Holiday in Bodrum
Milas peninsula is home to one of the most modern seaside resorts in Turkey: Bodrum. This city is now considered the most beautiful city on the Turkish coast. It is characterized, in fact, by an imposing port and a beautiful promenade on which numerous splendid gulets are moored. In this area there are also elegant boutiques, craft shops as well as numerous restaurants of every type, cafes and nightclubs. For many years the international tourist destination, as well as the domestic one, thanks to its beautiful beaches and crystal clear sea.
Bodrum was Halicarnassus. Already in antiquity a chosen place, one of the most important cities of Ancient Greece, then passed, through relevant and disastrous historical events, to the new State of Turkey. It is the home of Herodotus, the father of history, and of Dionysius, Greek rhetoric of the Roman age. But it is also the place where one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world stood: the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
One of the most significant aspects of this Turkish peninsula is to offer, in addition to countless opportunities for recreation and an exuberant nightlife, tranquil beaches and pristine bays. At the same time it offers the chance to discover, at a short distance, the authentic Turkish way of life and its rural traditions.
Surroundings of Bodrum
Besides the famous Bodrum, also known as the ancient Halicarnassus, along this splendid portion of the Turkish coast there are numerous other places. For example, the quieter Bitez or the lively Gumbet, which offer the possibility of spending a holiday in Turkey according to one’s tastes and needs without, however, straying too far from the main city.
Climate
“Sun”, this is one of the main and most appreciated features of the peninsula. The climate is Mediterranean with a very long summer. The season, in fact, starts already in March and goes on until the end of November. Spring and autumn are characterized by sunny days with temperatures around 30 degrees, while in July and August it is easily reached even at 40 degrees and with a sometimes very high humidity.
Unlike the Greek islands of the Dodecanese, where the meltemi helps to bear well even the highest temperatures, Bodrum is in a more sheltered and less ventilated position, therefore much warmer and more humid. At the end of the season it is possible to run into some rain only starting from the end of October. But the rainy season and the cold do not begin before December, giving space to winter, which however presents itself with a mild climate until March.
How to reach Bodrum?
Bodrum has an airport that is about 15 km from the city center. Bodrum-Milas airport is 35 km away from Bodrum and many flight companies operate charter flights to Bodrum in Summer season. There are also Dalaman and Izmir Airports which are 3 hours far from Bodrum.
A viable alternative is to land in nearby Kos, which has an international airport instead. Here you can also land charter flights or low cost airlines directly from Italy from May to October. Kos is connected daily with Bodrum by several ferries or catamarans, which take less than an hour to reach it.
Where to stay
The city center offers hotel facilities of all types and generally the prices are higher than in the neighboring towns. If you are looking for a quiet place to stay, Bodrum center is not for you.
Many hotels are in the nearby town of Gumbet which is practically the extension of Bodrum. Gumbet is a typical tourist resort with a large promenade, numerous bars, disco pubs, restaurants, discos and a great choice of hotels and apartments. Particularly suitable for young people, Gumbet is famous for its slightly less exclusive and cheaper nightlife than Bodrum city.
What to see in Bodrum
If you think of Turkey, the traditional hammam ritual known as traditional Turkish bath, cannot come to mind. In the Bodrum peninsula there are numerous hammams that offer an excellent Turkish bath, however the most beautiful and renowned is the Royala Hammam. It is absolutely an experience to try, even on the hot days of August, with a good scrub and a massage to regenerate the body and tan.
Bodrum is also a great starting point for visiting Pamukkale and Ephesus. Pamukkale, which in Turkish means “cotton castle”, is a natural site that also includes the Roman city of Hierapolis. Ephesus, on the other hand, is a vast archaeological area, one of the largest in the Mediterranean.
Finally, during your stay in Bodrum, you cannot miss a day trip by boat with the traditional gulet, where you will have the chance to visit the beautiful isolated coves near the city.
Turkish cuisine
There are numerous Turkish taverns and restaurants where you can enjoy good traditional cuisine. In the coastal areas of Turkey, the cuisine you will encounter is Mediterranean, very similar to Greek cuisine.
Among the Turkish specialties for a hearty but quick meal, there is the famous kebab, but also the kofte, or lamb meatballs and pide (Turkish pizza). Vastissima instead is the choice of appetizers; similarly to Greek cuisine also in Turkey we find dolmades, vine leaf rolls. Yoghurt-covered vegetables are also a delicacy.
As Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country, you will not find pork dishes in the kitchen. Lamb meat, on the other hand, is among the best that can be found. Furthermore, for the same reason, spirits are sold at a high price. In Bodrum, however, you will have no trouble finding them.
Not to forget the many fish restaurants. In Bodrum there is an entire area dedicated to this type of taverns. This is the Fish Market, the fish market with its taverns, located just after the old town, behind the post office. It is a small area brulicanate of numerous taverns and some fish shops where you can choose the fish that will be cooked and served in the tavern. The restaurants have tables set up directly on the pedestrian alley that runs through the whole area; they are really many and always very crowded.
