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00:00Hey, I'm Rick Steves back with more of the best of Europe.
00:04This time, we're in perhaps the most historic
00:07and certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in, Istanbul.
00:12Thanks for joining us.
00:30Istanbul is one of the great cities on Earth, period.
00:49For thousands of years, this place, where East meets West,
00:53has been a crossroads of civilizations.
00:55Few places on Earth have witnessed more history
00:58than this sprawling metropolis on the Bosphorus.
01:02Enjoying the delights of Istanbul, we'll marvel at mosques,
01:06peruse the Grand Bazaar,
01:09be wowed by classic carpets,
01:11admire artisans at work,
01:14and learn why the dervish whirls.
01:17We'll sail the Bosphorus,
01:19eat fresh fish off the boat,
01:22be tempted by honey-drenched baklava,
01:25buy some exquisite silk,
01:27and grab some ice cream.
01:29Or not.
01:31We'll take a side trip to Asia
01:35and lose ourselves in a sea of its people
01:38as we celebrate this vast and complex city.
01:42Turkey bridges Europe and Asia.
01:45Its largest city, Istanbul,
01:47straddles the Bosphorus Strait,
01:49part of the cities in Europe and part in Asia.
01:52The Golden Horn Inlet, long a strategic harbor,
01:55is crossed by the Gelata Bridge.
01:57It connects the bustling new town and the old town
02:00with its fabled palace and mosques.
02:03After a cruise on the Bosphorus,
02:05we'll explore the Grand Bazaar,
02:07wander down the Istiklal Cadessi Boulevard,
02:10then finish in Asia with a visit to Uskudar.
02:14Inspiring monuments showcase 2,000 years of Istanbul history,
02:23its ancient Roman and early Christian Byzantine period,
02:27its centuries as the capital of the Muslim Ottoman Empire,
02:31and its birth as a modern nation in the 20th century.
02:35While today the city is a vast megapolis of over 15 million people
02:42sprawling along both sides of the Bosphorus,
02:45its oldest citizens actually remember
02:48when it had only a million people.
02:50In other words, the vast majority of the city is new.
02:54And its historic points of interest
02:56are mostly corralled into a relatively compact old center.
03:01The starting point for many travelers
03:09is Istanbul's state-of-the-art cruise terminal,
03:12with its ingenious collapsible walls.
03:14It adds to the city's population whenever ships are in port.
03:18A far-sighted infrastructure investment,
03:21all the buses and taxis are underground
03:23to efficiently move the crowds.
03:26In season, massive cruise ships
03:28pour thousands of tourists
03:30into the city for a busy day of sightseeing and shopping.
03:36When ships sail,
03:37the security and customs walls fold down,
03:40and Galata port transforms
03:42into a delightful public promenade,
03:44600 yards long.
03:46Late in the day, the people watching
03:48mixes with the commotion of the busy harbor
03:50to make it a Turkish paseo like none other.
03:53The Bosphorus is churning with boat traffic of all sorts.
04:00This narrow and strategic strait is a bottleneck,
04:03busy with freighters,
04:05including lots of Ukrainian and Russian ships,
04:08since this is the only route
04:10between ports on the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
04:13And tourist boats doing their maritime do-si-do
04:17dance around the serious cargo ships and ferries.
04:26For more of a mini-cruise,
04:27it's easy to hop a sightseeing boat
04:29for a relaxing sail up the Bosporus.
04:32Yes, an intercontinental cruise.
04:35It's a chance to see Istanbul from the water
04:38and get the lay of the land,
04:40with Europe on one side and Asia on the other.
04:44Small historic towns marked by their minarets
04:47are now engulfed in the sprawl of modern Istanbul.
04:50The boat passes an Ottoman emperor's hunting lodge,
04:53palaces of the nobility,
04:55and homes of wealthy locals,
04:57locals who can afford the Bosphorus waterfront,
05:00some of the priciest real estate in all of Turkey.
05:04And anyone can enjoy the inviting beachfront parks.
05:09The dramatic Bosphorus Bridge
05:11was the first bridge ever to span two continents.
05:14And the Rumeli Fortress
05:16was built by the Ottomans five centuries ago.
