionian settlements in Antiquity; With its streets decorated with stone houses, a blue-flagged cove, a colorful harbor decorated with fishing boats and unique sunsets, it is one of the most peaceful resort towns that you can reach in a short time from İzmir.. It is no surprise that Foça is one of the favorite getaways of the people of Izmir; because this is the most beautiful place where you can experience Aegean calmness, maybe a little laziness.. It is neither overly popular and touristic as Çeşme, nor as crowded as Alaçatı; Foça is like an autonomous region established for Aegean summer housekeepers.
For Foça, where those who want to relax, meet with sunsets, It would be more appropriate to say that it is a real next-door neighbor that cheers your eyes with its streets, makes you say ‘you live this life’ on Instagram with its places, and of course refreshes you with its sea.. In short, we all know that Southern beach town that white collars want to relocate to in retirement; what about the Northern version of it? That’s Foça, too.
*Before We Begin: We consider Foça as Old Foça and New As Foça, we can think of it as two parts.. New Foça, as the name suggests, is not closely related to Old Foça and generally has modern style houses and summer houses.. Since many activities and places to visit in Foça are in Old Foça, which is as beautiful as the old towns in Europe, we spent 2 days in Old Foça.. Therefore, most of our suggestions below will also be from Old Foça.
ABOUT FOÇA
Inside the Turkish Riviera that starts from Antalya and extends to the central part of İzmir
Strong> in Foça, 9 B.C.. It is one of the must-see places in Izmir with its history dating back to the 16th century and still preserved town identity.
Ionians on the Aegean coasts; It is considered one of the most important settlements of Ionia due to its success in maritime and its contribution to the development of the Ionian civilization in Antiquity.
Foça, which was a colonial state at the time, , thanks to its naval fleet and power, it established its own colonies in many places, including the island of Corsica and the eastern coast of Spain, and entered a period of rise as a result of these developments.. Of course, being a port city brought with it difficulties and invasions; During this time, Foça was first under the rule of the Persians, Alexander the Great and the Genoese, and from time to time it was taken by Çaka Bey in the 13th century.. With the conquest of Fatih Sultan Mehmet in the century, it came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.
Old Foça Streets
In addition, Foça; Known for endangered Mediterranean seals. One of the houses of these seals, which can no longer live and reproduce in colonies due to the concrete on the shores and whose numbers are decreasing due to uncontrolled hunting, is the Siren Rocks in Foça and Foça.. If we can keep our sweet seals alive, Foça will continue to be in one of the 4 regions where they live in the world.. Mini note; The name of Foça in Antiquity, ‘Phokaia‘, comes from this seal species.. As a result, Mediterranean seals have become the symbol of Foça.
Today, Foça; It stands out as one of the most peaceful routes of İzmir with its nostalgic streets full of stone houses, the coast where fishing boats line up like a painting, and its calming view.. The best part is; it is a town that has never been corrupt, never flooded with tourists, and thankfully it has never been a ‘market’.
Already, Foça’s ‘ summer house head’ seems so clear that it is not very suitable for being a market, frankly.. That’s why we think it’s impossible to come here and not love it.. If you are looking for a place to ‘take a break’ to get tired, calm down, turn a little inside, briefly run, Foça is one of the places you can think of to come.. If so many people from Izmir run here at every opportunity, they also know something..
Old Foça Streets
FOÇA WHERE
Foça, a district of Izmir, is located in the Aegean Region taking. Established on a peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides between Çandarlı and İzmir Bay, the district of Foça is already a candidate to be the most peaceful fishing town in İzmir, in our opinion
HOW TO GET TO FOÇA
To drive from Istanbul to Foça You need to leave for Menemen after passing the Bursa Osmangazi Bridge and following the Manisa road.. After Menemen, you can reach Foça in a total of 6.5 hours in the direction of the signs.
To drive from Izmir to Foça On the other hand, you have to come to Karşıyaka first, and then after Çiğli to arrive in Menemen.. After Menemen, it continues with Foça signs just like Istanbul.. It takes an average of 1 hour to get from Izmir to Foça by car, and 45 minutes from Karşıyaka.
Transportation from Izmir to Foça by public transportation is pretty easy too. Firstly; Go to the İZBAN train stations that are close to you, switch to the stop that goes in the direction of Aliağa, and get off the train at the ‘Hatundere’ stop.. Then go to the bus stop at the Hatundere transfer center and wait for the 744 bus.. Line 744 reaches its last stop, Eski Foça, in 50-60 minutes.. There are 43 stops in between, but since you will get on from the first stop, you will have the chance to travel by sitting.. The time you will spend on the road in this way is between 1.5-2 hours.
