Doganbey can only be reached by a twisting mountain road which gets narrower the further the traveler proceeds.
Location of Doganbey/Turkey
Doganbey is located approximately 20 km west of the historical site of Miletos and about 80 km from the bigger and better known town of Soeke, in Anatolia, on Turkey's west coast of the Aegean Sea.
Having arrived at Miletos, instead of turning right towards the well indicated Soeke, a small side road with an equally small sign reading "Doganbey" and pointing to the left, leads up to the village. The road twists and turns and becomes more and more rutted until it ends in gravel and pebbles. There is no possibility to go anywhere else, as the road ends at the entrance to the village.
A Mountain Mystery in Turkey
Stopping the car and getting out, the visitor is literally struck with an eerie silence. No sound is to be heard, no sign of life, not even the usually ever present stray dogs or flocks of sheep are in evidence. Looking around and up, the eyes discern a totally uninhabited village, half the buildings falling down and in ruins.
A stream flows in a deep ravine which divides the village and the shades and nuances of green which cover the ground and the surrounding mountains are simply breath-taking and a painter's dream. It's difficult to imagine that it could have been a bad crop which caused the villagers to abandon this place.
The houses, and there are many, have been of a solid stone structure and there are no signs that an earthquake might have destroyed the settlement. But nobdody is around to give an explanation.
With gravel and pebbles crunching underfoot, a closer inspection reveals the odd hand-written "For Sale" sign. Then, a faint noise can be heard which comes from a waterfall far in the distance which cascades down a steep cliff. The place exhudes peace and quiet and a somewhat sad and melancholic beauty, leaving the mind wide open to wander.
Once the ey eshad adjusted however, one can see brand new doors and window frames on the houses further up the mountain. Even some flower pots bloom on the terraces. So, no doubt, a revival is under way as the "For Sale" signs have already indicated. Whatever the reason for the abandonment of Doganbey might have been, the place is beautiful and exhibits signs that others thought so too.
Leaving the village behind, following the road back down and taking the first turn to the right, the road leads straight to the sea and a solitary, wonderful fish restaurant with few customers but fish, prepared over a wood fire and freshly caught from the sea.
For lovers of romance and mystery, this is certainly a detour worthwhile taking when visiting the region. It's so rare to find an uncrowded and unspoilt place in an otherwise quite touristy area.
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