05:20Back in the old center,
05:22the Galata Bridge spans the strategic
05:24inlet called the Golden Horn.
05:27For centuries, this easy-to-defend bay
05:30provided the city a protected harbor.
05:34A thousand years ago,
05:36long before there was a bridge here,
05:37a mighty chain was stretched
05:39across the mouth of this inlet.
05:41This gave the Byzantine Empire its safest harbor,
05:44which provided the city a critical key
05:46to both trade and military power.
05:49While just a few years ago
05:51its shoreline was an industrial wasteland,
05:53today the Golden Horn is cleaned up
05:56and lined by inviting parks.
05:59After a determined effort by the city
06:01and lots of investment,
06:03the people of Istanbul now share a delightfully green
06:06and welcoming people zone,
06:08the Golden Horn.
06:10Back at the Galata Bridge,
06:13for fast-food Istanbul-style,
06:15you can grab a fish wedge just off the boat.
06:18Mackerel, fresh from the guys who caught it,
06:21at one of the venerable and very tipsy
06:24fish-and-bread boats.
06:27And as the sun sets,
06:29on the bridge you can enjoy panoramic views
06:32of Istanbul's old town,
06:34an iconic place for more fast fish,
06:37or a nice dinner,
06:44with a view of the harbor action.
06:48There are lots of tourists in Istanbul,
06:51and it's interesting to note
06:53that about half of them
06:54come from other Muslim countries.
07:05While Istanbul is full of iconic sights,
07:08there's one that seems to be on every traveler's list,
07:11the Grand Bazaar.
07:19In many ways,
07:20Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
07:22remains much as it was centuries ago,
07:25enchanting and perplexing visitors
07:27with its maze-like network of lanes
07:29hiding more than 4,000 colorful shops,
07:32artisans at work, and tiny eateries.
07:37Despite all the tourists and knick-knacks,
07:39the heart of the Grand Bazaar still beats,
07:41giving the observant visitor
07:43an unforgettable memory.
07:50In its day, this labyrinthine warren
07:52of shops under fine arches
07:54was the world trade center
07:56for the entire Ottoman Empire,
07:58locked down and guarded
08:00by more than 100 soldiers every night.
08:03While today's main drag is touristy,
08:06do what you can to imagine the atmosphere here
08:09centuries ago during Silk Road times,
08:12the barrage on the senses,
08:14exotic spices, busy merchants,
08:17convivial tea breaks,
08:19and thirsty shoppers.
08:22The market is vast,
08:24and you can still escape the tourist zones
08:26to discover some authentic nooks and crannies.
08:29Surprises await in the low-rent fringes.
08:33A commotion of shouting
08:35marks the bazaar's poor man's Wall Street.
08:38These currency brokers are frantically swapping
08:41fortunes of euros, dollars, and Turkish lira
08:44for their clients.
08:46Others keep their fortunes in gold.
08:49The many jewelry shops are a reminder
08:51that Turks love gold
08:52for more than just its beauty and allure.
08:54Traditionally, it's considered a practical
08:57and tangible place to store their wealth.
09:00And much of that gold may be recycled.
09:03Around the corner,
09:04surrounding a humble courtyard,
09:06sooty smiths labor over furnaces.
09:09They're melting gold trimmings
09:11from nearby jewelers' workshops
09:13back into a pure and more usable form.
09:16For over 20 years, I've been visiting Ayhan.
09:22His skillful techniques have changed little
09:25through the generations as he works his trade.
09:28Gold, gold.
09:30And with that gold,
09:32you can buy a fine Turkish carpet.
09:35Shops can come with a vast inventory,
09:39offering a warp-and-weft fantasy of options.
09:42Enjoy a colorful demonstration.
09:45Here I have four amazing art pieces
09:48that they are totally different categories.
09:50It's like a mother language.
09:52Each region of Turkey,
09:53we have different style.
09:54But be attracted not by aggressive sales pitches,
09:57but by merchants who celebrate this rich,
10:00artistic heritage.
10:02So, the other name of those silk collection rugs
10:05are flying Turkish rugs.
10:07With the fall of Christian Byzantium
10:17and the rise of the Muslim Ottomans,
10:19grand mosques shaped the city's skyline,
10:22and Suleimania is the finest in town.