On the Old Foça Streets
THINGS TO SEE IN FOÇA
#1 Old Foça Streets:
When we say Foça, the nostalgic streets of Old Foça come to mind first. This is the literal town version of the ‘old towns’ in Europe.. The fact that it has never lost its soul, that it is preserved as before and shines with different colors really adds a completely different beauty to Foça.. To explore the beautiful streets of Old Foça, the first thing to do is go to the small harbor known as the Little Sea and follow Reha Midilli Caddesi.
You will see plenty of old Foça’s stone houses on the cool promenade, but don’t be content with just them, don’t forget to dive into the streets parallel to the street.. Our favorite activity in our Foça tour was to follow these stone houses decorated with colorful doors and windows; Of course, it would be better if we didn’t do it when the sun was up, but what can we do, it’s timelessness..
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#2 Beşkapılar Castle and Its Walls:
In Antiquity this When you look to the left from the Little Sea, you can easily see the Beşkapılar Castle, which protects the area and covers the area where the Temple of Athena was located at that time.. It is also possible for you to walk inside; but we think it looks better from the outside. Unfortunately, we will criticize our beloved Foça on this issue; because there really is an antique problem here.
Once you never understand where you are visiting, even Foça’s own shopkeepers don’t know the place you ask.. We wanted to ask because we did not understand what was inside and behind the castle, where Temple of Athena and Kybele Open Air Temple were; we couldn’t find the answer. Thankfully, uncle coffee in Foça Dibek Kahve satisfied our curiosity; I wish we had thought to ask his name too.. ☹
As you walk towards the castle, you will see all five gates that gave the entrance to the city in ancient times, and don’t forget to cheer up the cameras at sunset.. In the evenings, trinket stalls are set up.
Beşkapılar Castle, Old Foça
#3 Old Port of Foça:
Kavala, visible at the far end of the beach from Beşkapılar Castle The old Foça Harbor is the place where you pass by while walking towards Cafe & Winehouse, where restaurants, bars and cafes are lined up.. It is also called the Little Sea.. Büyük Deniz is the harbor behind the Beşkapılar Castle.. Here, sailboats and relatively larger boats moor.
#4 Kozbeyli Village:
Your village conqueror, Journavel, has a village of its own in Foça, too! Kozbeyli, the smaller one of Old Foça, the unpopular one with its stone houses that preserve its texture as it is, should definitely be included in Foça itineraries.
Our purpose to come to Kozbeyli village, which we stopped by on our way back to İzmir from Old Foça, was actually to drink dibek coffee at the well-known Şakir’in Yeri, but watching the life of the village in its own way was too much for us. made happy. When you arrive in Kozbeyli, park your car and come to the village square immediately.. Şakir’s Place, on the left of the square, is very authentic and it is very pleasant to sit on its balcony or outside.. After drinking your coffee, you can wander the side streets and take an ice cream break.
Şakir’s Place, Foça Kozbeyli Village
#5 Boat Trip in Foça and Foça Islands:
Islands Boat tour is also an option if you have plenty of time in Foça, which is famous for its. While you are navigating the port, you will see these boat tours a lot and even when you don’t think about it, you will suddenly find yourself thinking ‘what if we should do it?’. On boat tours, you visit islands such as Orak Island, Siren Rocks, where Mediterranean seals live, and Incir Island, and the coves between this route.. Boats depart from Küçük Deniz port between 10-11 am. There is a fee of 50-60 TL per person. =”text-align: left;”>In addition to daily boat tours, there are also sunset tours. If I remember correctly, it also had a fee of 20 TL per person.
We didn’t have time to do this tour, but if you want to see all the places like Turisto If you don’t, you will have time to take a boat tour.
By the way; this is on the list of places to visit in Foça Devil’s Bath You can also add strong> and Foça Mills, we saw Değirmenler on the way and didn’t go near it.. We couldn’t include the Devil’s Bath since we only had 2 days here.
Little Sea Harbour, Old Foça
FOÇA EARTH MARKET MARKET
Foça has another place where our minds stay; The Earth Market where fair and clean sales are made according to the principles of Slow Food, which we could not see because we could not coincide with the travel days.. This market is actually a part of the Slow Food trend that started in Italy to take a stand against the fast pace of life and to protect the local eating and drinking habits that are on the verge of extinction.. Earth Market in Foça is the first representative of this ring in our country.
