Every spring, small paper packets are thrown from the domes of a 16th-century mosque in Manisa, a city about an hour inland from Izmir. It's called mesir macunu — a spice paste with a five-century backstory — and it's just one of two legends that define this town at the foot of Mount Spil.
A Sultan's Mother, a Physician, and 41 Spices
The story starts with Hafsa Sultan, mother of Suleiman the Magnificent, who fell seriously ill in Manisa. Merkez Efendi, the head physician at the medical school attached to the Sultan Mosque, prepared a paste from a mixture of 41 herbs and spices, and Hafsa Sultan recovered. Grateful and known for her generosity, she asked that the paste that healed her be handed out to the public every year during Nevruz week. Wrapped in small pieces of paper, it has been thrown to crowds from the mosque's domes and minarets ever since.
A 486-Year Tradition, Still Going
The custom Hafsa Sultan started is kept alive today through the annual International Mesir Paste Festival. The 2026 edition opened with an exhibition, marking what officials described as the continuation of a 486-year-old tradition. Exact festival dates shift from year to year, so if you're planning a trip around it, check the Manisa Governor's Office announcements for the current schedule rather than relying on last year's calendar.
Mount Spil and the Weeping Rock
Rising just south of the city, Mount Spil carries one of the region's oldest legends. In Greek mythology, Niobe, daughter of Tantalus, boasted about her fourteen children and provoked the goddess Leto's anger; her children were killed as punishment, and grief turned Niobe to stone. At the foot of Mount Spil, in the Dere neighborhood, natural erosion carved a rock formation into the silhouette of a bowed woman's head — locals call it Ağlayan Kaya, the Weeping Rock, and water once said to seep from it was believed to be Niobe's tears. A few kilometers away, on the same mountain's slopes, stands a monument to Kybele, the Anatolian mother goddess.
Getting from the Airport to Manisa
A private transfer from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to central Manisa usually wraps up in under an hour, traffic depending. It's an easy add-on for travelers who want to see the Sultan Mosque and the old town on the way to or from a flight, rather than as a separate trip. Route details and vehicle options are on our Izmir Airport to Manisa transfer page.
What to Pair Manisa With
Manisa's closeness to Izmir makes it easy to fold into a broader day trip. If ancient sites are more your interest, our piece on the Aegean's hidden ancient cities, Ephesus and Pergamon pairs naturally with Manisa's own Lydian and Roman remains. And if you're still deciding when to go, our guide to the best time to visit the Aegean is worth a look — spring tends to be the liveliest stretch, between Mount Spil greening up and the city's festival buzz.