Turkey Part 2: Antalya, Pamukkale, and Ephesus

From the turquoise waters of Antalya to the ancient ruins of Ephesus, the second half of our Turkey trip brought plenty of history, beautiful scenery, and a few questionable tour stops.

This is the second part of our Turkey travel conversation on Her Travel Expert podcast. We covered Istanbul and Cappadocia in Part One, so this post picks up with the rest of the trip.

Antalya: Beautiful Coast, Ancient Streets, and One Very Long Boat Ride

After spending the first part of our trip in Cappadocia, we flew to Antalya. The flight was another Turkish Airlines experience, and I was once again very happy about the sandwich. Not sponsored. I was just very happy about the sandwich.

Antalya was beautiful. It is a coastal city on the Mediterranean, with turquoise-blue water and cobblestone streets. We only spent about one night there, so we had just enough time to get a taste of it before moving on.

Duden Falls

Our first stop was Duden Falls, or the upper Duden Falls. It was a walking trail rather than a hiking trail, and it was lush and shaded. That was especially welcome because the coast was incredibly humid that day.

The trail was a nice way to relax. You could get misted by the falls and the stream, and there were little cave-like areas along the way. It was super pretty and very green.

We also saw another section of the falls where the water drops dramatically toward the Mediterranean. There were public parks around that area, along with vendors selling things like Turkish ice cream. It was a nice place to spend some time, although we only got a short visit.

Exploring Antalya’s Old City

We were dropped off near Hadrian’s Gate, which is still standing. That was one of those moments when the history major in me was very happy. Turkey has so many places where you are looking at something ancient and thinking, Oh my gosh, that’s in the Bible.

We spent most of our time exploring the city and its neighborhoods. Even the old doors were cool and photogenic. It was the kind of place where I would have been happy to just wander around, take pictures, and see what we found.

Unfortunately, our tour also included another shopping stop.

Another Shopping Stop? Of Course.

This time, it was jewelry. We were taken to a store where they explained a particular gemstone that is common in Turkey. It was interesting to learn about, but then we saw the jewelry prices.

The night before, we had bought Noah’s girlfriend some earrings for what we remembered as about $10. Then we saw similar-looking earrings in the jewelry store, and the price was completely outrageous. We were done.

This was another one of those stops where we asked the tour guide if we could leave. It was, at that point, the third shopping stop we had been taken to during the trip. We had already talked about these kinds of experiences in Part One, so if you missed that episode, go back and listen to it.

Eventually, we got outside and sat down while the rest of the group finished shopping. I told the tour guide that we knew what was going on and asked him to stop taking us to these places. He did not seem particularly happy about that.

The Pirate Ship We Could Have Skipped

We also took a pirate ship excursion in Antalya. I think we expected it to be a quick trip out to see the falls from the water, but that was not what happened.

The boat went back and forth in the same area for about an hour. It was hot, and there was a bar on board, but I was not drinking at the time. I eventually fell asleep.

Honestly, I would have rather spent that time exploring the city or having lunch. We had heard there was a cable car that was supposed to be part of our itinerary, but we did not do it. I think the boat may have been a replacement for that, although I would have preferred the cable car or simply more time in town.

Antalya looked like a beautiful city, but we did not get to see much of it. That was the downside of only spending one night there.

Paragliding Over Pamukkale

After Antalya, we drove toward Pamukkale. Along the way, we were offered the chance to go paragliding for $75 per person.

Eden wanted to do it. I did not. Jonah did not. Noah did not.

But I was not going to send Eden up a mountain in a van full of random men by herself, so I decided I would go with her. I hate heights, but I figured I could do it.

Then Jonah decided he would go, too. Noah was the last holdout, but eventually he decided to go as well. So all four of us ended up in a van with the paragliding equipment, heading up the mountain.

I had always wanted to try paragliding. It was one of those bucket-list things. I just had not really thought through the part where you run off the side of a mountain.

