Narlıdere: Yukarıköy

With Murat in the driver’s seat, the three siblings and Mui set off on a day of sightseeing this morning.

Our first stop was Yukarıköy … which translates as Upper Village. Approximately 15 miles from Alsancak, Yukarıköy is where İzmir’s Narlıdere District was first established some 300 years ago. The area was recently restored — a three-year project sponsored by the provincial government and Narlıdere Municipality — and re-opened to the public in early July … with the purpose of creating a “living museum.” The goal is to share the local cultural heritage and create a tourism environment to bring economic growth that will benefit the local villagers.

The cobblestone streets behind the village center are lined with charming houses …each sporting a recently-planted bougainvillea bush that will add color to the streetscape once they are fully-established. The houses are surrounded by stone walls … doors open to give glimpses into courtyards where one might see residents going about their daily lives. The locals set up stalls on the weekend to sell homemade products, including handicrafts and foodstuff. One of the historic homes houses an ethnography-style boutique museum. A couple of cafés form the village center and invite visitors to take a break.

Today being a weekday, Yukariköy was quiet ... no stalls lining the streets. Our stroll, thus, didn’t take long … but was pleasant nonetheless. We visited the museum, which I will post about separately, and then sat down to enjoy a break at a café operated by a women’s cooperative. Turkish tea for some … Turkish coffee for others … a plate of cucumbers and tomatoes and a fresh-grilled gözleme (savory pastry with a cheese and greens filling) to share. Delicious.

We all enjoyed our brief visit to Yukariköy and will return again to check it out on a Saturday or Sunday. And perhaps partake of the home style cooking offered at the café. In our case, however, that will have to wait until next year.Read more