Every Sunday, between 08.30-18.00 The characteristics of Earth Market, established in Foça Pazaryeri; just like the quiet city of Sığacık, this is actually a producer’s market. You can find many products in the market, from organically produced fruits and vegetables to bread, cheese, jam and olive oil.
Speaking of Slow Food and Sığacık;
Places To Visit In Sığacık: 10 Reasons To Visit Sığacık
Buyukdeniz Sunset in Old Foça
Sunset in Old Foça
I don’t know if the sunset of Old Foça is due to the suddenly changing cool air during the day when it was extremely hot, it is really very impressive.. Aside from everything else, the serene state of Foça that draws people in as soon as you step foot in is also reflected in the travel concept of the visitor.. No need to come here and walk around. Waking up to the fresh air in the morning, resting with laziness in the afternoon, then distracting yourself with the view at the port, cooling off in the mist in the afternoon, eating delicious meals in the evening, and enjoying the day in the mini bars at night.. Therefore, a sunset watching activity is a must in this plan.
The champion in the best sunset in Foça of course >Kavala Cafe & Winehouse. You can read the details of the place in the What to Eat in Foça: Foça Food and Drink Suggestions section below.. The second alternative is a highly folk work Benches in the Great Sea. The silhouette of this place in the evening is really like a painting.. Take your drink, go for your snack.
Mersinaki Bay, Foça
WHERE TO SWEAT THE SEA IN FOÇA: FOÇA BEACHES
If you ask any Izmir citizen about swimming in Foça, you will probably get the same answer; Hanedan Beach. Especially if you are not going to be here for a long time and you have one-shot gunpowder, we recommend you to go to Hanedan Beach in order not to take risks like us.. You can see the other beaches below, they are all on the road from Old Foça to New Foça.. If you don’t have a vehicle, a minibus also passes by them.
Sazlıca Beaches, Foça
#1 Sazlıca Beaches:
One of the recommended places for swimming in Foça The beaches in Sazlıca Bay. The beach, which makes a scenery show with its color while traveling on the road, and where campers and caravans can stay at the same time. The campsites are a bit complicated, because behind the beach there can be both tents and families doing barbecues.
For Sazlıca, we entered the sign saying ‘Sazlıca Beaches’; Here you pay 15 TL per person.. There is a facility where you can eat.. We’re sure it’s calmer and more beautiful on weekdays.. Apart from these camping areas, more secluded places are recommended for swimming in Sazlıca.. It became a spot for us to take more photos.
Sazlıca Beaches, Foça
#2 Hanedan Beach:
Blue flag Hanedan Beach, located in the beautiful Mersinaki Bay of Foça , the master of hearts with its huge beach area. This is a pleasant place with both sand and grass areas, moderate prices for meals, and no heady music playing.
What you can return for food and drink at the checkout. You buy from Hanedan Card and have the amount you plan to spend loaded into it, you need to do your shopping in this way.. Since the beach is quite wide, it does not drown no matter how crowded it is.. The entrance fee is 25 TL per person on weekdays and 30 TL on weekends.. The water of the sea is cool and cold, but very very clean.
Hanedan Beach, Foça
#3 Voodoo Beach:
A popular blue flag Foça beach. Voodoo Beach, another beach located in Mersinaki Bay, has no entrance fee, but you have to pay 12 TL on weekdays and 15 TL on weekends for sun loungers.. We read a comment about not being able to enter without a roof, if so, bravo indeed.. It is obvious that it is a decent environment, you can add it to the lists with Dynasty.
#4 Mambo Beach Club:
This is another beach alternative that we came across during our Foça research.. Just like Hanedan Beach, it has a blue flag and is located in Mersinaki Bay.. Entrance to Mambo Beach Club is 30 TL; but after taking a look at the reviews of the place, we honestly gave up even stopping by.
Hanedan Beach, Foça
WHAT TO EAT IN FOÇA: RECOMMENDATIONS TO EAT IN FOÇA
#1 Fig Tree Coffee:
The little cafe where we took our horns and cereals and sat facing the sea. Here you can say your tea, coffee, lemonade and do something like a picnic.. It stays in front of Foça Dibek Kahve.
