About Eski Foca
Eski Foca (correctly spelled as Eski Foça and meaning Old Foça), or Foça (pronounced FOHchah) as its often referred to, and known as Phocaea in ancient times is a small town on the Aegean coast, about 45 miles north west of Izmir. Foça is also a district as well as a town in Turkey's Izmir Province. The first inhabitants of Foça were immigrants from the nearby Greek islands around the 9th century BC.
Foça is famous for its Mediterranean Monk Seals, the seals are under a preservation order as there are only about 400 left worldwide, half of which are found in the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Greece the remainder are in the Atlantic Ocean. The seals cannot live in captivity and have to breed in their natural habitat of clean water. These seals can live for up to 40 years. The Turkish word for seal is fok and this is where Foça took its name from.
Foça has two harbours which offer excellent tourist trips, tours and ferry services around the coast and to the nearby Greek islands. There are a few small islands near Foça, these are Fener, Orak which has a pebble beach, Hayyrsyz, Kartdere which both have high cliffs, Incir and Metalik. Some of these islands are uninhabited.
Foça is full of traditional stone houses some of which have been converted into boutique style hotels which offer character, charm and Turkish hospitality. In the summer season its a popular resort for locals and a growing number of foreign holiday makers who prefer this area for its natural beauty, small bays, clear waters and the climate. Some of Foças bays have been rewarded with the Blue Flag. Eski Foça stretches along two bays a large one called the Greater Sea (Büyükdeniz), and a small cove within the large bay called the Smaller Sea (Küçükdeniz). This is where a medieval castle is tucked away.
Foças shops, boutiques and souvenir stalls are in the Küçükdeniz district. You can buy leather goods, carpets, onyx, jewellery and souvenirs with the famous Foça seal on. There are a number of festivals during the year in Foça which are worth a visit:
- Folklore, Music and Water Sports festival is held in June and lasts for three days
- Water Sport festival which has boat racing & water skiing between 29-31 July
- International Foça festival is held in August
- Freedom Day is celebrated on 11th September
Foça has a number of waterside bars, restaurants and ice cream stands where you can sit and relax with fantastic views over the bay. Alternatively there are a few local sites of interest to visit within walking distance. The city walls and five gates which were built in 1678 and right on the seafront is a good place to start. Foça also has two small fortresses, Beskapilar and Diskale, dating from Ottoman, Byzantine, and Genoese times. There are also a few Hellenic ruins and tomb a few kilometres outside the town centre.
