Foça
Some 50 kilometres north of Izmir, at the Aegean coast, lies the little picturesque town of Foça (ancient Greek: Phokaia).
Founded in the 11th century B.C., Phokaia has taken its name from the Mediterranean seals living among the islands in front of its coast. Phokaia was an important settlement in ancient Ionia. Its influence was immense and reached far, till present day Italy, France and Spain. Towns like Massilia, today’s Marseille, for instance, counted among its colonies.
Taken and almost completely destroyed by the Persians in 546 B.C., Phokaia later became part of the Roman Empire. Byzantium succeeded the Romans until Foça passed under Turkish realm in the 13th century and was finally integrated into the Ottoman Empire in 1455.
Founded in the 11th century B.C., Phokaia has taken its name from the Mediterranean seals living among the islands in front of its coast. Phokaia was an important settlement in ancient Ionia. Its influence was immense and reached far, till present day Italy, France and Spain. Towns like Massilia, today’s Marseille, for instance, counted among its colonies.
Taken and almost completely destroyed by the Persians in 546 B.C., Phokaia later became part of the Roman Empire. Byzantium succeeded the Romans until Foça passed under Turkish realm in the 13th century and was finally integrated into the Ottoman Empire in 1455.
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Today, Foça is an idyllic fishing town. It has widely managed to escape the attention of foreign tourism and is preferred as a weekend destination primarily by people living in Izmir and Manisa. In contrast to tourist centres like Bodrum, which are strongholds of partying and entertainment, Foça rather attracts with its history and culinary tastes. Around the bay of Küçük Deniz (“Small Sea” of Foça) one fish restaurant neighbours another. Until deep into the night you can enjoy your fish and rakı, hang around in cafés and bars, or just sit dreamily on the beach and watch the moon disappear behind the Aegean horizon.
For more than fifteen years now, I have regularly passed my summers in Foça and it has since become a dear home town for me.