The Ride Up

The van was ancient, and the guys looked a little suspicious, although not necessarily in a bad way. We got to the takeoff point, and there were no waivers. We just paid $75 per person and went.

Each of us was paired with a different guide. They strapped us into the equipment, and we waited for the wind to be right.

The others went first, and I was the last one to take off. You run toward the edge of the cliff, and the guide helps you get into the air. It is actually a fairly smooth ride once you are up.

My Very Slow Running Style

When it was my turn, the guide told me to run. So I ran.

Then he told me to stop because the wind had died down.

I was already scared out of my mind. Now I had to back up and wait for the wind to come back. When it finally did, he grabbed me and said, “I told you to run. Why didn’t you run?”

I was running! I explained that I am a slow runner. I am a slow swimmer. I was doing my best.

The problem is that when you are attached to another person and trying to run off a mountain, it is a little difficult. I was afraid the wind would die again and I would plunge to my death.

Eventually, we got going. The ride itself was smooth, but I hated it.

The View Was Beautiful. I Was Not.

The others loved it. They said it was a 10 out of 10 experience. I would never do it again, but I am glad I did it.

The views were incredible. We were gliding over Pamukkale, the ancient ruins, the necropolis, and the amphitheater. It was beautiful.

The guides had GoPros, so we got a lot of photos and video. I think some of the footage of me is probably my favorite footage we have ever taken because I look absolutely terrified.

They kept telling me to smile and pose. I was trying to put my arms out and my legs out, but I really just wanted to be on the ground. I did not want to look at anything. I wanted to be alive and safe.

The Landing

The landing was fine for most of us. I was the last person to go, so I had watched everyone else land.

When it was my turn, I saw the others on the ground. Then my guide completely overshot them. We flew past everyone, and some guy came running to get us.

We had to go around and land again. It was ultimately fine, but I was horrified. I just wanted everyone down on the ground.

The others loved it, and I am glad they enjoyed it. I just do not think I will be doing it again.

Pamukkale: The White Travertine Pools

After paragliding, we went to see Pamukkale on the ground. The travertine pools were beautiful. They were bright white, with bright blue water, and they looked almost like infinity pools going over the side of the cliff.

It is one of the most photographed places in Turkey, and I could see why. It was very pretty.

Cleopatra Pool

We also went to the Cleopatra Pool, which was a thermal pool with ruins from a Roman temple. There were columns and other ruins in the water, so you could swim around them.

The water was warm but not too hot. The pool was also very crowded. I thought it was cool, but I was ready to go after a while.

The Travertine Pools

The travertine terraces were beautiful, but they were also incredibly slippery. The limestone was so slick that I felt like I was going to fall several times.

There were people playing and swimming in the pools, and I could not understand how they were doing it without slipping. There was also a trough-like area where water was pouring through, and people were sitting in it.

We also saw some art and an open-air museum area with ruins. There was a lot to explore, but I think we were all ready to move on after spending time in the pools.

Kusadasi: A Relaxing Night by the Sea

After Pamukkale, we continued on to Kusadasi, where we stayed at the Efe Hotel. It was a nice hotel, and we had a balcony that overlooked the sea and the bay.

There were a couple of cruise ships out in the water, which made sense because Kusadasi is a cruise port. We arrived late, so we checked in and then walked around the town.

The sunset was beautiful, and the beach town was very pretty. I was glad we got to relax and explore a little.

We found a restaurant that we really liked, and the food was great. I had Adana kebab, which I seemed to get pretty much everywhere we went. The bread everywhere in Turkey was also so good.

The next morning, we had breakfast at the hotel. It was a meze-style breakfast, with lots of little cups of food that you could pick and choose from. I really liked that. For some reason, it is one of the things I remember most about the hotel.

Ephesus: The Highlight of the Trip

The next day, we went to Ephesus. This was one of the highlights of the entire trip.

We had been to Rome, seen the Colosseum and the Forum, and visited the Acropolis in Greece. We had seen a lot of ancient Roman structures, but Ephesus was incredible.

