Ödemiş is a small district of İzmir. Although it does not have a long list of places to see, it is a place worth seeing with its villages whose historical texture and unique atmosphere is preserved. Let’s get started:
Villages of Ödemiş
We had previously visited Birgi, a beautiful village in Ödemiş, together. I recommend you to take a quiet village tour in Birgi, where the historical buildings are beautifully preserved.
Another village to see in Ödemiş is Lübbey. In Lübbey Village, a mountain village of Turkmen origin, the number of local population living here has decreased considerably over time due to emigration.
If you are interested in photography, this should be your stop too. Especially the houses with tile roofs and a mixture of stone, earth, adobe and wood materials are very photogenic. Its address is 35750 Çamyayla, Ödemiş.
Lübbey Village, Photo Ekin Yalgin
Places to Visit in Ödemiş Centre
If you go to Ödemiş centre on Saturdays, you can visit the historical market. Only organic products produced by the villagers are sold in the Saturday Bazaar. You can also find handcrafted products of women entrepreneurs in this place, which is a market that is at least 110 years old.
If your day does not suit the bazaar, you should try delicacies such as Töngül pita and Ödemiş meatballs in the centre. The right address for Töngül pita is Historical Töngül Pide Fırını. Since it is a type of pita only eaten for breakfast, it may not remain until noon. Its address is Mimar Sinan, 35753 Ödemiş/İzmir.
I will recommend two places for Ödemiş meatballs. One is Hurşit Kebap, at Umurbey, Cumhuriyet Caddesi no 14, 35750 Ödemiş. The other is Dostol Kebap, based at Akıncılar Mah. Hurriyet Cad. No:18, Vergi Dairesi Karşısı, 35750.
Other places to see in the centre:
İbrahim Hakkı Ayvaz City Museum & Bedia Akartürk Museum: This museum actually contains two separate museums. The city museum section was converted from the house donated by the family of İbrahim Hakkı Ayvaz from Ödemiş. For this reason, historical documents belonging to the family are included in a section of the museum. In the other section, the awards that Turkish folk music performer Bedia Akartürk, originating from Ödemiş, has received so far, the records, cassettes, newspaper news, pictures of the artist and her stage clothes are exhibited. Its address is Üç Eylül, 35757 Ödemiş/İzmir.
Ödemiş Yıldız City Museum and Archive: Located in the historical Yıldız Hotel, the museum contains thousands of objects and documents that shed light on the history, culture, social life, economy and daily life of not only Ödemiş but also the Aegean Region. In some rooms, scenes such as traditional weddings are portrayed, while in others there are animations of various professions such as shoemaker, barber, tobacconist and watchmaker. Closed on Mondays. Its address is Emmioğlu, Hacı Sadık Cd. No:18, 35750 Ödemiş/İzmir.
The Villagers in the Saturday Bazaar
Ödemiş Archeology and Ethnography Museum: Archaeological finds and ethnographic works unearthed in Ödemiş are exhibited here. In the archaeological section, ceramics, axes, oil lamps, bronze and glass works, ornaments, terracotta and marble figurines from the Old Bronze Age (3000 BC) to Byzantium (395-1453 AD) are exhibited. Additionally, there are 12,278 coins from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. In the ethnographic section, various weapons, copper and silver items, glassworks, ornaments, hand embroidery and clothing samples, most of which belong to the Ottoman period, are exhibited. Its address is Hürriyet Mh, Atatürk Caddesi, Birgi Yolu D:Üzeri, 35750 Ödemiş/İzmir.
Ödemiş Arastasi: Ödemiş Arasta is one of the rare open arastas (ottoman bazaar) that has survived from the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s. The reason it has survived to this day is that it was saved from being burned during the Greek occupation. Historical Arasta, which is a first-degree urban protected area, is a place where Aegean handicrafts and crafts such as saddle makers, felt makers, tin makers, tin makers and basket makers are still kept alive. Its address is Bengisu, Eski Peynir Pazarı Sk., 35750 Ödemiş/İzmir.
Stop by Tire
Since Tire is only half an hour from Ödemiş centre, it is an option that can easily be added to your tour. The most enjoyable things to do here are to visit Tire’s famous Tuesday Bazaar and Kaplan Village.
Kaplan Village
Tire Tuesday Bazaar (Salı Pazarı): It is the largest market in the region, where local producers from surrounding villages bring their products. In fact, it is said that the Tire market is the second largest open-air market in the world after Kyrgyzstan. The whole city turns into a huge market, with stalls featuring over 5,000 products.
Kaplan Village: Be sure to visit Kaplan Village at the foot of Mount Güme, which gives peace to people with its lush nature. Stop by Kaplan Dağ Restaurant, a classic of Kaplan Village. This is one of the gastronomy points that best represents Tire and Aegean cuisine. It creates local flavours entirely from the ingredients of this region. Its address is Kaplan Ah., Karşıyaka Sokak No:14, 35900 Tire/İzmir.