In a nutshell, the first day you will visit the historic city of Nysa before checking into Nysa Hotel for lunch. A visit to an olive factory follows and the remainder of day gives the opportunity to enjoy the Turkish bath, sauna, fitness centre, billiards, internet café, swimming pool and tennis courts of the impressive Nysa Hotel. The evening offers the choice of two restaurants (open buffet or menu service in the Pyramid or rooftop restaurants), five bars, disco, satellite TV or movie theatre. The hotel is fully air conditioned; rooms have mini-bars and 24-hour room service if desired.

 

The tour will leave Nysa after breakfast on the second day for a short drive to Sirince where after exploring this unique Turkish village there is wine-tasting and lunch.

Nysa nestles atop a mountain. It's true that ancient cities chose the highest, safest, most scenic and usually difficult sites to establish their residences. Today these vantage points are easily accessible as a result of modern, paved roads. Perhaps akin to the earlier Carians you will share their advantage of a refreshingly cool mountain top during hot summer months.

The geographical requirements for a successful city included fresh water. Nysa is fed by such streams. Its bridges are mostly intact today. The city sprawls with wide pathways leading to the agora (shopping district), Roman baths, a stadium, a city council or "parliament," and amphitheatre that still has evidence of its stage and back-stage buildings. The theatre had a capacity of 7,000 spectators.

From the first century B.C. onward Nysa was a significant educational centre. It was home to the Greek historian Strabo. It was acclaimed for its sculptors and poets. In the very early days Nysa was neither Greek nor Turkish. It embraced both cultures and a few others as well. In the third century B.C. Nysa was dedicated to Dionysus-the Greek god of wine. In second century A.D. Nysa was still "the" city to go to for education and the gathering of knowledge. The following ten centuries saw the coming and goings of Christian, Turkish and Muslim settlements. Tamerlane invaded the area in 1402 which basically resulted in the people surrendering and evacuating the city.
 

Sirence was first settled by Christians from nearby Ephesus. Legend relates that the Virgin Mary was buried here. Today, Sirence is an extraordinary example of an Ottoman/Greek rural village. Its more than 200 year-old preserved and/or restored buildings meander across the mountainside. Streets and pathways are age-old cobble stone and it is for this reason that donkeys are still used for transportation. Sirence's location captures the charm of peaceful, uncomplicated nature where abundant fresh water springs continuously flow.

Old-country tradition adds to Sirence's enchantment. Villagers maintain their culture and customs passed from generation to generation. Weddings, the rites of passing into manhood and funerals are revered age-old practices which are still held in the village square. One old custom -and an attraction of Sirence is the art of making, tasting and enjoying local wine.