Bodrum is one of the most popular districts of Mugla. Bodrum is famous with white-lime covered stone houses and indigo blue doors, windows, beaches, warm and peaceful people. Bodrum is one of the most popular holiday destination of Turkey. It is one of the most preferred place not only Turkish people but also for foreign tourists.
Bodrum is seen as a place of tranquility in four seasons. It has a texture that you can close if you want and you can mix into the crowd. In these aspects, it addresses many different requests for the traveler.
Bodrum's population is nearly 160,000 but in summer times it reaches 1,5 million.
Where is Bodrum?
Bodrum is a district located in the western corner of the Mugla in the Aegean Region. It is a very popular holiday destination on the east, south sides of the Aegean Sea.
When To Go Bodrum?
Best time for going to Bodrum is summer months, but you can visit Bodrum any times. Its peaceful and pleasant life open for tourist with four seasons.
If you plan to visit Bodrum in summer times, sand, sea, sun, and colorful nightlife will be quite an attractive option. The colorful summer festivals of Bodrum support this idea. During the summer, concerts, sailing races, and dance performances can be very interesting.
For these reasons, in the summertime, Bodrum is very crowded. The district, where both domestic and foreign tourists flocked, pushes the limits of its capacity in the summer months without losing its popularity. However, it should be considered that accommodation options can be filled early. In fact, you may wish to make your reservation early.
In the spring months, especially the beginning of the summer and the months after the holidays are very preferred for travelers who start early on holiday, extend their holiday or go on vacation only September. In the spring and autumn months, you can have a comfortable holiday with less crowded. If you are looking for an alternative holiday, you can choose to go to Bodrum even in the winter months. In wintertimes, you can see, Mandarin Festival, and February you can see Gundogan Sausage and Wine Festival.
How to Get to Bodrum?
You can come to Bodrum by your own car and plane. Transportation to the Bodrum by air is provided from Milas-Bodrum Aiport which distance to Bodrum is 32 km. You can reach the center by taxi, car rental or airport buses. It will take about 35 minutes.
If you want to go to Bodrum from Dalyan, you can get there by bus from Dalyan bus station. The distance between Dalyan and Bodrum is 190 km and travel takes 3.30 hours.
Transportation in Bodrum
Bodrum has a regular transportation, just like most resorts, there are minibus lines for both local residents and travelers. From the bus station in the center of Bodrum, you can get up every 15 minutes and easily get there by minibus. These minibusses are visited by resorts such as Golturkbuku, Yalikavak, Gumbet, Turgutreis, Bitez, Ortakent, Akyarlar, Gumuşluk, Karaincir, Yalıciftlik, Torba, Guvercinlik and Gundogan. Bus ticket prices are around 3-10 Türkish Lira. For example, the fee from Bodrum to Turgutreis is 5 TL. Because of being a popular tourist center, minibus prices are a bit expensive.
For those who want to travel from one end to the other, for those who want to visit the beaches, or for those who want to visit the towns and villages, the car will be quite necessary in the city. That is why it is a more convenient option for you to come to Bodrum with your own car or to drive in the car you rent there. However, parking problems may occur during peak periods. Taxis are quite expensive due to the tourism sector in Bodrum. Therefore, it is not recommended to take a taxi in the city. If you are staying in the center, you will be able to walk around the other central areas and enjoy the streets around.
Things to Do in Bodrum
Bodrum offers many places to visit both with its bays and with its historical and cultural assets. Touring places, which can be ranked according to the interest of tourists, are very popular in the summer period. Streets, beaches, festival areas and historical places are full of local and foreign tourists. If you stay in Bodrum for a few days, you will definitely discover something to do or new places to visit. Bodrum offers a number of alternatives to its visitors without considering age or cultural differences.
Bodrum Castle and Rabbit Island with its unique view, Bodrum bays with beautiful waters, Underwater Archaeological Museum, Pedasa Antique City, Myndos Gate, Antique Theater, Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Zeki Müren Museum is located. You can find detailed information about all these places below.
Bodrum Castle and Museum of Underwater Archeology
Bodrum Castle, one of the most solid fortresses that have survived to the present day, is located in the center of the district. Three sides of the fortress are surrounded by seas and divides the two harbors. It has an architecture far from the classic castle style. The castle, which provides a different atmosphere in every part of your trip, is one of the places worth experiencing in Bodrum. The castle was built by the Knights of Rhodes in the 15th century. In the past, the church, then the mosque and the Turkish bath, the castle, was also used as a term prison. Today it is a museum. Watching the city and the sea from the castle will be a separate experience.
