Legend says mermaid sirens lured sailors here. Today it’s a quiet Mediterranean escape | CNN

EDITOR’S NOTE: This CNN Travel series may have adjacent ads by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos, in compliance with our policy. On hot summer nights, a long line forms near the waterfront of Eski Foça, a small town on Turkey’s Aegean coast. Laughter and chatter fill the air as travelers wait for their turn to buy sakız dondurma, the local ice cream. It’s a town shaped by thousands of years of history, conquered by dozens of civilizations, yet it still feels sheltered from the chaos of the modern world. One reason, says Oğuzhan Çakırefe, director of culture and social affairs for the Foça municipality, is that “unlike other cities in Turkey, construction hasn’t been allowed,” preserving its old fishing town vibe. Whether in taverns, at sea or along the waterfront, “shared memories, shared sorrows and kinship,” form a bridge between the past and the future, he says. To understand Eski Foça, it helps to look to its past. Also known as Phocaea in Greek, it was an important Ionian settlement. The Ionians, a Greek people who ruled the west coast of modern-day Turke

Mar 18, 2026 → Mar 18, 2026