bqycc

We will stay 3 nights in the Aegean region, and are thinking about going to:

day 1: Ephesus
day 2: ?
day 3: Chios (the Greek Island)

On day 2 we were wondering which one would be better to visit:
Pergamon
Sardes
or Didima, Miletus and Priene

We are looking for interesting archeological sites, maybe nice towns close to the ruins, maybe good food. All those places are 2.5-3 hours away from our base in Alacati, therefore I want to make sure they are worth to visit. I have heard Pergamon is a great place to learn history, but then in another thread, there were kudos for Sardes.
We are travelling with our two sons (10 and 13 years old), who like very much history (especially the eldest one), and also multimedia. Does any of them has better services showing life in ancient times?

Hope you can help me

B

otherchelebi

One regret : The archeological/historic sites are just that. They have no modern buildings and facilities except possibly a WC as an outhouse. hence no multi media.

Your sons should be very happy at Rahmi Koc Museum and possibly at Miniaturk in Istanbul (not far from each other), lots of interaction in the first and multimedia in the second.

As for the three choices,
- Pergamon is at least another 45 minutes further away than the others.
- You need to tackle more of the Izmir peripheral highway for Pergamom than the others and the least for PMD.
- PMD has the least to interest the boys at any of the sites.
- Sardis is very close to town of Salihli which has famous meatballs (kofte) but not all kofte restaurants will be very good and we actually never found a very good one the three times we went that way.
- For PMD, if you go somewhat out of your way between Prienne and the others and turn right instead of left at the junction towards, Dilek lagoon and Dogan Bey village, and continue past the lagoon to the end of the coastal road, there is a lovely fish restaurant there that cooks its own catch of the day.

This will give you the added advantage of visiting the natural science museum at Dogan Bey (old village) and the village itself. Altogether rather a long day.

- I recommend pillows in the car for both PMD or Pergamon for the boys and rules against claiming territory. -

- The best regional food will be found at and around pergamon and places like Foca on the route. However this will not be that much different than what you get Alacati, except cheaper.

- Imagination and a few books is the best for life in Ancient times. The Odyssey and the Iliad in simplified versions with pictures would be good. Any film of Persian-Greek wars and the conquests of Alexander the Great would be good.

- For you, I strongly recommend the original edited version of "Creation" by Gore Vidal (easier to read), plays of Aristophanes, Aeschylus, to realize that those chaps were really not much different than us.

- For dull and a bit old but definitive information, John Freely's books on the region(s)

- For fun family reading, Gerald Durrel's "My family and Other Animals"

bqycc

Otherchelebi,
I feel so so ashamed for asking for multimedia!

Thank you for the books suggestions. I was glancing at the Durrell's book's foreword, and it mentions it is about their life in Corfu. Was it similar to Turkey's life?
I will look for the John Freely's books on the region.

I'm also taking a MOOC on the Middle East at Coursera.org. Just trying to learn as much as I can.

otherchelebi

bqycc,

the people of Asia Minor, now named Turks, are actually a mixture of all the peoples who have lived there for thousands of years, including ionians, Phrygians, Karians, lykians, Lydians, Acaean, Celts, Semites, Phoenicians, Tartars, Mongols, Persians,
etc. because the peninsula was a major migration route and also rich to entice settlers, farmers, miners, fishermen, traders, pirates, crusaders,

So, yes, life on Corfu when the Durrells lived there would be a more idyllic version of life on the Turkish Aegean coast of that time when things were not spoilt by tourism.

Do not forget that the people of the mainland suffered through more invasions, pillages, wars and invasions but also enjoyed more wealth and access to the rest of the world than those of the smaller Aegean islands.

Croesus

They've been excavating Magnesia, which is closer to Alaçatı.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/his...&NewsCatID=375

The boys might be interested in the Çamlık Outdoor Railway Museum.
http://www.trainsofturkey.com/w/pmwi...s/CamlikMuseum

otherchelebi

Croesus, two years ago there was very little to see at Magnesia.
If my failing memory serves me right, two years of excavation will not be enough to unearth much.

the railway museum is a very good idea.

Croesus

I read that they were going to do ancient boat rides at a Limantepe archaeo-park, but I guess that hasn't happened yet.