10:26This soothing, restrained, yet magnificent house of worship
10:32was built by the great 16th-century architect Sinan
10:36for his sultan, Suleiman.
10:39Although less colorful and less glamorous
10:42than some of Istanbul's other mosques,
10:44this mosque is bigger, older,
10:46and considered the masterpiece of Ottoman architecture.
10:53The tranquil interior is decorated
10:55in pastel hues and stained glass.
10:59Its vast expanse, with no interior support,
11:02was a marvel in its day.
11:05And visiting Turks make a point
11:07to visit the elaborate tomb of the Sultan Suleiman,
11:11whose nickname was the Magnificent.
11:20The Muslim faith is as varied as the Christian faith.
11:24Some groups are more orthodox and conservative,
11:28and others more progressive,
11:30like this congregation of mystic Sufi dervishes,
11:33which welcomes women to take leadership roles.
11:36While some worship in grand mosques,
11:39others gather in a more intimate space like this,
11:42where musicians set the mood.
11:45The leader guides the congregation in prayer,
11:50and slowly the dervishes blossom
11:53into a state where they're ready to whirl.
11:56Dervishes are like monks,
11:59inspired by the mystic 13th-century poet Mevlana,
12:03also known as Rumi.
12:06Not all dervishes whirl,
12:08but all whirlers are dervishes.
12:11With one foot planted in their community,
12:15their family,
12:16and the other foot dancing around and around,
12:19celebrating the diversity of God's great creation,
12:22they whirl themselves into a meditative trance.
12:25In this mesmerizing form of prayer,
12:31the dervish contemplates how everything in the universe whirls,
12:35from the smallest particles to the earth and beyond.
12:44By whirling, the dervish goes with the cosmic flow.
12:48Mevlana's teaching is all about love,
12:55and finding that elusive oneness.
12:58With one hand symbolically reaching up to their heavenly creator,
13:03and the other like a fountain showering that love
13:06on all of creation,
13:08the dervish meditates on how they can be a conduit of God's love.
13:13To get a fuller appreciation for Istanbul,
13:29it's important to leave the old town
13:31and explore the lively, more modern neighborhoods.
13:35For the visitor, Istanbul's central tramline
13:38laces together the most interesting sightseeing areas.
13:43While often packed,
13:44it zips directly through the middle of town fast,
13:47unaffected by the frequent traffic jams.
13:52My friend and co-author of our Istanbul guidebook,
13:55Lali Sermon Aran,
13:57is joining us as we ride over the Gulada Bridge.
14:00Rather than fighting traffic,
14:02Lali knows to stick with the tram
14:04as we head into the new town
14:06and the place where everyone seems to be heading,
14:09Taksim Square,
14:11Istanbul's contemporary heart.
14:18Taksim Square is a major transportation hub
14:20and gives us a good taste of modern Istanbul.
14:25The traffic circles a statue
14:27that celebrates the father of modern Turkey,
14:30Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
14:32If Turkey is Western-looking today,
14:34you can thank this man.
14:38In the 19th century,
14:39the Ottoman Empire was in a state of decline.
14:41Its nickname?
14:42The Sick Man of Europe.
14:44Following Germany in World War I
14:46and therefore losing,
14:47the decrepit old empire was swept away,
14:49and from its remnants arose
14:51the modern Republic of Turkey,
14:53founded in 1923 by Atatürk.
14:57The monument shows the two sides of Atatürk,
14:59the military hero of the War of Independence,
15:02and civilian Atatürk,
15:04the first president of modern Turkey,
15:07surrounded by figures representing
15:09the proclamation of the Republic.
15:15Nearby, a colorful trolley travels
15:17the length of the city's main shopping boulevard,
15:20Istiklan Kadessi, or Independent Street.
15:24Offering a parade of local culture,
15:27it was born after a devastating fire in 1870.
15:31The Ottoman government took the opportunity
15:34to rebuild the area as a showpiece
15:36of the European style.
15:38The message?
15:39Look west.
15:41The fine old architecture is a reminder
15:43that this street was home to the city's
15:45Europe-oriented elite back in the 19th century.
15:48Even today, Istanbul's churches and foreign consulates
15:52are in this district.
