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.