There is a reason it is so popular.

The House of the Virgin Mary

Our first stop was the House of the Virgin Mary. We learned that after the crucifixion of Jesus, two of the disciples took Mary to Ephesus, where she lived out the rest of her life.

I had not known that she had lived in Turkey until we were there. It was one of those moments where you realize how much history is in this part of the world.

We toured the house, which had been rebuilt after damage. There were also fountains nearby where people could drink the water, and each fountain was supposed to have a different meaning, such as wealth or health.

There was also a wall where people could leave notes. We did not know about it ahead of time, so we did not have anything to write with.

Walking Through Ancient Ephesus

The ruins of Ephesus were huge. There was an outdoor amphitheater, and we saw two amphitheaters in total. The first one we went into was so big that I thought it was the main one, but then we saw another one that was even bigger.

The library was also incredible. We learned that it had held thousands of scrolls before it burned, and the facade was still standing. You could walk through it and see where the library would have been.

It was impressive to see how much of the city was still there. We were literally walking down ancient Roman roads, and the ruins were very well preserved.

The Toilets

One of the things we laughed about the most was the toilets.

There was a toilet room where a bunch of people would sit next to each other. Apparently, this was a place where people would talk, catch up, and discuss politics.

We also learned that slaves would sit on the toilets to warm them up before people used them.

I had never really thought about ancient Roman toilets before, but apparently, they were a social gathering place. Who knew?

The Cats of Ephesus

I also loved the cats. There were cats all over Turkey, and people seemed to take care of them. There were quite a few cats at Ephesus, too, sitting on the ruins and columns.

They were very cute, and I was happy to see them.

Would I Go Back?

Absolutely. I would go back to Ephesus in a heartbeat.

I also heard that Windstar Cruises has a unique experience where they take you into the library at night for a dinner. That sounds incredible. I had seen something about it before and thought it would be amazing to do.

Ephesus was a great end to a really incredible trip. It had history, culture, and food. It had everything.

Returning to Istanbul

After Ephesus, we returned to Istanbul for one final night.

We found a little restaurant in the heart of the city, and I had an incredible kebab with yogurt, spices, and fried eggplant. It was one of the best things I ate on the trip.

We ate on a little rooftop patio, and it was a wonderful way to spend our last night in Istanbul.

Looking back, I wish I had booked a slightly longer trip. I think another day in Cappadocia would have been nice, and there was definitely more to do in Istanbul.

We also spent very little time in the beach towns. It would have been nice to have a beach day in Antalya, but I had booked the trip without doing much research, so I did not really know what to expect.

Our Final Thoughts on Turkey

Despite the issues we had with the tour company, we got to see and do a lot in a short amount of time.

If you can only do part of the trip, we all agreed that Cappadocia was the number one thing. Istanbul was phenomenal, too, but Cappadocia was the place that really stood out.

We got by fine with English. There were only a couple of times when we had trouble communicating, but most of the time, we were with the tour company, so it was easier.

One thing we learned was that gestures can mean different things in different countries. We had an experience where we thought someone was saying no to us, but they may have actually been saying yes. We were confused, and it was a good reminder that it is worth learning a little about local culture before you travel.

I also think doing a tour can be a good idea for a trip like this. There was so much to see and learn about, and it would have taken a lot of time to plan it all on our own. We would not have gotten nearly as much information without a guide.

Even if you do not do a full tour, I think hiring a tour guide when you are in town is worth it, especially in a place like Ephesus. There is so much history there that having someone explain it makes the experience even better.

And finally, the food was really good. We never got sick, and I ate a lot of kebab.

So, if you are planning a trip to Turkey, I would definitely recommend it. Just do your research, watch out for shopping scams, and make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy the places you are visiting.

And if you missed Part One, go back and listen to it. That is where we talked about Istanbul and Cappadocia.

You can listen to this episode on Spotify: