Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • Merhaba, I'm Rick Steves, back with more travels.

  • This time, we're living the good life --

  • backgammon, a nice glass of raki,

  • and the sparkling Mediterranean.

  • It's the best of Western Turkey.

  • Thanks for joining us.

  • This time, we're spicing things up,

  • venturing east of Europe

  • for the more exotic charms of Turkey.

  • I've been traveling here since my backpacker days

  • and I've enjoyed seeing the country evolve.

  • Today, Turkey's a mighty nation whose ancient heritage,

  • Muslim traditions, and Western ways

  • are coming together beautifully.

  • ♪♪

  • As we explore Western Turkey,

  • we'll see magnificent Roman ruins,

  • relax in ancient pools...

  • munch lunch in a Turkish pizzeria,

  • learn why dervishes whirl as they pray...

  • and enjoy a Mediterranean cruise

  • on a traditional Turkish gulet,

  • capped with a refreshing plunge.

  • In the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey links Europe

  • with the Middle East and Asia.

  • Starting in the port of Kusadasi,

  • we'll explore ancient Ephesus.

  • Then we'll travel up to Pamukkale,

  • Aphrodisias, and Konya before finishing in Antalya.

  • Turkey is where East meets West.

  • For centuries, a cultural, economic,

  • and religious crossroads,

  • it's long been a land of change.

  • And Kusadasi is a fine example of the latest change,

  • modern prosperity.

  • The port of Kusadasi

  • is a good low-stress place to start our Turkish adventure.

  • As if to remind its residents of a humbler past,

  • colorful fishing boats still bob in its harbor,

  • cradled in the sweeping curve of a people-friendly promenade.

  • Kusadasi is booming today in part because of its foresight

  • in building a fine cruise port.

  • Nearly every morning in season,

  • ships carrying thousands of passengers

  • slip artfully into harbor.

  • As they disembark,

  • cruisers enjoy an ambush of hospitality

  • as traditional musicians

  • celebrate their arrival.

  • I find Turkey every bit as friendly

  • and rich in history as Greece.

  • The food's great and it's a good value.

  • While most visitors find it's a safe and welcoming place,

  • it still feels exotic.

  • In Turkey, some women may be more comfortable

  • traveling with a partner,

  • but with a spirit of adventure

  • and applying your common sense,

  • I think anyone can find this country

  • as friendly, comfortable, and as intriguing as I do.

  • Kusadasi is popular with travelers

  • because it's just a few miles from the ancient Roman city

  • of Ephesus.

  • While tour buses and taxis can get you there in a snap,

  • as anywhere in Turkey,

  • I like the excitement of hopping a local minibus,

  • or "dolmus."

  • A dolmus is kind of a cross between a taxi and a bus.

  • You hop on one heading in your general direction,

  • tell them where you're going, then relax.

  • They'll tell you when to jump out.

  • Okay, Ephes.

  • Ephes. Thank you.

  • The ancient home of the Ephesians

  • is one of the world's greatest classical sites.

  • The west coast of what we now call Turkey

  • was once a cultural heartland

  • of ancient Greece.

  • Ephesus blossomed as a Greek city

  • in about the 4th century BC.

  • It was later consumed by the expanding Roman empire

  • and eventually became a major Roman city.

  • While the site is vast,

  • only about 15% of this Greco-Roman metropolis

  • has been excavated.

  • But as Rome fell, so did Ephesus.

  • Once a thriving seaport,

  • the city was sacked by barbarians.

  • Eventually its busy port silted up and it was abandoned.

  • 1,000 years of silt left it stranded three miles inland

  • from the Aegean coast.

  • The library -- the third-largest

  • of the Roman empire,

  • is a highlight.

  • The facade is striking.

  • Statues of women celebrating the virtues

  • of learning and wisdom inspired the citizenry.

  • The city's main street is lined with buildings grand,

  • even in their ruined state.

  • This one, known as Hadrian's Temple,

  • was built in the second century.

  • Dedicated to Emperor Hadrian,

  • its decorations are full of symbolism.

  • To this day, archeologists debate just what it all means.

  • For extra guidance, we're joined by my friend

  • Lale Surmen Aran.

  • For years, Lale has led our bus tour groups around Turkey,

  • and for this itinerary she's joining us.

  • Huge city -- quarter of a million people.

  • This was one of the biggest metropolises

  • of the Roman period.

  • Now, we're in the downtown and the main street of the city,

  • but the city expanded beyond this main street on both sides.

  • RICK: So, way up to the mountain, actually?

  • LALE: On both directions, way up to the mountains,

  • and housed 250,000 people.

  • All the city was planned.

  • Right underneath us there was a huge sewer,

  • and there were clay pipes at either side of the street

  • taking fresh water to the baths and the fountains.

  • Ah, so they had aqueducts coming in and powering the whole city.

  • LALE: Yes.

  • See, these were the public toilets

  • attached to the Roman baths next door.

  • Everybody sat next to one another.

  • RICK: So, public toilets were really public.

  • The terrace houses stretch up from the city's main drag.

  • These excavations are incredibly complex,

  • like piecing together an enormous puzzle.

  • The fragments are so delicate,

  • the ongoing work is protected under a roof.

  • The terrace houses give us a particularly intimate look

  • at Ephesian life 2,000 years ago.

  • Now, how many families would have lived in this zone?

  • LALE: Only five.

  • -Just five? -Five families.

  • And these were huge houses.

  • RICK: This must have been the elite of Ephesus.

  • LALE: Ultra, ultra rich.

  • Not only for Ephesus,

  • but among the richest of the world

  • lived in these houses.

  • RICK: So, when you walk through here,

  • can you imagine what it would be like to live at that time?

  • Sort of -- it was very luxurious living in these houses.

  • All houses were arranged around an atrium,

  • so they had the courtyard with rooms all around,

  • which were richly decorated with art on two or three floors.

  • A standard feature of any Roman city

  • was its theater.

  • To estimate an ancient city's population,

  • archeologists multiply the capacity

  • of its theater by ten.

  • As this one holds 25,000, they figure the city's population

  • was a quarter million.

  • It was here that the apostle Paul planned to give his talk

  • instructing the Ephesians to stop worshipping man-made gods.

  • And here in Ephesus, that god was Artemis.

  • The local craftspeople produced statues of Artemis like this.

  • It was a big industry --

  • they exported them far and wide.

  • When they realized Paul's message

  • would ruin their businesses, they started a riot.

  • Imagine this theater filled with thousands of people

  • all shouting in one angry voice,

  • "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians."

  • For his own safety, Paul had to flee,

  • and he ended up giving his message by letter.

  • That's why, in the Bible, we've got Paul's letter

  • to the Ephesians.

  • Back in Kusadasi, the cruise ships have left

  • and the town is once again relaxed.

  • We're capping our day

  • with strolling locals on the harbor front.

  • Like anywhere along the Mediterranean,

  • the town promenade is the great equalizer.

  • Everyone is welcome to enjoy this convivial scene.

  • And when the call to prayer rings out,

  • I'm reminded that people of all faiths share the same joys.

  • [Call to prayer]

  • One of the delights of traveling in Turkey

  • the the cuisine; seafood is the forte

  • here on the coast, and we're joined by some local friends

  • for a feast.

  • Traditionally, meals start with a selection of "meze" --

  • fun little plates

  • that let you dip into a variety of taste treats.

  • - Fava bean. -Ah, right, then I like the eggplant over there.

  • So, I want -- no, no, yes, yes, yes, yes.

  • When Turks are ready to party, the local firewater, raki,

  • is often part of the mix.

  • It's an anise flavored drink, like ouzu,

  • you mix to taste with water.

  • Very nice. [Toasting in Turkish]

  • And it goes surprisingly well with the meze --

  • octopus salad,

  • Fava beans pureed with olive oil,

  • zucchini fritters, and grilled eggplant.

  • And for our main course,

  • the kitchen is preparing an array of fresh seafood.

  • We've chosen sea bass encased in salt, as is the tradition,

  • to keep in all the flavor.

  • Oh, that looks very nice!

  • At the table, our fish is cracked open

  • and filleted with pride.

  • Mmm! The flavor with the olive oil and the salt,

  • which keeps the flavor in.

  • This is excellent.

  • We've a saying in, again, Aegean region --

  • if you drink raki and eat fish,

  • fish in your tummy reincarnate and swim again.

  • [Laughing]

  • Kusadasi is a practical springboard

  • for exploring western Turkey.

  • We're driving up the Meander Valley

  • famous for its fertile farmland.

  • We're here in April,

  • and the farmers are busy with their crops

  • before the stifling heat of summer hits.

  • And the strawberries are ripe for picking.

  • Today's Turkish culture is shaped by a complicated history.

  • Ancient Greece, and then Rome from the West,

  • swept in and established a culture

  • that led to the Byzantine empire.

  • Eventually, Muslim Seljuks from the east

  • ended Christian Byzantine rule.

  • Then the Ottomans stormed in and ruled until World War I,

  • when the father of modern Turkey, Ataturk,

  • established the Turkish Republic.

  • While the Republic is secular,

  • the vast majority of Turks are Muslim.

  • Turkey is filled with over 75 million people.

  • They come in many ethnicities,

  • and after thousands of years of exposure

  • as a crossroads between Europe and Asia,

  • it's quite a mix.

  • Faces tell the story...

  • The landscapes of this vast country

  • are as diverse as the people it supports.

  • Distances are long, traffic is sparse,

  • and the roads are great.

  • In what seems like the middle of nowhere,

  • we come to a striking white hillside.

  • This marks the ancient city, spa, and necropolis

  • of Hierapolis.

  • In Roman times, the rich and frail

  • came here to spend their last years, and to die.

  • We approach today as visitors always have --

  • walking through the evocative tombs,

  • then passing under an imposing Roman gate

  • where a grand boulevard leads you to the mineral springs,

  • Famous since ancient times

  • for its curative waters and tranquility.

  • Today, the ever-popular springs

  • in the shadow of ancient ruins

  • fill a pool littered with a dreamy assortment

  • of ancient Roman columns that sparkle

  • beneath the crystal-clear water.

  • A soak here is like bathing in hot champagne.

  • Below, the wondrous white cliffs of Pamukkale

  • create a scenic backdrop for bathers.

  • The water flowing over the rocks

  • leave a calcium residue that whitens and solidifies,

  • creating a wonderland of pools and terraces

  • that, along with the commanding view,

  • make an unforgettable setting.

  • Turkey fills the Anatolian Peninsula,

  • and Anatolia is peppered with civilizations long gone.

  • And around here, important sites

  • are constantly being unearthed.

  • Aphrodisias is a relatively recent excavation.

  • The more they dig,

  • the more many archaeologists believe that Anatolia,

  • rather than Mesopotamia, further to the east,

  • is the cradle of our civilization.

  • While this site goes back much further,

  • what we see today is ancient Roman --

  • only about 2,000 years old.

  • This ornate gateway gives us a sense

  • of the impressive city's former grandeur.

  • And judging from its stadium,

  • this town was really into sports.

  • This is a proper stadium, one "stadion" long --

  • that's about two football fields.

  • Events like athletic contests,

  • animal fights, and gladiator sports

  • packed the house.

  • On the road to Konya, we drive deep into the Taurus Mountains.

  • Get off the main road.

  • Any little town will have

  • the local equivalent of a pizza joint.

  • It's dinner time and that's our plan.

  • When you drop into a place that rarely sees a tourist,

  • you're likely to enjoy a particularly warm welcome.

  • A Turkish pizza is called "pide,"

  • and that's what's cooking.

  • [Conversing in Turkish]

  • Diced meat, minced meat,

  • cheese, and eggs.

  • He can either make plain ones

  • or a combination of these ingredients.

  • Okay, let's get a variety.

  • Okay. [Speaking Turkish]

  • RICK: So, this is the mixed with the cheese?

  • LALE: Yes, and this is with the diced meat.

  • The beef.

  • RICK: Oh, and we have more even.

  • [Speaking Turkish]

  • Ayran -- I love this stuff.

  • It's a yogurt drink -- it's healthy, it's cheap,

  • it's a fun part of the pide culture.

  • This is Konya, one of the most conservative

  • and religious towns in western Turkey.

  • For many Turks, this town's a bit too orthodox,

  • but I'm looking for all sides of Turkey

  • and Konya is a fascinating stop.

  • This city of a million people

  • is one of the oldest in the world,

  • with known settlements dating back 8,000 years.

  • The city has an illustrious history.

  • Back in the first century, when Konya was called Iconium,

  • the apostle Paul visited several times,

  • and during its heyday in the 13th century,

  • Konya was the capital of the Muslim Seljuk empire.

  • Strolling the streets, you experience the contrasts

  • of the old and the new.

  • It's a university town with a fine park,

  • ideal for young couples enjoying

  • a little private time.

  • And wandering into its back streets,

  • much of the traditional side of Turkey survives

  • and the orthodoxy of Konya becomes more apparent.

  • For instance, nearly all women wear scarves.

  • The huge produce hall is busy with people

  • picking up locally grown fruits and vegetables.

  • In the hubbub of the crowded streets,

  • browsing can be endlessly entertaining.

  • Boys with trays of tea or chai scurry from shop to shop.

  • Remember, travelers have a richer experience

  • when they make a point to connect.

  • Drink some tea.

  • The barber shop is still a great way

  • to catch up on all the gossip.

  • The finale? Spanking with a flame,

  • leaving you smooth as you've ever been.

  • And poking into unusual shops,

  • you'll be surprised at what you may learn.

  • Turns out this place is a one-stop shop for shepherds.

  • [Cowbells clanging]

  • So, I'm a shepherd, sitting here in the elements.

  • Ah, this is my backpack.

  • I have to have a flute. Perfect.

  • Do you take credit cards?

  • [Lale interpreting]

  • Okay! It's a good deal.

