Skip to main content
Access to this video is a benefit for members through PBS Passport.
Back to Show
Rick Steves' Europe

Istanbul: Capital of Emperors and Sultans

Season 13 Episode 1308

Istanbul's rich heritage spans the centuries from Christian Byzantium to Muslim Ottoman rule to today's thriving city. We start our look back at the Roman-tinged Hippodrome, then indulge in the ancient ritual of the Turkish bath. We take in the Blue Mosque and the grand Hagia Sophia, taste Turkish delight at the venerable Spice Market, and explore Topkapı Palace and its harem room deep within.

Airdates
Monday Feb 9, 6:30 PM PST on PBS SoCal Plus
Support Provided By
Season
Rick Steves’ Europe: Art of the Neoclassical Age
Unlock with PBS Passport
25:18
Roaming Europe, we admire stately Neoclassical buildings and dramatic Romantic paintings.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Baroque Art
28:22
We marvel at Baroque’s over-the-top churches, palaces, bubbly fountains, and theatric art.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Art of the Renaissance Beyond Florence
28:42
From Portugal to Germany, booming economies and new technologies produce exquisite art.
The Rick Steves Collection
28:03
Florence’s bold “rebirth” is powered by the genius of Leonardo, Rafael, and Michelangelo.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Art of the High Middle Ages
Unlock with PBS Passport
25:36
Soaring Gothic cathedrals of radiant stained glass, plus art celebrating worldly pleasure.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Art of the Early Middle Ages
25:18
Early Europeans produce diverse art: from Christians to Muslims and Byzantines to Vikings.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Art of the Roman Empire
28:23
The grand cities of ancient Rome’s vast empire and majestic churches of its fall.
Rick Steves' Europe: Ancient Roman Art
Unlock with PBS Passport
25:37
Rome’s rise, as seen in its supersized monuments, colorful mosaics, and marble Caesars.
Rick Steves' Europe: Art of Ancient Greece
Unlock with PBS Passport
25:19
Greece’s timeless art: Golden Age temples, alluring Venuses, and exuberant Winged Victory.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Art of Prehistoric Europe
28:04
We marvel at Stone Age cave paintings, mighty megaliths, and mysterious goddesses.
Why We Travel
26:47
In times of crisis and challenge, we ask ourselves: What is the true value of travel?
Ethiopia: A Development Story
25:33
Rick uses Ethiopia as a classroom for understanding global hunger and extreme poverty
Active loading indicator