Denizli to Izmir: Aegean marvels of Türkiye

2024-10-05
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/ Izmir, Türkiye
Denizli to Izmir: Aegean marvels of Türkiye

Ephesus was the most important and largest Greek city in the Ionian Asia Minor region (Photos: India Outbound)

For decades, for travellers, especially from India, a visit to Türkiye began with Istanbul and ended with Antalya, in part due to the ease of access from overseas. However, there is much more to the country than these two popular destinations. Blessed with a rich natural diversity and a potpourri of cultures, Türkiye’s Aegean Coast is perhaps its hidden gem that certainly needs to be explored and in detail.
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Someone on the trip told me that she had seen the place first in a Hindi film, starring leading actors Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif and that as much as she tried, she would fail to put sight to words as it was an outworldly view, with a sheet of azure blue and pearl white extending for as far as the eyes could see, almost like a melange of fluffy, white clouds floating around in a clear, blue sky. Confidently, she added that she was certain that I would be left as wonderstruck as she had been while watching the backdrop in the film.

We were on a bus, part of a group of about 40 persons, on a familiarisation trip to Türkiye, organised by Türkiye Tourism in collaboration with the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI). For the tourism board, an important objective of the trip was to familiarise the Indian travel trade with the lesser-known, yet extremely attractive and unique locations within Türkiye that have the potential to attract Indian visitors.

And we were on this part of the trip exploring the area around the Aegean Coast and on our way to Pamukkale, the place that had been so vividly described to me.

After driving for over 20 minutes, our bus stops at a point and we descend to find ourselves amidst a rich collection of ruins that clearly date back from the Greek or Roman era. Our guide tells us that we have reached the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that is best known for its numerous thermal springs. Using this natural boon, the kings of Pergamon of the Greek dynasty of Attalids founded the thermal spas of Hierapolis at the end of 2nd century BCE.

The city has had a rich history of battles, destruction and reconstruction. It was ceded by the Greeks to the Roman Empire in 133 BCE, Hierapolis flourished, reaching its peak in 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. Even today, parts of that glory can be seen in the remains of the Greco-Roman period, including baths, temple ruins, a monumental arch, a nymphaeum, a necropolis and a theatre.

Castles of cotton

Pamukkale was formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of a cliff

After rapidly visiting some parts of the site, notably the Roman theatre, we head on towards Pamukkale, which is Turkish for Cotton Palace. The name fits like a glove as all around we can see an uneven white layer, with patches of blue that are actually shallow pools of thermal waters, immensely rich in minerals.

Pamukkale was formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of the cliff, which cooled and hardened leaving calcium deposits. This formed into natural pools, shelves and ridges, which tourists could plunge and splash in the warm water.

The entire area could easily be perceived as snow-covered valley,

The entire area could easily be perceived as snow-covered valley

The entire area could easily be perceived as snow-covered valley, with long white ridges and azure blue pools formed by melting snow. But unlike the scene from the film, where the lead pair had the entire area to itself, Pamukkale is crowded with visitors, seemingly from all around the world, and almost every possible space in the pools has been taken by someone.

So we are content just to walk around, rather than take a dip. It is rather slippery to walk, so we trudge along carefully, taking in the amazing view, but staying alert about where we put our feet. I see some other travellers slipping and falling, but the beauty of the spot makes everything, including slipping and falling down, a light-hearted experience.

As we are in a hurry to discover other wonders that await us in the day, we get back into the golf carts and then the bus, which resumes its journey.

As it is already evening, our next stop is just what the doctor ordered, a stop for dinner at Grason Şükrü, a large, open air restaurant at Denizli offering a sumptuous spread of traditional Turkish delights ranging from salads and appetisers to a wide variety of main course dishes that include not just meat-based dishes that offer all kinds meat preparations, but also delicious Turkish vegetarian dishes.

After the dinner in which almost all do fair justice to the hard work put in by the chef-owner of the restaurant and his team, we call it a day and head back to our hotel.

The next morning after an early checkout from our hotel, we board the bus again and our day begins almost on the same note where we had ended the previous day, in the Greco-Roman era of Türkiye’s history.

Excavations of Ephesus

After a three-hour drive, today, we reach Ephesus, a city from the Greek era and believed to have been founded around 600 BCE. As the day is very warm and sunny, all of us are well prepared with sunscreens, hats and drinking water to face the heat.

Ephesus commanded the west end of a great trade route into Asia

Ephesus commanded the west end of a great trade route into Asia

Our guide tells us that according to historians, Ephesus was the most important and largest Greek city in the Ionian Asia Minor region and even over 2,700 years later, there is enough evidence around, in the form of archaeological excavations and ruins to display how advanced and well-to-do Ephesus had been in that epoch and the subsequent Roman era which only reinforced its strategic and economic importance for the Empire. After all, we are told, Ephesus commanded the west end of a great trade route into Asia.

Archaeological exploration of Ephesus is still continuing

So vast is this city that even after 130 years of near-continuous excavation, archaeologists have not yet finished exploring Ephesus and occasionally, new discoveries spring up even now.

As we explore the ancient city, we come across a group of artists enacting a Roman drama, replete with the Roman-era costumes and weapons. After watching the play for a while, we continue with our exploration.

Having explored the ruins for about an hour, our next experience takes us virtually back into the Roman era as we enter the Ephesus Experience Museum.