15:54It's just teeming with people.
15:57I love to lose myself in this river of humanity.
16:01And it's lined with shopping temptations.
16:05This fine shop sells silk scarves,
16:09made in Turkey, of course.
16:11These designs with the tulips.
16:13Tulip is the Turkish one.
16:14That's great.
16:15This pattern is so beautiful.
16:17Turks know how to spiff up their look with a scarf,
16:21around the neck or as a head covering.
16:24And if you want to go to the mosque,
16:26which scarf would you wear and how would you wear it?
16:28If I want to ask, I wear the long one.
16:31Uh-huh.
16:32Like this.
16:33It's enough for me.
16:35Like this.
16:36So you say enough for you.
16:38Every woman will choose how much modesty?
16:40Of course.
16:41Of course.
16:42If she's religious, also she can wear like this
16:46in square one, for example.
16:49If she's very religious...
16:51Yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:52She can put a pin here.
16:55Then she'll do it like this.
16:57Okay.
16:58She can put it here.
16:59So this is an accessory to cover the hair?
17:01Yes.
17:02Yeah.
17:03So true to the culture and easy to pack,
17:05a silk scarf makes a nice souvenir.
17:12And the street offers an enticing parade of taste treats.
17:17Doner means revolving.
17:19And you know why when tempted by a doner kebab.
17:24You can try the sesame rings called simit,
17:27along with your tiny Turkish vocabulary.
17:30One ring, please.
17:37And for a fast meal with no language barrier,
17:41ever-present cafeteria-style restaurants
17:43offer a can-can of fresh and traditional Turkish food.
17:49You'll choose from a range of classic Turkish dishes.
17:53I'm having cabbage rolls, lamb chops, and potatoes.
17:58All right.
17:59And something I always look forward to,
18:02my go-to yogurt drink here in Turkey, Ayran,
18:05and my favorite dessert, rice pudding, or sutlac.
18:09But on this street, rice pudding is just the first
18:12of many sweet temptations.
18:14Popping into this baklava bakery,
18:17it's hard to resist such a festival of honey-soaked delights.
18:22Hey, look at this.
18:23Generations of local chocolate salesmen
18:25have worked this little station,
18:27peddling a variety of Turkish treats.
18:29There's a lot of different flavors.
18:30Yes, with hazelnuts and pistachios
18:33and dark chocolate and milk chocolate.
18:35Today, Ali loves to give samples.
18:38Okay, this is the pistachio we're tasting now.
18:40This is this one?
18:41Yes.
18:42What do you like best?
18:45Everything's good.
18:48And to really earn your dessert,
18:51try getting some ice cream from this guy.
18:58He's from Karamarmarış, a town in southeast Turkey,
19:01famous for its toffee-like ice cream.
19:05While delicious, it doesn't come easy for anyone.
19:10Whoopala!
19:12Boy, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy!
19:14I want a chocolate!
19:15Ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:19Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:22Ha!
19:23Ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:25Ha, ha, ha!
19:27Oh!
19:28Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
19:31That's nice!
19:32Thank you!
19:33Every day, over a million people in Istanbul
19:39commute between Asia and Europe.
19:43Some take the five-minute subway ride
19:45through the underwater tunnel,
19:48while others catch a ferry for a more scenic
19:50intercontinental commute.
19:54An array of ferries cross the Bosphorus every few minutes
19:57and cost less than a buck.
20:00And a memorable way for a tourist to experience this city's urban energy
20:05is to join the locals for a 20-minute cruise to Asian Istanbul.
20:11The city of Uzkodar, on the Asian side, is now a suburb of Istanbul.
20:26While bustling and modern today, it also has a traditional religious feel.
20:32In the Ottoman era, it was the gathering and departure place
20:36for pilgrims and caravans heading to Mecca.
20:41Taking a stroll along its waterfront promenade
20:44or through its family-friendly parks,
20:46you'll notice a more conservative lifestyle.
20:51Oh, fresh fish!
20:54The marketplace offers a cultural scavenger hunt
20:57and plenty of ways to nibble on even more
21:00of Turkey's endless array of taste treats.
21:03Oh, dates! I love dates!
21:05How do you say date in Turkish?
21:07Hurma.
21:08Hurma.
