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
Click here to open the map in full screen
Bodrum Travel Activities
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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