  • Konya is the home of Mevlana,

  • also known as Rumi,

  • a 13th-century Muslim philosopher

  • who preached a message of love.

  • His tomb is the focus of many pilgrims

  • visiting from throughout Islam.

  • Under beautiful domes,

  • the tombs of Mevlana, his family,

  • and earliest followers are venerated.

  • Pondering the tomb of their great teacher,

  • pilgrims remember his message which focused on

  • connecting the powerful love of god with us on Earth.

  • Mevlana said, "I looked for god

  • in all the temples, mosques and churches,

  • and found him in my heart."

  • The adjacent museum explains Mevlana's teaching

  • with a display of significant writings,

  • books of poetry, and historic copies of the Koran.

  • Mevlana attempted to distill the message of Koran

  • into a pure and simple anthem of love.

  • His teaching was a mystical interpretation

  • of mainstream Islam,

  • and his followers, called "dervishes,"

  • have dedicated their lives

  • to living out that Mevlana, or Rumi, philosophy.

  • [Playing]

  • Mevlana's dervishes whirl themselves

  • into a meditative trance.

  • While raising one hand toward heaven,

  • the other toward Earth,

  • they symbolically plant one foot on the Koran,

  • the Muslim word of God,

  • while the other walks through all the world.

  • One hand rises up as if to accept the love of god.

  • The other goes palm down,

  • showering the love of our creator on all humanity.

  • As he whirls, the dervish transcends our material world,

  • becoming a conduit between the love of god

  • and his creation.

  • Wherever you travel in Turkey,

  • you'll find opportunities to witness

  • this mesmerizing form of prayer.

  • It's a good example of the many facets of Islam --

  • a powerful religion that perhaps we can

  • take the initiative to better understand.

  • A scenic drive south from Konya

  • takes us over more of the Taurus Mountains

  • toward the Mediterranean coast.

  • And sprawling out from those mountains

  • spreads the metropolis of Antalya.

  • Antalya, with two million people,

  • has long been an important port.

  • Its idyllic harbor was founded in ancient Roman times.

  • These days it deals mostly in good living

  • as tourism is the town's main industry.

  • A once-imposing wall fortifies the old town.

  • Today, a gate dedicated to the emperor Hadrian

  • still leads into a delightful collection of

  • Ottoman era houses

  • that cater to the tourists --

  • shops and boutique hotels that fill the historic center.

  • And above it all is a thriving modern Turkish city.

  • Its people-friendly promenade,

  • like so many public spaces here,

  • comes complete with the requisite statue

  • of the father of the Turkish Republic,

  • Ataturk.

  • Strolling here, it feels to me

  • like anywhere else in Mediterranean Europe.

  • The people just seem to be in love with life.

  • A popular excursion from Antalya

  • is a cruise on a gulet,

  • the traditional Turkish sailboat.

  • These boats, which are designed to suit all tastes,

  • keep the harbor busy.

  • After so much sightseeing,

  • simply luxuriating for a day at sea

  • puts me truly on vacation.

  • Meeting the captain and crew, I know I'm in for

  • a wonderful and relaxing experience.

  • Sailing away, we marvel at the dramatic shoreline

  • under snowcapped peaks.

  • Resorts...

  • park-like beaches...

  • and ancient ruins clinging to cliffs

  • are all tucked into this rugged yet accessible

  • Riviera playground.

  • While the rowdier party boats take one side of the bay...

  • we drop the hook in a more peaceful corner.

  • Ya!

  • Even in April the water is inviting,

  • and our boat serves as a handy swimming platform.

  • While the crew is busy putting together

  • an impressive feast for lunch,

  • we enjoy an invigorating swim.

  • Having worked up an appetite, we're served a feast.

  • Enjoying our meal at sea

  • provides a great chance to both eat some fresh fish

  • and get to know the crew.

  • Well-fed, refreshed from our swim,

  • and peacefully anchored in this scenic corner of Turkey,

  • we take a moment to appreciate

  • what traveling here offers.

  • I hope you've enjoyed our journey through Western Turkey,

  • with its evocative ancient sites,

  • beautiful ways of worship, and vivid traditions.

  • In this complicated corner of our world,

  • Turkey is an impressive success story.

  • Join us next time for more adventures.

  • Until then, I'm Rick Steves -- keep on travelin'.

  • Gule gule.

  • Hi, I'm Rick Steves, ready to kick off a new career

  • as a Turkish shepherd. [Man bleating]

  • ...have dedicated their lives to living out that Mevlana,

  • or Rumi, philosophy.

  • [Cheering]

  • Like my teeth?

  • Go away! [Laughing]

Merhaba, I'm Rick Steves, back with more travels.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it