Original subtitles

Almost three months ago, I set sail aboard the Black Swan.

Now my journey is coming to an end.

Wow!

The city of Istanbul.

I can hardly believe it.

I've been sailing from Venice to Istanbul,

following the trading route of my ancestors.

For the last few weeks, we've been in Turkish waters

and now, at last, we are sailing along the Bosporus

towards Istanbul.

This is one of the most unforgettable sights in the world,

Istanbul as seen from the Bosporus.

On this side is Europe

and on that side is Asia.

This is the only city in the world

that stretches across two continents.

This city has been called many names - Constantinople,

the new Rome, Byzantium,

and now, Istanbul.

Across the centuries,

a capital of both Christian and Islamic civilizations,

but always a mighty power against us Venetians

as we competed to control the Mediterranean.

Oh, ciao.

In the old town, street life is at its most vibrant.

Tradition of trade and art,

unchanged for centuries.

Wow!

# Istanbul was Constantinople

# Now it's Istanbul Not Constantinople

# Been a long time gone

# Old Constantinople still has Turkish delight

# On a moonlight night

# Every gal in Constantinople Is a Miss-stanbul, not Constantinople

# So if you've date in Constantinople She'll be waiting in Istanbul... #

No, it stays like this. Out.

I need some training!

# Take me back to Constantinople

# No, you can't go back to Constantinople

Been a long time, not Constantinople

# Why did Constantinople get the works?

# That's nobody's business but the Turks

# Istanbul! #

'This is the main gateway to the Topkapi Palace.

'Topkapi was at the heart of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years.

'A sprawling complex of magnificent buildings,

'home to the Sultan and his court.'

Three days a week, ordinary people were allowed here to make petitions,

but despite all this going in and out, silence reigned

out of respect for the Sultan, who could have been watching.

The Gate Of Felicity takes me through to the inner sanctum of the Palace.

Here, the private affairs of the Palace went on.

The treasury, the library, the school

and leading to the very centre of power.

This is the Throne Room.

Here the Sultan would meet his council and approve or disapprove their proposals.

And this is the most secret part of the Palace.

The harem.

The Sultan was the only man with testicoli who could go inside,

to make sure, the harem was guarded by eunuchs,

slaves who had chop off their...

..hm.

Hundreds of concubines were kept in the harem,

but the Sultan would only choose a few for his personal pleasure.

The world "harem" still has an erotic air,

but there was nothing erotic about this place.

It was a prison for women, taken from their homes and families.

It was a place of sorrow and despair.

I'm so sorry, I'm late. I'm sorry.

Ah, hello. Welcome. Welcome. But I'm ready.

Are you sure? I hope so.

OK, the gear is here. Let's go.

No coffee? No time for coffee. OK.

With the help of Ali Yamac,

I'm about to discover a hidden side of Istanbul.

In a carpet shop? In a carpet shop.

This is for you. This for me. Is it safe to go down?

You just follow me. OK. You are so funny.

You've got to turn on the light.

What? Turn on the light. How?

Like this.

Ow.

Watch your head. Yeah, too late.

Wow! These are domes!

'Beneath Istanbul is a vast network of tunnels

'dating back more than 1,000 years.'

But this is true that the Sultans were coming here?

Yes, and there's a story about Sultan Murat the Fourth.

He was using those chambers and galleries to go out of the palace at

night times to check the people - if they are smoking or drinking alcohol.

He was like a Big Brother? Yeah. Yes, actually.

Anyhow, if he sees one...

Oh, terrible! Really Big Brother.

'There are hundreds of tunnels like this beneath the city.'

Which way now? This way. This, this? This way.

'Many have been forgotten.

'Some are now blocked, but once they all linked up,

'connecting different parts of the city.

'There are also ancient underground water cisterns.'

Now, we have to put those things on. Interesting!

Real difficult thing.

OK, we are ready now.

If you say so. Let's go.

This is like Venice with a high tide!

Wow, this is huge.

Yeah, it was built during the 6th Century.

It's one of the largest underground cisterns in Istanbul.

Look at all those colours.

Ah...

And why there are all different capitals?

Cos they carried them from different parts of Anatolia to here.

Be careful with the channel. Yeah.

What is here? This is a capital, fell down.

Oh, fishes!

I hope there are no rats. I hope so.

Oh, it's raining here.

'The cistern is incredible

'but I'm about to see the most mysterious sight of all.'

Franky, look what's here.

Once it was completely underwater.

We have another one over there.

'Two giant heads of Medusa.

'They are wonderful, but no-one knows why they are here.'

Ali? I'm here. Come.

Wait!

My second day in Istanbul

and it's seven o'clock in the morning.

Opening time at the grand bazaar.

Istanbul has always been an important trading city, like Venice,

and the grand bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world.

