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Şirince is a beautiful hill town only 8 km (5 miles) east of Selçuk, near Ephesus, in the Aegean hinterland south of Izmir (map). It's famous for its olive oil, wine and beautiful, restful boutique hotels and inns.

The story goes that it was formerly inhabited by Ottoman Greeks and named Kırkınca ("Forty-ish"), which the locals pronounced Çirkince, which means "sort of ugly" (which it certainly is not).

After the exchange of populations following World War I, Turks from Greece were moved here. They changed the name to Şirince (shee-REEN-jeh, "sort of sweet, charming").

Some say the Orthodox Christian Greeks who lived here formerly were famed for the excellence of their wine. Others say the Muslim Turks who moved here pretty much started the wine trade, but in any case production has been continued (or re-started), and you can taste the results and judge for yourself when you visit. They sell red, white and rosé, dry and sweet.

I must admit that I have not been charmed by them, but it's an experience.

Besides grape wines, the locals sell many fruit wines, including apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, creamberry, mulberry (black, and white), mandarin orange, melon, orange, peach, quince, sour (Morello) cherry and strawberry.

Go to Şirince for a stroll, some shopping, photography, a bit of cooler air, a lunch or dinner in one of the many small restaurants, or even overnight.

Be sure to stop and see Mr Zeki Çelikçi, a master craftsman who carves wooden spoons by hand. More...

Şirince is a stop on guided bus tours, so it is busiest at mid-day, and quietest in the evening and early morning.

A number of village houses have been beautifully restored and opened as inns, with comfortable double rooms, as well as suites for families, and even rental houses for longer stays.

Here's how to drive from Izmir's Adnan Menderes Airport to Selçuk and Şirince.

Minibuses run between Selçuk and Şirince every 30 minutes during the warm months (April through October), less frequently in the winter (November through March). Ask about the time of the last minibus when you arrive at Selçuk's otogar (bus station), or in Şirince.