Known amongst Europeans as one of the Mediterranean’s party capitals, the Bodrum peninsula is definitely a place to see and be seen, but it also offers a little something for anyone who loves beaches, history, and the gorgeous Turkish countryside.
Staying at the Kempinski Hotel in Barbaros Bay outside Bodrum offers up market tranquility far from the bustle of Bodrum a busy port and holiday resort. To miss out on seeing the town would be a mistake and it is worth a trip from the hotel to suck in the local atmosphere.
The town of Bodrum itself—once the ancient city of Halicarnassus, home of Herodotus—lies at the nexus of two harbours on the southern coast of the peninsula, in the midst of the best beaches around, including Bardakci, Içmeler, and trendy Gümbet.
Stay at the elegant Marmara Bodrum—home to the ruins of a fourth-century BC watchtower and some of the best possible views over the twin harbours and the town’s whitewashed roofs—and dine at popular restaurants like Limon Café, or the more low-key Denizhan. Join the party crowds in Gümbet and along the waterfront and you’ll see how easy it is to get lulled into the Bodrum lifestyle.
It’d be a shame to come here and miss the history and the town itself, though. Venture out in the morning and you’ll find Bodrum as sleepy and low-key as it ever was, with a colourful market (rarely seen by visitors) and cobbled streets. Jutting out to divide the two harbours is the impressive Bodrum Castle, built in the 15th century by the Knights of St. John and now home to the acclaimed Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
Pay a visit, also, to the remains of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Thanks to Edmiston for Bodrum information