Immersing yourself in the Turkish culture is nearly impossible without visiting this beautiful turquoise beaches and resort town Bodrum Turkey. It is a city on the Bodrum Peninsula in southwest Turkey near the Aegean Sea coastline. it has a population of just over 100,000 including the surrounding towns and villages around it.
The Bodrum airport (Milas-Bodrum Airport is about 35 km away from the city center there are many shuttle services runs between the city and airport, the best way to take a taxis, it can cost around 170 TL and take about 30 minutes.
The town was called Halicarnassus during ancient Greek times and later was known as Bodrum after being controlled by several different empires like Seljuks and Ottomans. The castle overlooks the harbour and marina, which were both created by the Knights Hospitaller in medieval times.
On this page, you can find all my best tips for your Bodrum trip that I mentioned earlier plus some others to make it even more unforgettable! Let’s go into detail now.
The Bodrum what I absolutely love about the city is the white buildings trend everywhere it’s almost like a greek city like narrow cobblestone alleyways and then you have these white buildings with some blue designs which makes it really beautiful city although it’s a little bit touristy but worth visiting it seems like it is one of the best Turkish vacation destination along the Bodrum peninsula and Mediterranean Turkish coast, it is one of Turkey’s oldest towns, with thousands of years of history to explore and it is indeed on of the best experience you will have in the Turkey tours.
Table of Contents
- Bodrum Weather
- Bodrum Hotels
- Bodrum Cuisine
- The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
- Bodrum Castle (St Peter Castle)
- Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology
- Bodrum Ancient Theater
- Ancient City of Ephesus
- Pamukkale Trevesterian Tour
- The Blue Flag Bitez Beach
- Hurma Sahili Beach (Mazikoy)
- Bodrum Harbour Tour
- Bodrum Boat Tour
- Aquapark Bodrum
- Rafting in Dalman Stream (Cayi)
- Scuba Diving Bodrum
- Horse Riding in Bodrum
Bodrum Weather
Bodrum has a hot Mediterranean climate which means it is very sunny and warm in the summer months (June, July and August) where temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius.
In the winter months, Bodrum is very pleasant with average temperatures of around 13 degrees Celsius. Bodrum has more than 2000 hours of sunshine per year and this high level of sunlight shines through to the turquoise blue waters of Bodrum’s coastline giving it a unique crystal clear look that makes Bodrum a favourite holiday destination for many people from all over the world.
Bodrum Hotels
The hotels in Bodrum are luxury and well professionally managed I am sure you will have an amazing Bodrum hotel experience you are looking for, most hotels range from $30 – $200 depending on room size and time of the year, most offer free private parking, although based on tourist reviews and some of my personal experience here are some of the good luxury hotels in and around the city are…
- Akkan Luxury Hotel ($34)
- Asmin Hotel ($35)
- Senses Hotel ($60)
- La Quinta by Wyndham ($80)
- DoubleTree by Hilton ($80)
- The Marmara Bodrum ($99)
- Hillstone Hotel and SPA ($99)
The list of things to do in Bodrum tour is too long for one article so I’ll just mention the top Bodrum tourist attractions.
- Bodrum Cuisine
- The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
- Bodrum Castle (St Peter Castle)
- Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology
- Bodrum Amphitheater
- Ancient City of Ephesus
- Pamukkale Tour
- The Blue Flag Bitez Beach
- Hurma Sahili Beach (Mazikoy)
- Bodrum Harbour
- Bodrum Boat Tour
- Aquapark Bodrum
- Rafting in Dalman Stream
- Scuba Diving Bodrum
- Horse and Camel Riding
- Trekking Adventure
Bodrum Cuisine
Bodrum cuisine is an exciting blend of Turkish, Greek, and Italian flavours. It’s no wonder this unique food culture has been featured by many major publications including the New York Times. This blog post will highlight some of the most popular dishes in Bodrum, Turkey.
The first dish to mention is Börek which are savoury pastries typically filled with cheese or ground meat that is then baked or fried to perfection.
Another popular dish is Manti which are dumplings stuffed with a minced mixture of beef and lamb spiced with black pepper, cumin seeds, salt, onion powder, sugar and allspice berries. These two dishes alone show how diverse Bodrum cuisine can be.
another delicious dish is Bodrum Kebab which consists of large chunks of meat cooked on a skewer usually lamb or beef, marinated with salt, pepper, onion powder and some local herbs and red wine vinegar then slowly grilled over coals. It’s also served either with Bodrum rice or Bodrum bulgur, which is a dish made from cracked whole wheat.
The last and final Bodrum food mentioned in this article was Bodrum Köfte which are meatballs that can be found throughout the world but these ones have an especially unique taste due to their use of pomegranate molasses. Bodrum Köfte is usually served over Bodrum rice and a Bodrum ketchup like a sauce made from red pepper paste, tomatoes, water, salt and pomegranate molasses.
Bodrums’ most popular restaurants are OTANTİK OCAKBAŞI KEBAB, Demeter Bar & Restaurant which serve Turkish and Greek food or there are many others around the waterfront overlooking Bodrum’s marina (Yaliciftlik Limani).
Bodrum cuisine is one of the most vibrant in Turkey so be sure to try it while visiting this beautiful city.
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is one of the historical wonders in the world. It is conveniently located within the City of Bodrum about 1.4 km from the city center you walk through the beautiful ancient streets from your hotel to the mausoleum.
It was built as a mausoleum for King Mausolus, who wanted a huge structure erected to preserve his body and honour him after he died.
It was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world it was massive. It was built in 350 BC and it was about 140 meters tall it’s just mind-boggling to me that how they managed to excavate this place with such huge pillars and stone blocks it really really worth seeing.
It appears to be in terrible condition there are pillars and stone bricks falling all over the place as you can see in the above image, but it’s absolutely a stunning place to be in you can feel and imagine the site where one of antiquity’s most significant buildings once stood.
Bodrum Castle (St Peter Castle)
Bodrum Castle (St Peter’s Castle) is a castle and museum on the Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey. The castle was built by the Knights Hospitaller in medieval times, and it stands above the modern town of Bodrum. It opens between 10 AM – 10 PM, from Tuesday to Sunday, It cost around $8 to enter and will take a couple of hours to go through it.
This really beautiful water view castle built among the rocks on the hill, you can see all over Bodrum coast and the Aegean Sea in front that blue turquoise water gives a breathtaking view.
The Bodrum Castle was originally built by the Knights Hospitaller in medieval times, but after a few years of maintaining its position as one of the most important castles along Aegean coasts, it fell into the hands of the Seljuk empires.
The museum has many rooms across the castle with different themes like shipwrecks, amphoras, anchors etc…with lots of really interesting stuff inside that, you can learn about history while seeing it all under one roof.
Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology
The Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology is a museum dedicated to underwater archaeology in the coastal town of Bodrum Turkey. It opens between 10 AM – 10 PM, from Tuesday to Sunday, It cost around $9 to enter and will take a couple of hours to go through it.
The Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology was built to protect and display underwater artifacts found by Turkish divers at the coast of the Bodrum peninsula which provides an outlook for diving enthusiasts who can see some historical pieces. The museum has an outstanding collection and exhibits amazing historical collections that include one of the richest wrecks ever discovered, The Uluburun Shipwreck is housed in this museum.
This shipwreck was found by Turkish sponge divers southwest off Bodrum Peninsula at a depth of 40m back in 1982 and its estimated date for this boat is around 1370 BC so pretty much about 2700 years old now. It’s really exciting to see some artifacts I think it’s quite fascinating if you can imagine how people used to live thousands of years ago their lifestyle was completely different than ours today but they were still able to manage their living and survivals.
Bodrum Ancient Theater
Bodrum theatre or Amphitheater is the one that shouldn’t be missed. It is located in Bodrum city about 2 km from the city center you can walk through the narrow ancient streets with along the white historical buildings to get there you will love this walk all the way to the theatre.
It is an open public park free to enter. It was built in the Hellenistic era by satrap Mausolos in the 4th century. It has about 13000 seating capacity and it is situated over the hill with a nice panoramic view of the city and Bodrum marina. This ancient theatre is still in use mostly between Thursdays and Sundays I am not quite sure the timing but it would be better to check with your hotel concierge.
Ancient City of Ephesus
The ancient city of Ephesus is one of Bodrum’s top things to do. It is about 170 km from Bodrum can take about 2 hours to drive there or a guided bus tour can be booked to get there.
You can explore one of the best ruins in the world like the magnificent ancient home of Ephesus, which was formerly inhabited by the Ephesians.
The west coast of modern Turkey was once a center of classical Greek culture. Ephesus became a major Greek city in about 400 BC and continued to grow until it was annexed by the expanding Roman empire later on. The city was later occupied by Mongol Barbarians.
What an amazing view atmospheric and picturesque place it is with green mountains in the background I loved the walkway through which is believed to be a marketplace of this town to all the way to Ephesus library building where first parchments paper and the first book was invented in this library by Romans.
I also loved the public bath idea that those people of Ephesus used to take baths on a daily basis about 40 people would go to the bathroom at once in this public bath (Hamam) and take bath at the same time… Amazing!!
Pamukkale Trevesterian Tour
Pamukkale is one of Bodrum’s most popular attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is about a 3 1/2 hours drive from Bodrum City you can book a bus tour or rent a car it is all your choice.
The site has been an important spa resort (a natural wonder) for almost two thousand years. The name Pamukkale means “cotton castle” in Turkish which should be because that area looks like a snow-white mountain with layers of cotton candy alike texture on top it offers stunning scenery of nature.
The carbonated mineral hot spring water that comes out of those tub-like surfaces is a bit hot temperature (these hot waters are known for their healing properties) so feel with your hand before stepping into it.
You will see people walking around in swimsuits and swimming or relaxing into those pools to take a bath, some of these natural pools aren’t deep enough to jump in and some may be a few feet deeper which are more suitable for a little swim or relaxation, but it is an amazing place you will never forget this experience.
You will also find some nice souvenir shops there selling Turkish delights like olive oil, tea and a nice Bodrum locally made carpets which I bought from a local vendor she was really friendly and not at all pushy. Overall the Pamukkale was an excellent addition to our Turkey trip.
The Blue Flag Bitez Beach
The Bodrum Bitez is the longest beach in Bodrum very popular for swimming, sunbathing or enjoying fantastic Bodrum boat trips.
It has won designation as a Blue Flag Beach for its clear blue water which was awarded to only about 150 beaches all over the world by an international organization annually.
The Bodrum Bitez beach has a nice long white sandy area to relax it is nice family beach kids friendly people really enjoy swimming and relaxing on this sunny beach or just go for a lovely walk taking photos with amazing scenery around this place.
If you have children, Bitez Beach is unquestionably the finest beach on the Bodrum peninsula. The beach is shallow with no strong waves it is pleasant with plenty of activities for adults and youngsters.
Hurma Sahili Beach (Mazikoy)
Another breathtaking turquoise family white sandy plus rocky beach about 40 minutes drive from Bodrum city center. It is calm and less crowded than Blue Bitez beach and offers much more scenery and clear blue water which makes it the best spot for swimming and relaxation.
The beach has a very nice family-owned restaurant with amazing staff and cafe which offers local and traditional Turkish meals, fish platters and much more but the good thing is it is way cheaper than the Bodrum restaurants.
Bodrum Harbour Tour
The Bodrum Harbour is famous for its beautiful architecture, nightlife and many famous world-class bars restaurants and cafes, where you can experience the breathtaking beauty of this town, taste delicious Turkish cuisine and try Bodrum nightlife.
It is also famous for Bodrum cruise lines and boat trips, You can walk through the ancient world’s narrow streets filled with white greeks like building architecture, and enjoy the beauty of this city.
You can explore some hidden archeology or beaches along the way or just sit and relax on many of the harbour-front cafes to enjoy hot Turkish coffee or tea with Turkish Baklava. You can walk through the historic markets along the harbour to explore some local shops and souvenirs.
Bodrum Boat Tour
The Bodrum harbour is home to some of the mind-boggling Bodrum boat tours which offer you an experience of a lifetime.
