Sille

Sille lies in a narrow valley eight kilometres from Konya and was, until the 1924 population exchange, a Greek Orthodox village whose inhabitants spoke a distinctive dialect and lived alongside the Muslim population of the city without much friction - the local account, often repeated, credits Rumi with a blessing on that coexistence. What remains is the fabric: stone houses on both sides of a stream crossed by small bridges, and the Aya Elenia church, said to have been founded in the fourth century by Helena, mother of Constantine, on her way to Jerusalem, rebuilt over the centuries and restored recently with its frescoes and iconostasis. Above the village, rock chapels and cave dwellings are cut into the cliffs, some with painting. There is a small museum, a restored hamam, and cafés along the stream. It is a straightforward local outing from Konya and gets few foreign visitors.

What you actually see

• Aya Elenia church - the restored Byzantine church and frescoes.
• The stone village - houses and bridges along the stream.
• The cliff chapels - rock-cut churches and caves above.
• The stream cafés - the tea houses along the water.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Weekday mornings for quiet; the Konya plateau is cold in winter and hot in high summer.

Honest expectations

The church keeps museum hours and can be closed. Cliff chapels require a climb and are unmarked. Restoration in the village is uneven. It is a half-day trip, not a destination.

Nearby

Konya and the Mevlâna Museum are eight kilometres away; the Karatay Medrese is in the city centre.