History Lessons
Belek is a perfect base for exploring
the
region’s
antiquities. Perge bears the imprints of
a
once-prosperous,
well-planned Roman
city:
stadium,
handsome
theater and extensive baths.
A pair
of Hellenistic
towers
marks the entry to the city. The grooves
in
the paving stones are ruts
worn by chariot wheels.
St. Paul preached
here on his first
missionary
journey.
Equally impressive is
Aspendos,
which boasts one of the
best-preserved Roman theaters in the
world—it is
still in use with seating for
15,000. Aspendos
also has an
impressive aqueduct that traverses the valley,
another superb
example of Roman engineering.
Moving to the
east is Side, one
of
Turkey’s
best-known classical sites. This
lovely seaside town was founded by
early Greeks, but its touchstones
are mostly Roman. A popular
resort,
Side’s
narrow streets are
lined with
merchants selling handcrafted
leather goods and
jewelry. There are beautiful seaside temples
dedicated to
Apollo and Athena and
a unique
archeology museum contained
in
a Roman bathhouse.
An hour’s
drive west of Belek is
Antalya, an
ancient city (founded in 159 B.C.) with a
modern
pulse and
a population of 1.1 million. The most important remains are
the
Roman
city walls and Hadrian’s Gate, built in
honor of the
emperor’s visit.
However, a distinctive
fluted minaret of red
brick, built by a sultan
in the
13th century, is Antalya’s
most distinctive landmark.
Cuisine
Turkish cuisine is as varied as its history. Mezes, or appetizers,
are usually served cold, running the gamut from
elaborately
stuffed
vegetables
to imam
bayildi—slow-roasted baby eggplant
topped with fried
onions
and
tomatoes, and seasoned with
garlic. Kebabs—marinated cubes
of meat, often lamb,
grilled
with vegetables on a
skewer—are excellent.
As a main course, all
preparations of
lamb are recommended. Fresh fish,
notably sea
bass, is
seasoned
simply with olive oil and lemon and
grilled
whole. Save room for dessert.
Baklava—a Turkish pastry made
with phyllo dough, honey and chopped nuts—is rich
and
satisfying.
Turkish
coffee—dark,
strong and a little gritty—is an acquired taste.
The local
beer is Efes
Pilsen,
a fine pilsner. Raki,
Turkey’s national
drink, is made from
grapes and aniseed,
and is similar to
Greek ouzo. It’s usually served
as
an aperitif. How you end
the meal—and the end of a day of
Turkish
golf and
sightseeing—is up to
you.
