Not far from Selçuk is the old Orthodox hillside village of Şirince. This small Turkish village is famous for it’s wines, olive oils and crafts and is a popular place for local (Turkish) tourists.

It’s a bit of a maze of a village, with some steep hills and market stalls lining almost every street. Some specialize in leathers, others specialize in colourful textiles. You’ll see plenty of the ubiquitous ‘evil eye’ souvenirs here as well.

The main attraction though is the wine. Not just grape wines but also many flavoured fruit wines. It is said that every home in the village produces their own wine, many of whom sell them at stands outside their homes.

You’ll also notice the village seems to be overrun by cats too. They’re all pretty laid back and sleepy looking, perhaps from all the local wine?

The story goes that back when the village was settled they called it Cirkince, which means ‘ugly’. It was a ploy to trick visitors, tourists and foreigners into skipping this picturesque town, so it could stay a secret. It didn’t last obviously, as the name was later changed to Sirince, meaning ‘pretty’.

While the market stalls here sold some fantastic home-made crafts and wines, that ugly/pretty story came to mind when I passed this perfectly genuine, fake shop.

Friendly shopkeepers, not pushy at all, made the experience here worthwhile. Many have areas set up at the back of their market stalls to sit and enjoy some Turkish coffee too. It’s a great place for a day trip, especially if you’re looking for a bottle of unique Turkish wine.