General Information About Bodrum

A brief travel information about Bodrum, online maps, videos, tourist attractions, museums,  mosques, historical sites, old churches, sightseeing places and more...
 


A town at the junction of the Aegean and the Mediterranean is Bodrum, occupying a small but beautiful peninsula. It is one of the prettiest holiday resorts of Turkey, popular and famous for its vivacious, friendly and bohemian atmosphere. Famous with its very liberal night life, it is also very popular among Turkish holiday makers during the summer period.

Bodrum is greeting its visitors with the marvelous castle built by the Knights of Rhodes, the town appears elegant, filled with sweet white houses, with colorful bougainvilleas dotted about. The clear, deep blue warm sea is an inherent characteristic of the place, rather than being a specialty, and the numerous beaches of unspoiled bays adorned with interesting rock formations offer perfect days for swimmers, divers and nature-lover. Octopuses, and sponges of various shapes and colors are also found here, complementing the aquatic beauty.

Part of the fascinating atmosphere of Bodrum is its history; remains of which are spread over this ancient city of "Halicarnassus". The tomb of King Mausolus is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and dates back to the 4th-century BC stands on this land where Herodotus, the father of history, was born. A theater (1300 seats) from the 2nd- century BC near Goktepe, is worth seeing, together with St. Peter's Castle presenting the architectural style of the 15th- century which is now a museum of underwater archaeology.

A different spectacle in Bodrum is its marina, which is a busy place hosting elegant yachts that come from all parts of the world. Bodrum Cup Race is held every October in the boatyards, and it is an enjoyable event for those interested. Bodrum is the leading place for boat-building.

The most prominent feature of Bodrum is the prevailing activity, especially filling the nights. After the intensive action in the daytime, one may choose one of the discos here -some of which are the best in Europe- and spend an exciting night of fun under the gleaming lights. Bodrum is the one of the starting points for an unforgettable "Blue Voyage" along the turquoise coast of Turkey which offers the limitless pleasure of seeing the virgin bays of mythological legends; the beauties of Kekova where the light combines with turquoise; or sailing into the antique port of Phaselis where Alexander the Great loved to stay during the winter.

The Bodrum peninsula is an excellent place for those who prefer a smooth and relaxing atmosphere. The charming villages on the secluded bays open their guest houses to you. The sea is beyond comparison in that area and you will find beautiful beaches adorning azure waters in Bardakci Bay, Gumbet Bay, Bitez Bay, Ortakent Yalisi, Karaincir, Bagla, Guvercinlik, Torba, Golkoy, Turkbuku, Yalikavak, Gumusluk, Kadikalesi, Turgutreis, Aspat, Karaada, Ada Bogazi (Akvaryum), Akyarlar. Holiday villages and hotels, discos and bars beside the picturesque bays contribute much to the beautiful picture. Gumbet and Bitez are heavenly places for wind-surfers with the wind and the sea perfect for this sport. Ortakent is the best choice with its sandy beaches for a solitary walk. Akyarlar beach is famous for its powdery sand. In Karaincir you will have lively days on wonderful beaches and a fine relaxing atmosphere at night in the public coffeehouses.


The northern side of the peninsula is interesting. To enjoy the best of the region, it is better to take a car trip along the coast or a boat trip to explore the coves and little islands. The white windmills, which are still used to grind grain, are fascinating and lie among the orange groves and green olive trees. You will come across a well-equipped marina in the modern village of Torba, 5 kms north of Bodrum where there are fine holiday villages, which offer active holiday facilities. Golkoy (13 kms north) and Turkbuku (15 kms) are enchanting, with taverns overlooking a nice bay. A boat trip to Karaada offers an amazing beauty. The warm mineral waters flowing out of rocks in a grotto in Karaada are known to to bee good for revitalizing the complexion.

To the north of Bodrum at Kiyikislacik (lassos) near Gulluk, is the birth-place of the mythological Dolphin Boy. The Gulf of Gulluk is very much frequented by yachters, and the town harbor has the exciting air of yachtsmanship. There is Varvil, the ancient Bargilya, with its interesting location a little south of Gulluk, at the end of a deep, narrow bay resembling a river. It is a pretty place to visit, surrounded by hillsides covered with olive trees.

Heading inland, Milas greets you with its typical Turkish houses with carved timbers and latticed windows. The beauty of handmade Milas carpets will fascinate you and most probably you will buy some to take home. In the western part of Milas is Gumuskesen, which has a monument resembling the famous Halicarnassus Mausoleum, but with miniature dimensions.
 




Landmarks and Museums.

PS: Please see below map to locate all these landmarks


Bodrum Castle/Castle of St Peter (Bodrum Kalesi), Built from 1402 by the Knights Hospitaller, the Castle is easily the most prominent landmark in the city. The castle now operates as a museum, with the focus on the Museum of Underwater Archaeology (see below). It is one of the world's best preserved monuments dating back to medieval times. The supervision of the construction of the castle was assigned to the German architect Heinrich Schlegelholt, so that the latest developments in castle design were included. The castle is quite pretty and the views are spectacular.

Antcient Amphitheatre is another ancient structure accredited to the reign of King Mausolus, although it wasn’t completed until the Roman era. The theatre is another witness to the great past of Bodrum, and it is one of the best preserved structures of ancient Halikarnassus. You can find this site on the road to Gumbet

Windmills in Bodrum - One of the many sights in the Bodrum peninsula are the white windmills, which were made of stone and lined with wooden planks. These windmills were used from the mid 18th century until the 70s as a means to grind flour. Seven windmills can be found on a hill between Bodrum and Gumbet, at the road to Turgutreis and a lot of windmills can be found around the former fishing port Yalikavak. These historical mills on the Bodrum Peninsula are currently being restored to attract local and foreign tourists.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM (off-season, likely open till evening in summer). Just a short walk uphill from the marina, the foundations of the Mausoleum (see above) can be seen.

Myndos Gate - The old city gates, built under the reign of King Mausolus. It was the scene for one of the greatest bloodiest battles during the siege of the city by Alexander the Great.

Karakaya Village - This 300 year old town is one of the oldest settlements in the Bodrum peninsula, situated close to Gumusluk. While half of the village is abandoned, owners of the other half restored their houses to its original look. The village has windmills from the 18th century.

Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, inside Bodrum Castle, tel +90 252 316 25 16, fax +90 252 313 76 46, [21]. Tu-Su 9AM-12PM, 2PM-7PM, closed Mondays. established in 1961, this great museum has won numerous awards, and displays amazing finds from underwater excavations along the Turkish coast. Includes the famous Uluburun Shipwreck, one of the earliest and richest wrecks yet discovered. Not to be missed

Zeki Muren Museum - Late flamboyant singer, Zeki Muren is the person who made Bodrum popular destination. The house in Bodrum where he spent his last days is a museum now exhibiting his personal collection and is worth visiting: Address: Kumbahce Mah. Zeki Muren Caddesi, No:11, Bodrum.

 

Shopping in Bodrum

Shopping is a real fun in Bodrum with incredible choice of shops everywhere. First of all, do not miss the local open markets where you can find anything you can think of such as fresh fruits and vegetables, village-made foods, textile products, flowers, birds etc. Merchants offer very attractive prices for their products. Bodrum offers endless possibilities for shopping.

In Kale Caddesi (street) near the city center there are jewelers and few leather shops.

Neyzen Teyfik Caddesi has many carpet shops with good collections of all Turkish kilims and carpets designed with natural dyes.

Milta Marina Shoopping Center  next to Bodrum Karada Marina is a wonderfully clean, bright and modern shopping centre not too far from the yacht club on Neyzen Tefvik Caddesi. The shops are quite exclusive and are designed with the wealthier shopper in mind but even if you don't want to spend a fortune down there, it is s lovely place to walk around. Lots of nautical themed shops, sail wear and equipment and designer stores are located here.

Oasis Shopping Center has great number of fine shops or clothes, shoes, furniture, light equipments, jeweler, as well as real estate companies (if your are planning to invest or live in Bodrum in the future). Oasis shopping centre is on the main Bodrum to Gumbet road (at the crossroads). There are approximately 200 shops, cafes, restaurants and bars here - there is a Marks and Spencer's and many other well known retailers. There is also a cinema here. It is easy to reach "OASIS Shopping, Culture and Fun Center" using public transport. Minibuses, departing from Bodrum bus station to Gumbet, Konacik, Bitez, Ortakent, Akyarlar, Turgutreis, Yalikavak all pass by OASIS.

Anyone who is self catering in Bodrum will need access to cheap good quality foods, cleaning products and other necessary summer equipment such as sunscreen. Bodrum has 4 major supermarkets and many smaller shops in the town. The best prices are to be found at the larger markets such as Migros, Gima and Tansas.



 

Bodrum Transportation

Bodrum-Milas airport is 35 km away from Bodrum and many flight companies operate charter flights to Bodrum in Summer season. There are also Dalaman and Izmir Airports which are 3 hours far away from Bodrum.
There are comfortable private coach shuttle services between Bodrum center and the airport. They are timed to match flight arrival / departure times. Tickets are available on the buses and will cost around 4-5 US Dollars. The journey takes 40-45 minutes. On departure from Bodrum, check the bus times the day before. The airport shuttles departs from Bodrum Bus terminal (see below map)  Taxi could coust you 30-40 US Dollars. Airport Food and drink costs are astronomical. Take this into account before arriving at the airport.

There are many intercity bus companies which operate bus services to Bodrum from major cities of Turkey such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Adana, Bursa, Konya, etc... After arriving at any of these cities, Bodrum is reached by bus.  The bus ride from Istanbul to Bodrum is around 12 hours; Izmir to Bodrum 4 hours; Ankara to Bodrum 10 hours, Antalya to Bodrum 7 hours. Sometimes, if you are arriving from a very distant destination (such as Cappadocia), the bus will not arrive directly to Bodrum but rather arrive at a nearby town (usually Mugla) where you will need to change to a smaller shutlle buses which will take you to the central bus station in Bodrum. The original bus ticket you purchased to Bodrum will usually include this leg of the trip in the price so make sure you do not pay again when the ticket seller comes by to collect the ticket fee on the smaller bus.

Bodrum can also be reached by sea from Kos and Rhodes (Greek Islands). Daily ferryboat services from/to Cos and Rhodes to Bodrum are available during the summer season

The best way to get around the Bodrum peninsula is by dolmuş, (a shared taxi following a fixed route) one of the cheapest ways of transport in Turkey. Most of these dolmuş minibuses will depart from Bodrum Bus terminal, but will also collect passengers alnong the way. You can go to all nearby towns and villages such as Gumbet, Bitez, Torba, Turgutreis, Yalikavak, Turkbuku, Gumusluk with these minibuses.,


 

Bodrum Travel Map

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Bodrum Travel Activities

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Daily Tours and Excursion in Bodrum
Daily tours and excursions in Bodrum by reputable travel agency of Turkey

Blue Cruise: Bodrum - Gokova - Bodrum (7 Nights)
Cruise Price: 240-520 Euro per person per week in double cabins; including tax, accommodation on gulet boats with en suite baths, breakfast, lunch, dinner, board games and basic snorkeling equipments. . .

Blue Cruise: Bodrum - Greek Islands (7 Nights & Air Conditioned)
Cruise Price: 500-800 Euro per person per week; including tax, custom charges, accommodation on gulet boats, breakfast, lunch, dinner, board games and basic snorkeling equipments
 


Bodrum Hotels

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