BODRUM – the summer gem of Turkey

Turkey » Mugla » Bodrum

Bodrum is a district and a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey, is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula and has a distinctly European feel. It’s fringed with a crystal clear stretch of the Aegean and is a multi-dimensional gem; you just have to venture below the surface to discover it. The city was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 15th century, Bodrum Castle overlooks the harbor and the marina. The castle includes a museum of underwater archaeology and hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year. Bodrum has a long history; in-fact the Father of history, Herodotus, was born here. It has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and mostly sunny and winters are mild and humid. Bodrum is touted as “Turkey’s San Tropez” or “Turkey’s Mykonos" and attracts the glitterati from Istanbul and various European cities. In the tourist hubs, there is plenty of eating, shopping and entertainment options but there are also its back streets you can explore and immerse you in interactions and activities with the locals. It takes only 50 minutes via boat to reach the Greek island Kos from Bodrum, with services running multiple times a day by at least three operators. Bodrum was a quiet town of fishermen until the mid-20th century and the country's economy was mainly based on fishing and sponge diving but over the years, tourism became one of its major activities.

Visitors to this marvelous holiday resort should take a small walk to appreciate the various boats and yachts in the harbor, experience the unforgettable smell of the sea, and explore the narrow streets adorned with colorful bougainvillea and the tranquility of the white-washed houses you can find everywhere. Strolling along the most popular streets, like Cumhuriyet Caddesi (also known as Bar Street), visitors become immersed in a blend of native and cosmopolitan culture that is Bodrum today. Bodrum is a unique town with an exceptional appeal where you can be entertained 24/7. It is possible to dream away by a chorus of bird song in a peaceful cove while you can also have an outrageous time out on the town until dawn. As a visitor to Bodrum you have the possibility to meet new friends at unforgettable parties. You can dance until daybreak aboard Turkey’s only floating disco, the Club Catamaran (a club built into a large boat) or get caught up in the atmosphere in many open air nightclubs.Well known celebrities come from far and wide to entertain and be entertained in Bodrum. You too can become a part of the sizzling Bodrum nightlife and experience all the delights it has to offer. Cafes and restaurants serve a wide variety of cosmopolitan ‘international’ fare as well as tasty kebabs; Chinese, Mexican, Indian or Thai specialties and also the delights of traditional Ottoman cuisine. In Meyhaneler Street a tempting variety of Turkish salads (meze) is best consumed with a glass of Turkish Raki, or fine wine. Here you will discover the more traditional kind of entertainment favored by the local Bodrum residents. In Bodrum you can eat Turkish kebab, chicken doner or try kumpir (a Turkish potatoes delicacy) with a vast selection of toppings – everything from basics such as sweet corn to saucier mixtures of olives with yoghurt. In the restaurants you can enjoy generous plates of oily smoked mackerel fillets, artichokes and samphire as well as fresh fish, grilled or fried, but for something a little different go the local way and order a steamed bowl of the day’s catch. You can’t visit Bodrum without eating Gözleme which is served in many of the lokantas, but it tastes more delicious when bought at a local farmers market and you snack on it as you wander around. Gözleme are made from large, paper thin circles of dough; filled with any mixture of cheese, vegetables and meat; then folded and cooked on a dome shaped griddle.

Although more than a million tourists flock to its beaches, boutique hotels, luxury resorts, trendy restaurants and clubs each summer, the town of Bodrum never seems to lose its cool. More than any other Turkish seaside getaway, it has an enigmatic elegance that pervades it, from the town's crowning castle and glittering marina to its flower-filled cafes and white-plastered backstreets. Even in the most hectic days of high summer, you can still find little corners of serenity in the town. Sparkly beaches, serene coves, a grand castle and jaw-dropping vistas; just a few of the reasons the one-time fishing village of Bodrum is now a Turkish hotspot. When you visit Bodrum you will love it anyway! Each time you visit it, you will unearth some new little gem lying in wait for you. WELCOME TO BODRUM!

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