We took the Bodrum fun filled cruise by hiring a private sailing boat for 3000TL for 3 hours guided boat trip the wind was a bit stronger that day but it was a breathtaking sunny hot beautiful day. We reached our stop at the island in about an hour, it was absolutely stunning, we were given an hour to explore the island as well as swim and take some pictures of these beautiful surroundings.
The one downside was we booked the private boat tour for 3 hours only so we had to sail to the island took an hour then we had an hour to swim and enjoyment than we had to go back took an hour so our three hours felt like 3 minutes I would recommend to book it for at least 6 hours so you can explore many more islands and scenic spots or just book a full day boat cruise from Bodrum to have much more time to explore.
Aquapark Bodrum
Bodrum Aquapark is the best amusement park in Bodrum Peninsula. It is located on Bodrum’s Yalıboyu Avenue and it was built by Serdar-ı Ekrem İşcan in 1989.
The park contains many pools, water slides, including one for children with small slides, another pool containing jets of water for exercising, fountains, a wave machine (which creates waves up to 0.45 metres high), large flat areas around some pools that are ideal for sunbathing or just relaxing with friends after swimming all day long.
It is definitely worth visiting you will need about 3-5 hours to enjoy this amazing attraction especially if you have children. The all-inclusive pass 140TL included a food buffet and unlimited drinks as well it works out as good value for the money.
Rafting in Dalman Stream (Cayi)
The Dalaman River begins in the Kocas Mountains of Mugla Province, Turkey, and runs through thick jungles, green valleys, and waterfalls before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.
This white water rafting or canyoning in the Dalaman river is like a death escaping experience it offers grade 3 or 4 rapid but it is very safe for all ages and not dangerous at all the safety measures taken by the tour companies are more than sufficient, the raft and equipment were good everything was very professional.
To get to the river it took us two hours going through dirt roads and mountains it was a mostly fun ride with a group of tourists on the same bus. The cost was $70/person and took about 7 hours in total, the overall tour was worth the money and time I would say it is a must-do activity for all adventure seekers.
The river is controlled by a DAM which means the river runs on demand by tour companies, there is a specific time of the day when you will have a strong stream to do the rafting, at the end of the stream there was good spot to swim and relax for a bit before head back to the hotel.
Scuba Diving Bodrum
If you are looking for a new adventure that will challenge your mind and body, then scuba diving is the right activity for you. There are many different reasons to try it, but here I have listed 3 of my own personal favourites…
- It’s incredibly fun
- You can find hidden nature
- You’ll learn about marine life in an entirely new way
The warm Mediterranean waters of the Bodrum peninsula offer all sorts of amazing experiences for divers and non-divers alike. You can swim along with beautiful fish or turtles and if lucky you may get to see Dolphins around. If you want to try something different, we recommend trying cave diving, it’s an unforgettable experience that few people get to have. on the way back to the harbour there are plenty of great seafood restaurants nearby if you’re looking for some traditional Turkish food after you have done diving.
I would recommend Aegean Pro Diving Center located at the harbour they are a very professional team of divers. It is completely safe for even first-timers.
On the day of diving, they will start with a briefing and safety training you will get a half-hour of dive time in a group of five people, but heads up if you are diabetic, have high blood pressure or have been through a major heart surgery check with them before you book the tour.
Horse Riding in Bodrum
If you are an adventure lover, then the speedy or relaxed horse ride as per your choice is another best thing to do in Bodrum. The horse ride costs about $50/person and takes about 2 hours, it is pretty safe and beginners friendly no experience is required.
This amazing experience will be a lifetime memory the ride will take you through the rich pine forests mountains ways and rivers and the most loving part was when we got into the beach on the horseback to experience the sunset what an amazing time it was this is a must-try thing as I have never been on a horseback but it was an amazing experience for sure.
Hopefully, I have shared my experience as well as possible although, If you’re looking for a vacation destination that is affordable friendly people full of rich history, delicious food and drinks, warm weather year-round and gorgeous beaches to relax on then Bodrum Turkey may be the perfect spot.
