Turkey: History, tourism mingled in Aegean coastal town

By Burak Akay

CANAKKALE, Turkey (AA) - Witnessing almost 3,000 years ago, an ancient coastal town in Turkey’s Aegean harbors a huge tourism potential with visitors in large numbers.

As the summer sun has uncovered itself in Turkey, the Parion coastal town in the western Canakkale province attracts scores of domestic and foreign tourists.

Some 2700-year-old city near the Kemer village is home to a year-long excavation.

“Both Parion ancient city and Kemer village were popular destinations in antiquity and are in modern day. The numbers of tourists will exactly rise,” said Soner Ozmen, an excavation team member from Ondokuz Mayis University in the northern Samsun province.

Ozmen told Anadolu Agency that the ancient touristic town started to welcome foreign tourists who are arriving the region via yachts.

Pointing out that Parion is a significant port town linking to the other seas covering Turkey, the Black Sea in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south, Ozmen said it carries a huge touristic potential.

Zafer Turkmen, a seemingly well-versed local visitor, said people engaged in trade activities in the region in the past.

“Presumably, this place will be a popular destination for sailors and yachters,” he expressed.

Fritz-Jochen Weber, a yachtsman from German, expressed his fascination for archeological and cultural values of the coastal town.

He advised people planning to arrive the region via sea for a visit not to pass Parion.

*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur