The name Bodrum has changed many times over the years. The city was initially called Halikarnassos by the satrap Mausollos. After his death - in 352 BC – he was buried in the mausoleum which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Halikarnassos eventually became Petronion, which then became Bodrum in Turkish. In the 1920s, Bodrum was so remote that it was used as a place of exile. Perhaps this is why the city attracted artists and bohemians and in the 1970s Bodrum developed into “Turkey’s St. Tropez” with a busy entertainment and night life. Numerous Turkish celebrities live in the holiday apartments in and around the city.

The city centre is small and easy to negotiate and most things are within walking distance. The city’s main street runs parallel with the water and the sea is never far away in Bodrum. Even though Bodrum has developed into a jet-set favourite, it’s easy for the “ordinary” tourist to find the popular places in the city or the surrounding villages. In the shipyard, the traditional tirade and gulet boats are still built and these can be hired for short or long trips along the beautiful coastline.

Boat trips
Bodrum harbour is full of gulets, traditional boats that take visitors on long or short trips along the beautiful coastline. They are comfortable vessels with large rear decks and good cabins. Trips last from one to several days and the captain is usually the cook. You can also hire rent a sailing boat with a crew for day trips or take a bathing boat to one of the beaches. There are small shady bays everywhere, sometimes with simple cafés on the beach.

Didyma
You don’t need to be interested in ruins to take a trip to an archeological site. En route you’ll experience the countryside and the journey will take you through small towns and villages that you’d otherwise miss. A few kilometers from the holiday resort of Altinkum, in Yenihisar, lies Didyma, a great temple to Apollo. Didyma was a religious site and the oracle there was as famous as the oracle of Delphi. The temple was destroyed by the Persians around 400 BC and the existing ruins date from Roman times. The remains of 120 columns give an indication of the size of the temple.

Milas
Milas, about 50 km north-east of Bodrum is an important carpet centre and Milas carpets are woven in soft tobacco colours. It’s a pleasant town to stroll around with good shopping in the bazaar. Prices are lower than in Bodrum.

Selçuk/efesos
This excavation is almost as remarkable as Pompeii in Italy. Ancient Ephesus had around 400,000 inhabitants. The first town was built around the temple of Artemis, another of the ancient worlds’ seven wonders. The ruins visible today are from the Roman era. The remains of the Temple of Artemis are outside the ruin area. On the hill above stands the cathedral of St John where the evangelist is buried. St John is believed to have lived in Ephesus together with the Virgin Mary.

Pamukkale
Layers of limestone have created this impressive natural phenomenon, reminiscent of a glacier on ancient rock. Water runs constantly from one level to another on the remarkable terraces. Unfortunately, too many visitors have worn away the cliff and today most of the pools are closed to the public.Above Pamukkale lies the ancient Hierapolis which was a great spa and health resort in Roman times. Transport: Special day trips, but local buses can also be used.

THE BEACHES

The beaches of the Bodrum peninsula are excellent for diving and snorkeling. Bathing boats or dolmus can take you to most of them. Bagla on the south coast has fine sandy beaches, but windsurfers usually prefer Gümbet. On the west coast you can find good beaches at Akyar, Turgutreis, Gümuslük and Yalikavak. These are all small villages with fish restaurants and popular anchorages for sailors. In Karaada bay there are caves with hot water springs.

Getting into and around Bodrum

Airport
Milas-Bodrum is a new airport 36 km east of Bodrum. It’s used by both regular and chartered flights. Taxis to Bodrum are quite expensive so it’s advisable to share with others if possible.

Public Transport
Taking a dolmus is the simplest and cheapest way of getting around in Bodrum. These are minibuses – or large taxis – that depart when they’re full and stop where required. Buses leave from the Otogar bus station to other parts of Turkey. It’s wise to book seats in advance and there are many companies running the same routes.

Taxi
Taxi cabs are yellow with taxi signs on the roof.