The Underwater Museum is a must-see place in Bodrum. It is one of the few underwater archaeological museums in the world. The museum, which has more than 10 thousand works in 14 exhibition halls, has a rich collection. The world's largest Islamic Glass Collection and Serçe Port wrecks are also here. It has an amphora exhibition. Amphora is a test with handles and used in wine, dry food and olive oil transportation in ancient times.
English tower, East Roman shipwreck, Turkish bath exhibition, German tower, jewelery room, dungeon, Uluburun wreck, which is the oldest shipwreck in the world, are some of the important sections of the museum. Entrance fee is 30 TL.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
It was a monumental tomb that was built in 300 BC by Queen Artemisia for his wife, King Mausolos, who died. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world with its huge grave, which combines the columns of Greek architecture and the pyramid of Egyptian architecture. It was destroyed at the end of the Great Anatolian earthquake in 1034.
Stone fragments were used in the construction of Bodrum Castle. In addition, many pieces, relief works, sculptures were moved to the British Museum in the 19th century. According to what is described, it consists of four parts: the podium, the temple with columns, the last section with primidal roof and statues.
Today, the remains are exhibited in a site. As an open-air museum, you can visit here and the exhibition grounds in the museum building. The entrance fee to the Mausoleum is 10 TL. It is very close to Bodrum Harbor. You can easily reach the entrance by entering the castle.
Bodrum Amphitheater
The Antique Theater, which was established in the north of the city of Halicarnassus, has survived from the classical age to the present. B.C. In 337 years, it was built on the slope. It is located in the center of Bodrum and at the foot of the Goktepe mountain.
After being restored in 1960, it has been used to host many festivals, organizations, and shows. It has a capacity of 13,000 people. The wide distance between the seats is remarkable. Although it is notable for its classical theater layout and fiction, the holes between the altar and the seats where the victims were cut are interesting. It is open 24 hours a day and free to visit. It offers tourists the opportunity to watch the harbor from the top of the slope.
Myndos Gate
B.C. The Myndos Gate, which was built as the entrance gate of the city of Halicarnassus, which is estimated to have been built in the 4th century, is important for the history of the region. The local name is Dictation. This area constitutes the most important part of the city's western walls. The door was built between towers at a height of eight meters. It is an ancient entrance door to Halikarnas. This door, according to the ancient historians, is the place where the clashes that were mentioned in the time of Alexander the Great.
The soldiers of Alexander the Great cannot cross to the other side because of ditches. Therefore, it is mentioned as the door that Alexander the Great cursed. It is also possible to see the Turkish Cemetery and the vaulted graves of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It contains many mosaics, ornaments with birds and grape figures. It has been restored with the contributions of various companies and is located near Gumbet with its remaining parts. It can be reached from the center by minibusses.
Bitez
Bitez is one of the most popular regions of Mugla with its green and blue. It is located in the south of Bodrum. Although Bodrum has many coves, beaches and towns, Bitez is one of the most preferred village by many tourists.
Bitez Beach, where there is a 200-meter long public beach in the form of a half moon, attracts attention with its cleanliness and Blue Flag award. The sea is calm and undulating, not deep. Various water sports can be done.
Turkey is one of the most suitable sites for surfing. Bitez is approximately 10 km from the center. It is possible to reach the center by minibuses. It will be very suitable for those who want to escape the crowd of Bodrum's center. But in spite of the calmness of the day, nightlife is lively. Bitez outside the beach, which is also quite famous for its ice cream, must be eaten by ice cream special to Bodrum.
You can go by minibuses departing from the bus station in the center of Bodrum. If you want to come with your own car, parking will not be a problem. The surrounding area is full of hotels and restaurants.
Gumusluk
Gumusluk is one of the most famous places of Bodrum peninsula and it is a peaceful and tranquil bay famous for its fish restaurants. The local people, silver coins for a silver mine here because of this name has put it thinking. The summer season is quite crowded. You can come and walk to Gumusluk, listen to music in the cafes and look at the jewelery in the streets.
