Şirince & Tire Day Trip

This small hillside village, around 8 km from Selçuk, is best known for its local wines, olive oil and traditional houses. It also found unexpected fame in December 2012, when rumours linked to the supposed Mayan apocalypse claimed that Şirince would be one of the few places to survive the end of the world.
Anyway, we had breakfast at Can Restaurant, on the right-hand one of the two lanes climbing towards the church. It was our first visit to this charming spot, and both the food and the atmosphere were delightful. The staff were warm without becoming overfamiliar. Although the weather was a little chilly, we sipped our tea while looking across the typical Şirince houses scattered over the green slopes. After spending some time with magazines and the iPad, we wandered through the village, climbed to the church and bought a bottle of St. John's wort oil. This traditional preparation is made by infusing the plant in oil, and I had often heard claims that it could help with skin problems and acne. The evidence for topical uses remains limited, however, and the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns that applying St. John's wort to the skin may cause severe reactions after sun exposure. Oral products can also interact with many medicines, so it should not be treated as a harmless cure-all.

After our touristy wander through Şirince, we drove roughly 40 km to Tire. Part of my childhood was spent near this area, but after reading so much about the town in travel and food writing, I was excited to experience it from a visitor's perspective. It was Tuesday, so Tire's famous market had spread through almost every street in the centre. After weaving between the stalls and side streets, we found ourselves uphill beside a tea garden called Derekahve. I knew a stream ran through Tire but had not realised how attractively it had been landscaped, with natural stone terraces and occasional bridges. I thought the result made excellent use of the setting. We also remembered to buy vegetables, fruit and a scarf from the market. After another stroll, we got back into the car and headed for Kaplan Village in the hills above Tire, hoping to catch the sunset.

Kaplan is a mountain village surrounded by greenery, reached by a winding road that demands care. We made the climb slowly because I wanted to revisit Kaplan Dağ Restaurant, a place we had often visited during my childhood. Perched high on the slope, it combines a sweeping view over Tire with warm hospitality and delicious food. Even as a child, its keşkek—an Anatolian dish of slow-cooked wheat and meat—stayed in my memory. The cold starters made with local herbs were also well worth trying; my favourite that day was an unusual nettle dish. The restaurant was warmed by a traditional stove, with dried gourds hanging from the ceiling. We watched the sun set through the aged wooden window frames and began the slow drive back down to Tire as darkness fell.

Current note: Tire Municipality confirms that the historic open-air market still takes place every Tuesday and spreads through the town centre. Visit İzmir also continues to recommend Kaplan Village. Information was checked in August 2026.