Foça is where the whole of the Aegean will open up to you in its full character and show you exquisite views from its depths. Foça is built upon its namesake Phokaia, an ancient Ionian settlement. However, it is known that even before the arrival of Ionians a walled city was built here, dating back to the second millennium BCE. Today, with its nature and multi-layered history, Foça is not merely the right place if you wish to have a great Turkaegean holiday experience on the coast of happiness, but it is also a place for immersion in history, having been a centre of cultural efflorescence. Further, Foça has recently been added to the Cittaslow list, marking the 21st Cittaslow town in Türkiye.

Right on your way to Foça, on the Foça-İzmir road, 7 km to the east of the town, is located the first sight to greet you, the two-storey Persian Mausoleum or simply known as the Stone Tower (Taşkule). It is not exactly known for whom the mausoleum was built. However, it is reckoned that it was built by western Anatolian masters from a monoblock massive tuff stone around 546 BCE, in the aftermath of the Persian expedition on Sardes, right after the Persians took Phokaia. This is the only Lycian-Lydian structure built under Persian influence in Ionia.

On the hill where the three mills are located, there are more than a hundred niches hollowed as altars to make offerings to Kybele, the Great Anatolian Earth Mother (Mother Goddess). On the foot of the hill, you can also see the excavated theatre.

Ancient Phokaia is situated on a peninsula located between the Foça Harbour to the south and Foça Beach to the north. On this part of the town are found perhaps the most important sites in Foça: Kybele Open Air Temple, Beşkapılar Castle, and Fatih Mosque.

Phokaians are known to be one of the earliest colonists, having set up colonies all around the Mediterranean as far as northern Spain. In commemoration to their seafarer society, an initiative built the ship “Kybele'', a true replica from the original which travelled from Foça to Marseilles which was another Phokaian colony, in 62 days. A statue of the ship can also be seen on the south-western coast of the peninsula.

One last thing: we haven’t told you how the name Phokaia was derived. Like many names, Phokaia’s etymology is somewhat obscure but we will go with the local favourite. According to this version, Phokaia comes from the Mediterranean seals (Phocidae), the term “fok” is also in use in Turkish for seals as well, as they have been the true inhabitants of the Aegean coasts for centuries.