It is a very convenient place especially for those who like walking routes with sea views. The most important feature of Gumusluk is the hosting of Rabbit Island. It can also be an option to visit Karakaya Village in Gumusluk. It was built on the ridges of Mount Peksimet in the 16th century by locals hiding from pirates. He was attracted to foreign tourists in the abandoned state and was given life to the village 30 years ago. Sunset views and beautiful stone houses can be seen to see.
Rabbit Island
Rabbit Island is located in Gumusluk. You can reach Gumusluk in 50 minutes by vehicles departing from the center of Bodrum. It would be useful to check the hours before departure. When you come to Gumusluk, it will be an interesting and easy experience to reach this island by walking through the sea. He walks over a passage to the island. At the time, King Mousolos and Artemisia were feeding the rabbits who lived on this island.
Nowadays, although it is quite rundown, you can easily change your legs and roll. Rabbit Island is famous for its unique landscape. From here it will be a pleasant activity to watch the sunset. There are still rabbits living on the island. You can share your food with them and be their guests. Bardakci Cove, which is located just outside the Port of Bodrum, will be ideal for alternative seekers.
The beach is clean, the water is beautiful. Bardakci Cove may also be preferred due to its many accommodation options. Luxury hotels, small hostels and beachfront restaurants are available. The bay is also frequented by daily boats.
Zeki Muren Museum
Zeki Muren's house in Bardakci Cove, where he spent his last years, was restored and converted into a museum. This cove where Zeki Muren spent a lot of time was called Zeki Muren Bay after his death in 1996. It has been accepting its visitors since 2000. It is visited by more than 40.000 tourists annually and hosts the artist's belongings.
The lower floor is preserved and the upper floor is made of exhibition hall. His belongings, awards, records, letters and photographs, and briefly everything about his life are on display. There is a statue of the artist in the garden of the museum. You can visit the artist's highly preserved items in order. The museum is 1.5 km away from Bodrum and the entrance fee is 5 TL. The museum is open until 17.00 and does not serve on Mondays.
Pedasa Ancient City
This ancient city, 4 km away from the center of Bodrum, is a settlement established 3500 years ago. It is also called Gokceler Castle. The remaining stones form the basis of the structure and give us information about the direction and plan of the city. The area is well preserved. Excavations are still in progress today.
There are domed tombs at the entrance. The most important part of the present is the inner fortress. There are towers to the east of the castle, sitting on a high rock. To get here, you must go through long and narrow roads and pass through the passages. Because it takes up a large area, you should spend a long time to walk around here. Walkways are indicated by signs. It is one of the places to visit for nature lovers as well as history.
Eating Out in Bodrum
Bodrum cuisine is very colorful and varied. The difference of the Aegean cuisine with plenty of vegetables, olive oil and seafood is felt in Bodrum. Bodrum has a wide dining scale. These delicacies are served in the most luxurious restaurants, as well as in the artisan restaurants that prepare local delicacies.
All around Bodrum; In the meantime, you can enter and exit the sea, on the one hand, where you can try local dishes, night-to-day sounds of bars rising, olive oil vegetable dishes serving artisan restaurants, the village breakfast is surrounded by cafes.
Asmalı Çardak is located in Yalıkavak, a popular spot for celebrities and is famous for its breakfast. Another address you can choose for breakfast in Yalikavak is Havva Ana. In this very popular place, varieties of pastry can be tried. In Lokmaci Ana in Gumusluk, you should try the honey-bite, tangerine jam and mandarin delight. There are many tea gardens on the shore for coffee and coffee lovers.
The places of Bodrum are almost unquestionable. Zucchini flower stuffed and mixed roast is one of the most important flavors you should try. Both options are the tastes you will find in Bodrum even if you can eat in different places. Sea beans, olive oil okra, artichoke salad, radish herb salad are some of the local dishes of Bodrum.
There are also some dishes that come to mind when it comes to Bodrum, such as the gumbo meze, mustard salad, kashkek, herbaceous burrito and gypsy salad. Foam meze, appetizer and olive oil is a dish made by the very loving Bodrum people with eggplants, peppers, yogurt and tomatoes.
You can enjoy dining in the Mandarin orchards, and the recently popular venue, Bagbasi, can also be preferred for dinner; but you must make a reservation.
For a place in a similar atmosphere, Lemon is a very popular alternative. Hocanın Yeri, one of the oldest places of Bodrum, is one of the places that continues to be popular without decreasing the taste standard. It is one of the most successful kitchens in Bodrum with its raw pastry, pita bread, puff pastry and ravioli. For those who want to have ravioli, Bitez Mantıcısı will be an affordable and delicious choice.