#2 Foça Dibek Kahve:
You know, some places like this are indispensable in that place, and Foça Dibek Kahve is one of them.. This is a mini, nostalgic coffee shop.. Don’t come back without sitting on the cedar and stools in the street under the ivy and drinking the coffee prepared in the old-fashioned stone mortar.. It must be because of my longing, the coffee break we took here reminded me of the times we went to Kizlaragasi in my childhood; I love nostalgia.
Foça Dibek Kahve, Old Foça
#3 Gum Ice Cream Nazmi Usta:
Cretan Usta’s natural ice cream is so famous that the queue in front of it never ends. Now it’s up to you; to be the source of this order of obligation at a time when you feel like less crowded in the middle of the day. Their ice cream tastes like your food at Yaşar Usta in Istanbul. 3 TL per ball, our favorites are tahini and almonds.
Gum Ice Cream Nazmi Usta, Eski Foça
#4 Kuzina Foça:
The address of Aegean olive oil and Aegean herbs in Foça. In general, it stands out with its Aegean cuisine; but this does not mean that you will only eat olive oil here.. Their menu also includes meat options such as buckwheat kebab, grilled meat, and ravioli.. Cousine; on a side street parallel to the port, we especially loved the garden part.. We highly recommend this place as well.
#5 Fokai Restaurant:
Foça’s most famous fish restaurant, very popular. Unlike the similar ones we see in holiday resorts, it is not on the coast; It is located in one of the side streets of Old Foça.. We had a very enjoyable evening sitting at the tables in the garden with nostalgic music playing softly.
As for the food, Aegean appetizers are really delicious.. We didn’t have a chance to try their fish, but the warm appetizers made us happy.. Since it is one of the first places that come to mind when you think of Foça, it would be better if you make a reservation before you go.. Let’s also mention that we paid 225 TL for 6 types of appetizers, 1 large green salad, 35 raki and calamari.
Fokai Restaurant, Old Foça
#6 Kavala Cafe & Winehouse:
Kavala Cafe & Winehouse, the first recommended place in Foça when it comes to sunset. As the name suggests, it is both a cafe and a wine bar; If we had such a place, we would work on the concept of a wine bar! Once by the sea, it serves in one of the most beautiful stone houses of Old Foça.. Of course, when it comes to Kavala, you have to go in the afternoon and grab one of the tables by the sea to watch the sunset.
The environment near sunset is getting crowded, but watching our way is also an option. ; Go like 5-6, first an iced coffee, then a scenery show with wine.. It has a fireplace inside for the winter months, another reason to go to Foça in winter.. Ace flags Joy!
Kavala Cafe & Winehouse, Old Foça
#7 Warm Boyoz Crispy Oven:
While we were in Izmir, we thought we would satisfy our longing for boyoz and dry pastry and found this bakery.. It was very nice in our opinion, it just gets a little hot where it is.. You can take your food from the oven and run to the beach.
#8 Gramafon Cafe & Bar:
One of the old Foça places where you can come for a coffee during the day and a drink with live music in the evening after dinner. The decoration of the cafe is very authentic. The repertoire of the live music we came across on Thursday evening consisted of Black Sea and Anatolian melodies, we don’t know if there is a change on other days.
#9 Miço Bar:
Let’s end the list with one of Foça’s popular venues. Miço Bar, famous for its live performances; Even though it is flooded by ‘youth from Foça’ in the evenings, it is still on the list of classics.. It’s usually always crowded, but if you find a place, we recommend you stop by.
Fig Tree Cafe, Old Foça
WHERE TO STAY IN FOÇA
The most logical one for your Foça trips Old Foça’ In our opinion, don’t think much of Yeni Foça in order to stay in the city and not to get away from the spirit of the town.. If you stay in Old Foça, it will be close to places to visit, the port and the beach, you can plan to your heart’s content.. Since we were not satisfied with the hotel we stayed in, we will not be able to recommend it to you; but when we were looking for alternatives, we also saw Lithos Hotel and included it on the list.. Then, while we were wandering around Old Foça, we stumbled upon its place and we liked it, so keep in mind.
To all of our other photos and notes about Foça, from our Instagram account, to the hashtag #journavelege You can access it by clicking. Follow us, let’s travel together!
Other articles that might interest you if you’re in Foça;
Urla Travel Guide: Places to Visit in Urla
In Urla What to Eat: Urla Food and Drink Suggestions
Sığacık Travel Guide: 10 Reasons To Visit Sığacık
The BEST BEACHES AND THE BEST OF İZMİR BEAUTIFUL BAY