According to the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations (UNWTO), the village of Birgi was recognized as one of the “most picturesque” villages in Turkey and the best tourist destination in the world in 2022.
The organization annually compiles a list of the best villages in the world. This time the winner in this nomination was the village of Birgi, which is located in Odemish district of Izmir on the coast of the Aegean Sea. According to experts, the emergence of the city dates back to 750 BC.
Turkey is practically a mecca for European travelers abroad. The country, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, has beaches, mountains, cultural and historical monuments in the open air, and many more incredible places to explore.
To make the list of the best tourist villages, a settlement must prove that its residents preserve its heritage and environment while attracting tourists. This is what the village of Birgi did, withstanding the competition among 130 applications from 57 countries.
“Birgi has tree-shaded cobbled streets and traditional houses and structures built in the 12th century. Picturesque Birgi has a legendary history of settlement dating back to 3,000 BC,” – stated the website of Go Turkiye – the official guide of Turkey.
Birgy is the birthplace of several civilizations, it is a multicultural structure with monuments and historical houses of different periods. Many tourists stop in the beautiful village to visit the incredible UNESCO World Heritage site of Ephesus, which the organization protected in 2012.
The ancient city of Ephesus reflects centuries of history, starting with the classical Greek and ending with the Roman Empire. The breathtaking Spirit of Hadrian was built before 138 AD for a visit by Emperor Hadrian. During the sightseeing trip, tourists will be told that the current Turkish village is very old and was the birthplace of famous Greeks, including Hippnax and Heraclitus.
Travelers should also check out the Ulu Mosque, a fine example of 18th-century civic architecture, and after a day of sightseeing, you can relax in one of Birga’s cafes in the shade of the trees and taste the mouth-watering local cuisine. Special dishes include kestirmi soup, stewed meat, organic herb salads, and stuffed zucchini. Tourists can visit Birgi on Mondays when the village hosts a weekly market selling local produce.
A few years ago, the Efeler Road project was launched by the Culture and Tourism Authority and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, a 500-kilometer (310-mile) walking route that connects the villages and plateaus where the most famous leaders of the Aegean region of Ephesus lived and the old villages in Bozdaglar and Aydin mountains. Currently, the area has become a very popular location for shooting Turkish series and films.
How to get there?
The village is easily accessible from the large tourist city of Izmir. The trip by rental car or taxi takes about two hours. If tourists are heading to the coastal areas of Bodrum or Marmaris from Izmir, they can easily make a detour to Birgi.
When is the best time to go?
In the summer, or rather in July and August, all the resort regions of Turkey are loaded with tourists, so the best time to visit the village is autumn-spring. At this time, the Turkish weather embodies sightseeing trips: in April, May, September, and October, the thermometer stays on average at +20°C. In addition, outside the peak season, the cost of accommodation will be more favorable.