Wooden Mansions of Birgi and the Road to Bozdağ

Birgi was the seat of the Aydınoğulları principality, and buildings from that period sit alongside ordinary village life. Narrow lanes, running water channels, courtyard houses and Bozdağ behind them. It is two hours from İzmir and moves at an entirely different pace.

Getting there: there is a commuter train and buses from İzmir to Ödemiş, then a fifteen minute minibus to Birgi. By car it is about two hours via Kemalpaşa. Driving inside the village is awkward; park at the entrance and walk.

The day: start at the Ulu Mosque. The woodwork and reused columns of this fourteenth century building are among the finest examples of the Anatolian principalities. The Çakırağa Mansion is the village emblem; the wall paintings inside this two hundred year old house show views of İstanbul and İzmir and speak of the wealth of its time. Sitting in a cafe under the plane trees is the best part of the day. In the afternoon drive up to Bozdağ, twenty kilometres through chestnut woods. Lake Gölcük sits on the plateau, a small crater lake ringed with pines, and the area works as a ski centre in winter.

Eating: Ödemiş meatballs are well known, and village breakfasts in Birgi are generous. Buy candied chestnuts and, in season, Bozdağ cherries.

Tips: confirm the mansion's opening hours before you go, and wear comfortable shoes for the sloping cobbles.