21:09In Ramadan, it's traditional we break the fast with a hurma.
21:12Try it!
21:13So this is how we break fast?
21:15Yes.
21:16Happy breakfast!
21:17Oh, yeah.
21:18There's a beautiful variety.
21:22So these are grape leaves?
21:28Yes, they are grape leaves and we use these for rolled grape leaves.
21:33So you buy a whole bundle?
21:35They will sell by the weight.
21:37What would you put inside?
21:38Mainly rice, onion, and seasonings.
21:41Sometimes with meat, too.
21:43Beautiful!
21:44Look at that.
21:45Nice!
21:46Yeah?
21:47Rick, this is Filo.
21:48We use this to make börek.
21:49It's pastry.
21:50We make it both savory and sweet.
21:51These ones I'm buying, I'm going to use with cheese and parsley, and it will be a savory pastry.
22:05Can I come over?
22:06You're welcome.
22:07It looks so good.
22:08That's the delicacy.
22:09The best fish of Istanbul.
22:10Turbo.
22:11Turbo.
22:12Turbo.
22:13Yes, it's the finest fish of Bosphorus.
22:14And these are horse mackerel and anchovy, the cheapest protein you can buy.
22:15There.
22:16My goodness, they're beautiful.
22:17I love olives.
22:18Look at so many different varieties.
22:19Different regions, different kinds, and different cures.
22:20Why don't you try one?
22:21Yeah.
22:22And where is this from?
22:23South Turkey, Antioch.
22:24Naturally grown.
22:25It's great to have a selection, you know?
22:26Mmm.
22:27And what is this?
22:28This is from the Sea of Marmara, Edremitz.
22:29The Sea of Marmara.
22:30Oh, that's really good.
22:31Let's get a mix.
22:32A little bit of that in the middle of that in a little bag.
22:33Let me not try it.
22:34Let me not try it.
22:35I love olives.
22:36I love olives.
22:37Look at so many different varieties.
22:38Different regions, different kinds, and different cures.
22:39Why don't you try one?
22:40Yeah.
22:41And where is this from?
22:42South Turkey, Antioch.
22:43Naturally grown.
22:44It's great to have a selection, you know?
22:45Mmm.
22:46And what is this?
22:47This is from the Sea of Marmara, Edremitz.
22:49The Sea of Marmara.
22:50Oh, that's really good.
22:53Let's get a mix.
22:55A little of that in the middle of that in a little bag.
22:58Can we get a little bit of that?
23:03Back on the waterfront, I enjoy the view from Asia across the Bosphorus back to Europe.
23:09Marveling at this extraordinary city.
23:14Istanbul.
23:15It's fast changing, yet strangely timeless.
23:19Truly one of Europe's great cities.
23:22And for me, it never gets old.
23:25Soaring domes.
23:28Spinning carpets.
23:31Whirling prayers.
23:34Churning harbor.
23:37It's an endless promenade that broadens my perspective.
23:42The cities both rooted in tradition and modern facing, as it navigates the challenges of today.
23:55The richness of Istanbul's culture, diversity, and heritage is seen in the faces of its people.
24:01This is today's Turkey, a melting pot of ethnic groups.
24:07Turk, Kurd, Armenian, Jew, Gypsy, Georgian, Greek, and more.
24:14And styles, from the very traditional to the very latest.
24:20The city remains a crossroads of humanity.
24:32And according to the Turkish proverb, every guest is a gift from God.
24:39Istanbul bridges east and west.
24:45With a complex weave of modern affluence, Western secularism, and traditional Muslim faith,
24:51it's a dynamic city filled with delights.
24:54Thanks for joining us.
24:56I'm Rick Steves.
24:57Until next time, keep on traveling.
25:00Perhaps the most historic and certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in.
25:10And certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in.
25:14But certainly the most populous city we've ever filmed in.
25:15Istanbul.
25:16Thanks for joining us.
25:17Ah.
25:18Ah.
25:19No.
25:25That's good ice cream.
25:30Where are we?
25:31No.
25:32No.
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25:35No.
25:44No.
25:48No.
25:49No.
25:50That's good.
25:51No.
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25:55No.
25:56No.
25:57No.
25:58No.
25:59No.
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