I'm Rick Steves. In this travel piece — based on my episode for Rick Steves' Europe — I want to share how Western Turkey blends ancient heritage, Muslim traditions, and modern life into one of the most rewarding travel experiences in the eastern Mediterranean. From the port of Kuşadası to the white terraces of Pamukkale, the mysticism of Konya, and the sun-soaked Riviera around Antalya, this region is a dialog between East and West worth savoring slowly.
Start in Kuşadası: A welcoming port
Kuşadası is a relaxed, people-friendly town and a practical springboard for exploring the coast. It's booming because of its excellent cruise port, yet colorful fishing boats still bob in the harbor and locals stroll the promenade. Nearly every morning in season, cruise ships arrive and the town celebrates their arrival with traditional music — a great reminder that tourism here is a meeting of cultures.
Practical note: the town is friendly and welcoming. With a spirit of adventure and a measure of common sense, I think most travelers — solo or partnered — will find Turkey comfortable and intriguing.
Ephesus: One of the great classical sites
Just a short hop from Kuşadası, Ephesus is one of the world's great Greco-Roman sites. You can get there by taxi or bus, but my favorite is the local minibus — the dolmuş — a cross between a shared taxi and a bus: hop on, tell the driver where you want to go, and they’ll tell you when to jump out.
Highlights of Ephesus:
- The Library of Celsus — once the third-largest library in the Roman Empire; its facade still dazzles.
- Hadrian’s Temple — second-century decorations full of symbolic carvings that archeologists still debate.
- Terrace houses — intimate, multi-story homes of Ephesus’s ultra-rich, preserved under protective roofs; only a few families would have lived in each complex.
- Theatre — built to seat about 25,000 people. Archaeologists use theater capacity to estimate population; for Ephesus that suggests a city of roughly 250,000 at its height.
Ephesus was once a bustling port and economic power. Over centuries it was sacked, and its harbor silted up — leaving the ruins stranded miles inland. The site also has a fascinating biblical connection: the apostle Paul preached here and wrote to the Ephesians, while the local cult of Artemis once drove a riot when Paul’s message threatened business interests tied to goddess statues.
Evening in Kuşadası: Food, raki, and conviviality
Evenings along the harbor promenade are quintessential Mediterranean: everyone is welcome, tea and conversation flow, and the call to prayer mixes into the soundscape. On the coast, seafood is king.
Start a Turkish meal the local way — with an array of meze: small plates that let everyone sample a variety of flavors. My favorites on the Aegean coast include:
- Fava (creamy mashed broad beans)
- Grilled eggplant and eggplant salads
- Zucchini fritters
- Octopus salad
For a convivial tipple, try raki, an anise-flavored spirit that you dilute with water. It’s often part of a coastal feast and pairs surprisingly well with seafood. For mains, traditional coastal restaurants excel at whole grilled fish; one treat is sea bass baked in a salt crust to trap juices and flavor.
Meander Valley, Aphrodisias, and Pamukkale
Head inland through the Meander Valley, a fertile agricultural corridor. You’ll pass fields and villages and often catch roadside stands in season — we were there when strawberries were ripe for picking.
Two must-see sites nearby:
Hierapolis and Pamukkale
Hierapolis is an ancient spa city where Romans came for therapeutic waters. Walk through the necropolis and under the imposing Roman gate, then stroll to the mineral pools where sunlit water sparkles around fallen columns.
Pamukkale’s white terraces are formed by mineral-rich waters depositing calcium as they flow. The result is a surreal landscape of naturally tiered pools — a spectacular place for a soak; think “bathing in hot champagne.”
Aphrodisias
Relatively recently excavated, Aphrodisias reveals a compact Roman city of refined sculpture and public life. Its monumental gateway and large stadion (about two football fields long) point to a civic culture that loved athletics and spectacles.
Archaeologists continue to unearth Anatolia’s ancient past; sometimes the finds suggest Anatolia itself played a central role in the early development of complex societies.
Taurus Mountains, pide (Turkish pizza), and Ayran
Traveling south over the Taurus Mountains, it’s easy to slip off the main roads and find small-town life. Every little town seems to have a local “pide” shop — Turkish pizza is a delicious, doughy boat loaded with cheese, minced or diced meat, egg, or combinations of these. Pair it with ayran, a refreshing salted yogurt drink — simple, healthy, and an essential part of the meal.
Konya: Rumi’s city and the whirling dervishes
Konya is one of Turkey’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and was once the capital of the Seljuk Empire. Today it’s known as one of the more conservative and religious cities in western Turkey — a place where tradition is strong and most women wear headscarves.
The draw for many visitors is Mevlana (Rumi), the 13th-century mystic and poet whose message centered on love as a path to the divine. His mausoleum is a shrine for many pilgrims. The adjoining museum displays manuscripts, books of poetry, and early Korans that illuminate Mevlana’s teaching.
"I looked for God in all the temples, mosques and churches, and found him in my heart."
Mevlana’s followers, the Mevlevi order, are famous for the whirling dervishes. Their dance is a form of meditative prayer: one hand turned toward heaven to receive divine love, the other toward earth to distribute that love. As they spin, they aim to transcend the material world and become a conduit between the divine and humanity — a striking, humble form of devotion that’s beautiful to witness.
Antalya and a gulet cruise on the Turkish Riviera
From Konya you can descend to the Mediterranean and Antalya, a city of two million with a compact historic center and a scenic harbor founded in Roman times. The old city is ringed by a well-preserved wall, with a Hadrianic gate leading into winding streets of Ottoman houses, boutiques, and small hotels.
A popular, restorative excursion is a day on a gulet — a traditional wooden sailboat. Gulets range from lively party boats to peaceful day-cruises. On a calm anchored day you can swim off the deck into clear water, enjoy freshly caught fish prepared by the crew, and simply relax while dramatic coastline and snowcapped peaks pass by.
Practical tips and travel notes
- Getting around: Use dolmuş minibuses for short hops — they’re cheap, flexible, and a fun local experience.
- Safety and comfort: Turkey is welcoming and generally safe for travelers. Use common sense and respect local customs (especially in more conservative towns like Konya).
- Eat like a local: Embrace meze culture, try fresh seafood on the Aegean coast, sip raki responsibly, and don’t miss pide and ayran in small towns.
- Timing: Spring and autumn are ideal — you get comfortable weather for ruins, hikes, and swimming without the summer crowds and heat.
Conclusion
Western Turkey is a region of contrasts: seaside promenades, bustling bazaars, millennia-old ruins, and sincere religious devotion. It’s where East meets West in the best sense — a place of hospitality, history, and surprisingly varied landscapes. Whether you linger in Kuşadası, wander among the columns of Ephesus, soak in Pamukkale’s terraces, ponder Rumi in Konya, or drift on a gulet off Antalya’s coast, you’ll come away with memories of a land that connects cultures and celebrates life.
Güle güle — go well — and keep on travelin'.
