00:00I'm Lilly Dowse and this is Grand Voyager.
00:04In this series I travel the world to discover incredible places filled with culture, luxury and adventure.
00:13Along the way I meet the people, taste the flavours and experience the moments that make each destination unforgettable.
00:27Today, I'm travelling to southwestern Turkey, a place known for its rich heritage and stunning coastline.
00:37Mahaba and welcome to Bodrum. In this episode, I'll be discovering its ancient history, Aegean charm, and the craftsmanship that
00:47really does make this place magical.
00:50I'm starting my journey in Bodrum's historic centre. In ancient times, it was once the capital of a powerful Greek
00:58kingdom.
00:59Dominating the coastline is Bodrum Castle, a crusader fort built by the Knights of St. John.
01:06We call this castle St. Peter's Castle, because St. John Knights also had a respect to St. Peter's, and then
01:13they said, we call this city Petronium, the city of Peter's.
01:18This castle was one of several Christian strongholds established by the Knights in the region.
01:25Knights came from across Europe, and that mix of nationalities is still visible today.
01:31This is one of the most important castles, and in this place, five different towers we have from five different
01:39countries.
01:40I always call this one earlier EU, because we have French, Italian, German, Spanish, and English towers.
01:48As we explore, Stuart shows me how the castle was designed to protect the Knights.
01:54This part, the place where we climb up with the stairs, this is the place where it was a moat.
02:01So this wall behind is the place where they were living.
02:04The castle's walls were reinforced over the years to withstand cannon fire.
02:10Today, its inner courtyards display ancient artefacts recovered from shipwrecks.
02:16The castle is also home to Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, which contains many more ancient pieces.
02:24In 1958, they brought up all these, and this was the one to carry lots of glass as a cargo.
02:33And all these shipwrecks are original, so we have to keep this room with the same temperature always.
02:41We're looking at roughly around 3,000 years old pieces over there.
02:45The exhibition contains ancient pottery used to store olive oil, weapons, and tools used by sailors, as well as coins
02:54and jewellery.
02:55It's a fascinating place that brings history to life.
03:00After exploring the museum, we head up to the top of one of the towers to take in the view.
03:06Bodrum Castle has stood watch over the coastline for centuries.
03:11It's a remarkable sight that's helped shape this historic city.
03:18Nearby is another landmark that's watched over Bodrum for centuries.
03:23We're now on the top of the hill where we have these beautiful windmills used to be here.
03:28And the oldest one is about 350 years old. The youngest one is 250 years old.
03:33The purpose of the windmills is milling the wheat and sending to the bakeries and making bread for the sailors.
03:41These mills remained active until the 1920s, when electricity was introduced.
03:47Today, they have become symbols of Bodrum's heritage.
03:54Bodrum is a place shaped by its coastline and its connection to the sea.
03:59During my time here, I'm staying at Six Senses Caponclaya, a luxury wellness resort located just north of the city.
04:08Set between the hills and the sea, it's designed to blend in with nature.
04:13Inside, rock sculptures and large windows make the outdoors feel close by.
04:20The vision of Six Senses is to allow the guests to reconnect with themselves, reconnect with nature.
04:28Our biggest mission is to create that platform that guests can enjoy, get rid of the daily anxieties,
04:37sit under the trees, enjoy the whispers of the Aegean Sea, and also the sound of the waves.
04:45After exploring the garden, I head to my suite.
04:48It's bright and spacious, but it's the views that take center stage.
04:54With peaceful areas like this, the suite feels like a private retreat all to myself.
05:01When you just want to take a break and relax, this really is the most epic spot.
05:07Next, I head down to the hotel's wellness area, which includes pools, hammams and treatment rooms.
05:15My visit begins with a one-to-one screening to learn more about my health and well-being.
05:20A sports scientist guides me through a series of tests,
05:24from checking my blood pressure to measuring my body composition.
05:29It gives me a clearer picture of my overall health and where I can make improvements.
05:35I then have a facial to cleanse and hydrate my skin, giving me a chance to slow down, relax and
05:42enjoy a quiet moment.
05:45Afterwards, I explore the hotel's gardens, where fresh produce is grown for the restaurants.
05:51Overlooking the sea, I get to taste some of those ingredients, alongside locally caught seafood.
05:58Having fresh fish and amazing hummus by the sea, this really is the perfect getaway.
06:07Olive trees have shaped Turkey's landscape for thousands of years.
06:11Just north of Bodrum is an organic olive farm near the village of Shenkoi.
06:17Here, I meet a local producer to learn more about olive growing.
06:21How many trees would you say there are here in this village?
06:25Just in the village, around one million.
06:27And how many people are there?
06:29300.
06:29300 people and a million olive trees.
06:32Yeah.
06:32So plenty more olives than there are people.
06:35Yeah.
06:36The annual harvest here takes place in October, when the olives are ripe for picking.
06:41How many olives does it take to make a litre of olive oil?
06:46Oh, approximately six kilos.
06:47That's a lot of olives to be picking.
06:51Once collected, the olives are quickly pressed to preserve their freshness and flavour.
06:56They're very unique looking trees as well, with the trunk system.
07:00These trees can survive long periods of droughts, and some are believed to be up to 500 years old.
07:07After exploring the olive grove, Noyn invites me to his home to taste some of his locally produced oil.
07:14While tasting olive oil, you're looking for three main components.
07:18The fruitiness, the bitterness, and the pungency.
07:21We begin the experience by taking in the aromas.
07:25This one has an amazing smell to it.
07:28As we taste the oil, I pick up hints of nuts and black pepper.
07:33We try several varieties, each with its own unique flavour.
07:38Next, I head into the kitchen.
07:41So since you've tasted all of these amazing olive oils, I thought I'd show you a dish that uses them.
07:45So today we're going to be making the classic stuffed grape leaves, known as sarma in Turkish.
07:51We start by preparing the filling, combining bulgur wheat with herbs, spices, onions, garlic, homemade vegetable paste, and plenty of
08:00olive oil.
08:01Once the stuffing is ready, we're going to roll them in these preserved grape leaves and also stuff our zucchini
08:08blossoms.
08:08After we prepare our rolls, we gently simmer them in water.
08:12Once ready, we head outside to enjoy them together.
08:16So here we go.
08:18Whoa.
08:20Smelling amazing looking, I mean.
08:23Tasting this classic Turkish dish with new friends is the perfect way to end my time in this part of
08:29Turkey.
08:30From the olive trees to the plate, it's been simply delicious.
08:37Turkey's Aegean coast is known for its rugged hills and historic monuments.
08:43To explore them, I'm heading out on a boat with a local resident.
08:48This is one of the most incredible coastlines.
08:51What's so special about the Aegean Sea?
08:54It's people, it's colour, the green behind it, and all the ancient history hidden all around the background.
09:01We are now in the ancient region of Caria that lies south of Ephesus and all the way towards the
09:10ancient Kaunos.
09:12And it's been for a few thousand years the centre of civilisations.
09:17It's great for swimming because of the temperatures.
09:20You can swim all year round.
09:21The Aegean coast is full of hidden caves and clear waters.
09:25The boat trip has shown me more of this historic region, but there still is so much more to discover.
09:34Leaving the Aegean Sea behind, we change into our sports gear and head to Lake Baffa to explore some ancient
09:41ruins by e-bike.
09:42So here we are, right next to Lake Baffa, and we are here at the village of Kapukurum, which is
09:49the ancient name of Heraclea.
09:51You can see some of the ruins around here.
09:53Actually over there, all around us, right behind us are the ruins.
09:58So what makes this place special is the combination of all.
10:01We set off along the shoreline, cycling between huge rock formations.
10:07As we ride, we see more of what remains of the ancient city.
10:11So the mountains that surround this area is called the Latmos Mountains.
10:15It was very famous in the ancient times.
10:17And the lake was actually a harbour.
10:19It was connected to the sea.
10:21And the city here called Heraclea was once a port city.
10:26It was surrounded with city walls like two kilometres all around the mountain.
10:31And it would take the olives and all the goods from the mountains to the port and then ship them
10:36all across the Mediterranean and the Aegean.
10:38Most of the ruins are from the 4th century B.C.
10:44We continue along the cycle trail, passing olive trees and even a herd of grazing cows.
10:51The e-bikes make it much easier to cycle through the rocky terrain and to see some sights up close.
10:57I just want to show you something cool.
11:00It would be a temple dedicated to Andinion.
11:05It's about a myth for the moon goddess falling in love with the local shepherd.
11:11And this temple is thought to be dedicated to this local shepherd.
11:16A love story.
11:18It's a pretty amazing temple for a love story.
11:20Yeah.
11:22Exploring Lake Baffer by e-bike is a unique way to experience its stunning landscapes and incredible history.
11:29Surrounded by the mountains and ancient ruins, it's been a ride to remember.
11:35Bodrum has been full of history and adventure.
11:38And this feels like the perfect way to end my time here.
11:43There really is so much to explore here in Bodrum.
11:47From stunning landscapes to ancient architecture and incredible cuisine.
11:53But now, time for my next adventure.
