A short hop northwest of the center, Sille is an old stone village where Greek Orthodox Christians and Muslims lived side by side until the 1923 population exchange. Pale cut-stone houses climb a narrow valley, and at its heart stands the Aya Eleni (Hagia Eleni) Church, its frescoes, painted ceiling, and wooden gallery restored after long neglect. Cave chapels and rock-cut hermitages honeycomb the cliffs above the streambed, a reminder of the area's deep Byzantine monastic past. Today the cobbled lanes hold antique shops, weavers, and cafes serving gözleme by the water. It is a calm half-day escape from the city's devotional intensity, easy to combine with a slow wander and a leisurely lunch. The village has been sensitively spruced up for visitors without losing its lived-in feel, and the climb up to the higher chapels rewards you with fine valley views.
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