Bodrum Peninsula

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Overview

The Bodrum Peninsula, named after the seaside resort town near its centre, offers a mix of exclusive resorts and laid-back coastal villages where you can enjoy good swimming and and upmarket restaurants. Despite the glaringly visible inroads of modern tourism, tradition and tranquillity are partially preserved by local open-air vegetable markets and the rugged coastline, overlooked by scarcely populated hills in the peninsula's centre. The area has an efficient and inexpensive dolmuş network, making it easy to hop between Bodrum and the outlying coves, where, with some advance planning, you can find quality beach accommodation at still-reasonable rates.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Mausoleum

Bodrum Town

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum (originally 44.8m high) was the greatest achievement of Carian King Mausolus (r 376–353 BC),…

Bodrum Castle

Bodrum Town

Bodrum's magnificent waterfront castle, built by the Knights Hospitaller, dates back to the 15th century. It houses the excellent Museum of Underwater…

Dibeklihan Culture & Art Village

Bodrum Peninsula

In the all-but abandoned village of Yakaköy just off the road between Yalıkavak and Ortakent, this complex contains an art gallery, shops, the Dibek…

ARThill

Bodrum Peninsula

Painter and sculptor Ender Guzey established this unique space in a remote hillside location east of Bodrum, showcasing contemporary art and (occasional)…

Bodrum Maritime Museum

Bodrum Town

This small but well-formed museum spread over two floors examines Bodrum's maritime past through finely crafted scale models of boats and an excellent…

Ancient Theatre

Bodrum Town

Ancient Halicarnassus' theatre was built in the hillside rock in the 4th century BC to seat 5000 spectators but that capacity was increased to 13,000 for…

Ottoman Cemetery

Bodrum Town

This Ottoman cemetery stands just above the marina, and contains the tombs of two famous Turkish seamen (Mustafa Pacha and his son). Part of the enclosure…

Myndos Gate

Bodrum Town

These are the restored remains of the only surviving gate from what were originally 7km-long walls probably built by King Mausolus in the 4th century BC…

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