The port town of Eski Foca is only 2 kilometres away from Club Phokaia. The ancient city of ‘Phokaia’ took its name from the word ‘seal’ and Foca today is the site of one of three marine protected areas established for the preservation of the Mediterranean Monk Seals which gather on the small islands offshore.
Foca is set around two bays known locally as ‘Big Sea’ and ‘Little Sea’. The famous Siren Rocks mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey can be seen across the bay of Foca. There are two small fortresses dating from Byzantine, Genoese and Ottoman times, but the ruins are merely a sideshow to the allure of the town itself with old Ottoman-Greek houses, open air restaurants lining the shore, a good selection of shops, a great weekly market and an authentic charm.
Further afield are the world famous sites of Ephesus and Pamukkale, while the bright lights of Izmir with its historical importance, superb architecture and interesting culture is just a 1 hour 15 minute drive away.
Ephesus
170km from Club Phokaia is the magnificent ancient city of Ephesus.The ruins are the best preserved of any ancient site in the Mediterranean, the Temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Despite only a small part of the site being excavated to date, there is so much to see – wander through ancient streets, see the remains of the library – the most impressive ruin at Ephesus, the public baths, markets and ruins of terraced houses. Originally a seaport, the ruins now reside some 5km away from the coast. For the real culture vultures out there, check out the regular festivals at Ephesus, previous years highlights have included the Tokyo ballet, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Puccini and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s show Phantasia.