As the name suggests, it is a museum that provides unique 3D experiences, through a smart play of lights, sounds and computer graphics to recreate life in the city during its heyday. It is indeed quite an experience!

Unfortunately, we don’t have the same luxuries of time as archaeologists to go around exploring, but walking and looking around for about 2 hours or so, while being briefed by the guide, and a visit to the Experience Museum is enough to get a good idea about the city and its importance, not just during the Greco-Roman era, but for the entire humanity, even today.

As we exit the museum, I begin to think whether humanity will ever regain the same level of engineering excellence as those possessed by our ancestors in various civlisations around the world.

With these thoughts, I get back to the bus and we continue our journey to our next stop, another lavish meal, this time at Bizim Ev Hanimeli Restaurant. Set amidst lush greenery, this restaurant with outdoor seating, that can accommodate upto 300 persons, is wellknown for its homemade Turkish specialities, which we all savour with a great relish.

Izmir: Ancient to avantgarde

Picturesque and historic, Dario Moreno Street has chic cafes and cozy restaurants

After we all have had our fill, we head back to the bus which continues on its way towards our next destination, the famed Aegean resort town of Izmir, which is Turkiye’s third largest city, after Istanbul and capital Ankara. Izmir has multiple facets to attract visitors. Founded over 5,000 years ago by the Greeks and rebuilt by Alexander the Great before the city passed under the control of the Romans and then the Ottomans.

Alaçatı

Alaçatı is bound to sweep you off your feet, with its narrow, cobblestoned lanes

Today, it is a modern metropolis, with all the trappings of a vibrant chic town, a major beach destination and a popular port, both for cargo and cruise ships.

For me, it is almost love at first sight with Izmir as we check into the opulent luxury of Swissotel Izmir, our abode here during the relative short visit. Situated on the beachfront and overlooking the Alsancak Kordon, a broad promenade that runs along the beach in Izmir for well over 9 km and in a popular spot for locals and visitors alike, where some go jogging, walking or just sitting on the promenade and simply watch the sea. There are great views of the water the whole way, parks with additional paths, and several important İzmir sites.

As we are rather short of time, so we go for a stroll on the Kordon, taking in the beautiful views of the Aegean where many of the locals have come with their fishing rods and are angling by the sea. Though it is late in the afternoon and it is warm, a gentle sea breeze helps us stay cool and relish the moment.

But soon enough it is time to get back to the hotel and we take the bus on our journey to discover Izmir. With every passing moment that I spend here, my initial feel of Izmir being a place I would love is reinforced.

Alluring Alaçatı

But nothing has prepared me for what lies ahead of us. Our first stop for the evening is Alaçatı, a charming Greek village that is perfect for any picture postcard. Located about 80 km from the Swissotel, Alaçatı is bound to sweep you off your feet, with its narrow, cobblestoned lanes, lined with two-storeyed stone houses, laden with colourful flowers and many of the houses here are painted in the typical Greek colours of blue and white.

Despite its immense beauty and eye-catching views, Alaçatı has emerged as a must-visit for tourists only in the recent years as earlier it was better known for its excellent olive oil and also as one of the best spots in the world for windsurfing.

However, with restoration of its stone houses, many of which have been converted into cosy and charming luxury boutique hotels, and the emergence of several chic restaurants, cafés as well as boutiques hawking the world’s top luxury products, Alaçatı has become one of the hottest destinations in the country for the free-spending middle class.

Walking around in this fairy-tale village, we lose track of time and are gently nudged by our hosts towards dinner which they have organised at yet another magnificent restaurant, Fahri’nin Yeri Restaurant, a seafood restaurant that, very aptly, sits just by the marina, at Alaçatı.

The menu is a diversity of Greek and Turkish dishes, with a generous presence of various seafood items. My favourite here is also my all-time favourite seafood item, the Kalamari.

After the dinner, we begin our drive back to Izmir where our cushy beds in luxurious rooms await us.

Dario Moreno & the Elevator

The next morning, after break, we meet with the management of the Swissotel and also visit the hotel and its diverse offerings, which the Swissotel team discusses with the Indian travel agents. After the meeting, we get back on our buses for the last exploration of Izmir, which takes us to yet another famed quarter of the city, the Dario Moreno Street, another chic quarter which offers a vibrant ambience and draws tourists as well as the locals. It is a picturesque and historic street that features chic cafes, cozy restaurants and quaint shops housed in old-world buildings.

The ‘Elevator’, a 40m high building that offers a convenient way to ascend a small hill

The street is named after one of the most famous Turkish artists, Dario Moreno, who was a musician, composer and singer. Born David Arugete, who began singing as a child, but gained international fame when he moved to France, where he emerged as a major sensation. Though he died at a young age, Moreno left his mark, both in France and in his home country. Not only is the street where he lived now named after him, but even his house has been transformed into a small museum. The street and the house have both been amply decorated with various graffitis representing Moreno in his various moods.

His house and the street today attracts hundreds of visitors every day who come not only to admire him, but also another historic edifice, the ‘Elevator’, a 40 m high building that offers a convenient way to ascend a small hill to enjoy scenic views of the Aegean Sea.

After enjoying some Turkish streetfood delights, it is time for us to head back to the bus that takes us to Izmir Airport from where our flight will take us to our next destination.

Though we have been rushed for time, with so much to explore and experience, I am certain that not only does the Aegean Coast of Türkiye have all that is needed to attract hordes of Indian tourists, but also that I am certainly coming back here for a deeper exploration, but at my own pace!

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