Fish and seafood are also cooked frequently in Bodrum. You should not leave a table of appetizers and fish from Bodrum where you can find the freshest fish and seafood. It is recommended that you choose one of the restaurants, especially in Gumusluk. However, you can find a nice fish restaurant in almost every point of Bodrum, not only in Gumusluk. Some of these are Kumsal Fish, Terzi Mustafa's Place, Memedof, Orfoz, Kocadon, Mimoza, Kayabaşı Restaurant, Gemibaşı Restaurant, Atılay, Köhne Restaurant and Sait Restaurant.
The famous Bodrum doner is also among the tastes you should try while you are here. For this, the most accurate address will be Şirin Sebzeli Döner. You can also go to Bitez Ice Cream Shop and try out the colorful varieties that are difficult to meet in other places. Mandarin ice cream must be tried. You can also see a wide variety of foods and spices in the markets.
Bodrum Night Life
Bodrum's day and night are very beautiful. Bodrum, nightlife is one of the most colorful, most dynamic holiday venues. In terms of both domestic and foreign tourists, this aspect is very popular.
Bodrum, night clubs, restaurants, pubs, even in the streets until the morning has a sense of entertainment continues. Live music, karaoke nights, chapters, electronic music, DJ performances or scenes from famous artists are offered in many different ways. There is a fun to appeal to any audience. You can join the famous nightclubs or spend your night with a drink in a raki-fish table. In short, in Bodrum, especially during summer nights, there is a life that is as lively as you can find what you want to do.
The most popular night clubs are M & M, Deli Bar, Seyfi Bar, Blue Bar, Cat Club and Veli Bar. Apart from these, Adamik Bar, Mandalin and Marina Yatch Club are among the most popular entertainment venues. Karpuz is also one of the most popular places in Bodrum with pop music.
There are also many venues that are popular in Istanbul and then open a branch in Bodrum. The mustard is located in Turkbuku and has become one of the favorites of Bodrum with its food quality and DJ performances. Fenix, Anjelique, Zuma and Eva Klein are among the most popular night clubs. The stage is full of visitors to the concerts of famous artists in Istanbul. Maca Kizi in Turkbuku is one of the most popular but expensive places. Bilionaire and Ses are also popular places in Yalikavak Palmarina.
Another alternative is to go to the concerts of famous names such as Teoman and Goksel at Özak Pansiyon in Gumuşluk. For more alternative music, Kule Rock City and the Gulf are the most popular rock bars. For an enjoyable night with their music and friends, Filika can be preferred. Moonlight Cafe Bar is a good choice for a night out with sea views. For cocktail lovers, Gekko Coctail & Whiskey will be a very fun alternative.
The crowd, especially in the summer months, continues to exist in popular venues and streets all summer nights. It will be difficult to find places in famous restaurants and nightclubs in the hot summer months when people can barely walk through the central streets. If you are in Bodrum during the winter months, the night life will be quiet because of the calmness of Bodrum. However, some owners have started to offer special events such as live music nights to mobilize the night life in Bodrum. Thus, in the winter, night life with the people of Bodrum continues.
Many entertainment venues are located in the center of Bodrum until the morning hours. Apart from the music, there are also places where there are dance performances and light shows. The prices in the famous and popular venues are quite high. It is recommended that you make your account according to it and plan your night. Bodrum's nightlife is almost endless. With the changing trends, new places continue to be opened and the existing places change the styles of music or space. There are also a lot of places where famous names are often enjoyed and there are a lot of regulars.
Today, due to the expectations of tourists and current entertainment, alternative entertainment venues have moved beyond the center. For those looking for a quieter nightlife, places in Gumusluk and Yalikavak can be recommended. These places will be quieter than the center. It can be reached by minibus from the center of Bodrum. You can spend the night with family or friends in a restaurant with delicious Aegean cuisine. Especially in Gumusluk, a lot of fish restaurants on the sea side offers raki-fish meals and alternatives to enjoy the music.
The best place to spend time without going to a place is the beach. You can spend your nights at many points of Bodrum with theaters, music, dance performances along the coast. Even in Bodrum, it is advisable to take a walk in the evening. You can find people selling ornaments, souvenirs, paintings, jewelery, hanging benches along the coast road. You can spend your time in the streets which are full and bright until late.
