Soothing, temperate mist caresses your face and a balmy breeze wafts, delivering a hint of fragrant lemon. Tropical birds warble, gentle waves lap on the shore, and warm steam near your feet tickles as the golden light above you hypnotizes.  But then, just as you're ready to blissfully collapse into an enveloping hammock, rattling thunder claps shock you; the colors overhead transform dramatically, and you are transfixed by bolts of crimson and electric blue firing above.  The gentle, tepid spray on your face morphs into a hammering tropical downpour—chilling and jolting.  Under normal circumstances you'd race for cover, but then, again, you actually opted for this pelting.

You see, this is but one part of the entire experience of the Adventure Shower at the 43,000-square-foot   Amrita Spa and Wellness Center at the year-old Swissôtel Grand Efes in Izmir, Turkey. An experience not to be missed in this charming city, the Adventure Shower is a private chamber that is, simply an adventure—a journey through meteorological natural wonders, from hurricanes to balmy days at the beach, to a trek through a rainforest.  "Turkish daffy," maybe, but it is an ingenious, bracing experience, and it is only one of a vast menu of pampering, nurturing, or invigorating treatments offered there.  (Of course, there is the traditional hamam, the classic cleansing, revitalizing treatment, part exfoliant, part soaking ritual, part steam bath, massage, and languid rest.)

After all the spa pampering you are ready for serious hiking or sightseeing, and barely an hour away is the fabled, excavated city of Efes (Ephesus is the Greek name, used interchangeably).  Originally a thriving crossroads port city inhabited by a quarter-million people, today it is inland, with just over three million.  Founded in the 10th century BC, Efes survived countless decimations and occupying civilizations, among them the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine.  Archeologists suggest that a mere fifteen percent of the metropolis has been unearthed—and that alone comprises the most immense collection of Roman ruins east of the Mediterranean.  The soaring Celsus Library (from 125 AD) alone is estimated to have contained 12,000 scrolls; the Roman amphitheater held 25,000 residents.  Nearby, too, is one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis.  A few miles beyond is yet another tourist destination, the Virgin Mary's purported last home.

In Izmir (ancient Smyrna, and today, the country's third-largest city) proper, make a trip to the Kemeralti Marketplace (it's a good size, but "puny" compared to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, our next stop), where  silver jewelry abounds.  Turkey is also arguably the largest leather goods producer in the world, so check out the jackets, handbags, and home wares in the countless stalls.

End your visit to Izmir, with another must:  Dinner and drinks in the hotel's rooftop Sky Bar and Equinox restaurant.  Sampling rezi, the anise-flavored aperitif, made with fermented grape leaves, is de rigueur, but  drink sparingly, as it could hit you like firewater!  Equinox is an elegant eatery, with its high-backed, boldly striped, comfy banquettes, scenic view of the Gulf of Izmir, and its top-tier menu.  (Do not pass up the dessert cart.)

Istanbul was next, and the Swissôtel The Bosphorus provided home base.  (There is a stunning 43,000-square-foot Amrati spa here, too, so be prepared for more cosseting.)  This exotic city of about 9 million is rich in tourist destinations and for anyone who has forgotten fourth-grade geography, Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, with three percent of the country in Europe.  (Istanbul is likewise divided, with the commercial center in Europe.)  Ancient Constantinople, as it was known, was, after all, a true juncture of East/West.  In fact, the Sirkeci Station was the eastern terminus of the fabled Orient Express, which, alas, no longer operates this far east.

You'll get a glimpse of the vastness of the area—and just how much water surrounds Turkey, a country with well over 5,000 miles of coastline—from the hotel's cavernous lobby, where a 36' x 72' wall of glass overlooks the Bosphorus and all the maritime traffic that crisscrosses the seas here.

Like Izmir, Istanbul has seen its share of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman cultures and they are reflected in the historic sites and sights.  Highlights not to miss:  Hagia Sophia, the most glorious Byzantine structure, and for 1,000 years, the largest cathedral in the world; it subsequently became a mosque, and today is a museum.  Adjacent is the Blue Mosque, so named because of its resplendent blue tiles (20,000 of them, from the famed ?znik factories), which is still a functioning mosque, and which can accommodate thousands of worshippers. The Topkapi Palace, formerly the home of the sultans, today holds the crown jewels.  Opulence abounds in every display case…you'll find yourself gasping at the saber hilts, treasure chests, crowns, a seven-pound emerald, and an 86-carat diamond!

If buying your own treasures is on the agenda, then hit the Grand Bazaar, built in the fifth century, and housing well over 4,000 vendors—think carpets, ceramics, copper, brass, leather, trinkets, and more jewelry than Midas could have transformed.  (The alleyways are lined with very upscale jewelers and since Turkey's artisans are renowned for their handwork, this is a good destination for bijoux, as is the very upscale Gílan with several shops throughout Istanbul.)  For Istanbul's most lavish shopping, there is the Ni?anta?? district, particularly Abdi ?pekçi Street, where well-known international brands like Kenzo, Vuitton, and Escada stand side by side with native luxury shops like Vakko and Beymen.  The Spice Market, specializes in fragrant spices, and it's here you should stock up on specialty foodstuffs, like Medjool dates, Turkish coffee (the Turks introduced the Europeans to coffee), and the ever-popular rosewater-and-sugar candy, Turkish delight.

Ah, food:  For a truly native lunch (there are fewer tourists at dinnertime, however), with all manner of traditional Turkish appetizers, or mezze, grab a window seat on one of the upper floors at Hamdi Restaurant (next to the Spice Market and from which you get an eye-popping view of the sea).  The house specialty is kebobs, and they are prepared in countless clever ways—rolled in pistachios, with poppies, or with prunes, for example.  Do not pass up the baklava, either; it's among the best in the city.  Park Fora—serving up dozens of kinds of fresh seafood—is located in the waterfront Kurucesme Park, and adjacent to the striking Bosphorus Bridge which at night, is lit up with a rainbow of dancing colored lights.

Dancing comes in other forms in Turkey, too:  The famous Whirling Dervishes, or the Mevlevi religious  order that performs the dhikr, the whirling that is a form of their remembrance of God, in a seven-centuries-old ritual.  If you do not get to see them perform, then you will need to just dance yourself back to Turkey for another visit:  A civilization this ancient demands a lot of time for drinking it all in.