There are 4,000 shops here, selling jewellery, pottery,

spices, carpets...

Leather, and of course...

..Turkish delight.

58 streets make up this vast emporium.

It's a fantastic labyrinth.

Lost!

I'm meeting carpet seller, Hakan Evin.

Oh, hi, Francesco. Hello.

How are you? Very well. It's good to see you.

So I'm here to learn. Yes!

'Hakan is going to teach me how to sell carpets.'

I have to tell you that really, I don't know anything about carpets.

Yeah, no! I'm totally in your hands.

Yeah, no problem. No problem. So let's start.

This is one of the oldest design for Ottoman Empire. Ah...

50 dollars is the cost prices.

So, we should make at least 100% profit,

because the expenses, tax, or 150%, 200%.

Wow! This is new.

This looks old, but it is not old.

It is tea-washed. Ah, with the tea. I see.

Yes, with the tea wash, we call.

This is beautiful piece. Wonderful piece.

If this piece would be well restored, this piece would be priceless.

Easily over 5,000 dollars. Wow.

Yes, but the problem of this piece, the carpet dealers,

instead of restoring it, what they do is they paint the carpets.

Do you see this blue parts, this blue?

Mmm-hmm. It's painted. OK.

Wow! You see this is bad carpet dealer stuff. Because it's faster?

Yes. It is not my carpet.

As you know, I bought it from other store,

because we do not have this kind of restorations.

We have original restorations, like this for example.

Do you see?

We make the restoration.

Of this part? Yes. We remade it.

Can I try with that thing? Sure.

You see, it's just... Yeah. Dirt.

Dirt. You see?

The price of a carpet is not just about how old it is.

The material used and the number of knots in a carpet

can also push the price up.

Ah, now I am going to show you...

Mm-hm? The best carpets that you can ever see in your life.

You do not show this carpet to lots of customers because

it's so special.

So you have to show it only for very, very knowledgeable and rich peoples.

It's important also.

This is pure silk carpet. Wow!

This is a real art, like Turkish Picasso.

This piece has 4,300,000 knots inside of this piece

and the woman cannot make more than 2,000 knots a day.

Wow. Because of it, is very tight.

Yeah. So, it will take around 12 years to finish this piece.

And how much costs this one?

250,000 dollars.

All we need is a customer who likes art piece.

For some people, diamond is a good investment,

but for some other people, this is a good investment.

I think I will not be able to sell it.

Hello. Hello. Hello. Would you like to have a look at some carpets, huh?

No. No. The carpets with silk, Turkish silk. No, no.

No.

Would you like to buy a carpet? What? Carpet.

Is nice! Really. Come. Just to have a look.

No. You don't have to buy. You don't like carpets?

No. You have carpets at home? No.

No carpets? No carpets.

It's not that easy. Not that easy! Yeah, it's a nightmare!

Yeah. A nightmare!

Marvellous, you see.

I don't remember exactly how many knots, but...

Where, where's the size? It's like this because it's quite expensive.

This is Turkish silk.

It's very good, it's big. How do I know it's silk?

420 knots per square centimetre.

300 dollars. 800.

No.

OK. Six... So... No, five.

600. 500.

550. 550. No.

Francesco, you are doing very good.

Very. And are you from America? Yes.

Americans are good. Yes, they are.

They're friendly. As you see, you can stop and talk to Americans.

Germans, stay away from them.

Italians, they are nice, friendly, but they are stingy! Yeah.

So we need to deal with the friendly and potential customers, OK?

Yeah, and full of money. Yes.

No, she wants it for... OK, 500. 500. OK. 500.

Oh, right! Let me, let me help.

It is his first sale.

He is doing very good,

so we will give you a special discount, 500 dollars.

It's good. It's done, this.

It's time to relax a little

and this is one of the best Turkish baths in Istanbul.

Scrub. Yes. Massage a la Turc. Yes.

Complete bath service. Complete orientals... Yes.

Luxury service.

Yes. I want that one!

For Turks, a visit to the baths is more than a good wash.

The Qur'an stresses physical cleanliness

as a route to purity of the soul.

SANDALS CLATTER

Not very comfortable, these things.

Hello.

In the last two months, I'm sailing with the same boat and I'm...

Quite strong, actually.

Fantastic!

I think I've never been so clean.

And now? Hmm?

Ah, sleep? Mmm, sleep. Oh, I think I can do that.

It's my last night.

Tomorrow, I go home to my family.

Oh-oh!

MUSIC STARTS

Bravo!

Massimo.

Lollo.

No!

LAUGHTER AND CHEERING

Bravo!

Well, after three months at sea my journey is at an end.

It might not have been as epic as those of previous amongst us -

men went out for years serving the Venetian Republic

and even died for it -

but at least I feel like I can look my ancestors in the eye again.

Ciao.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk