BODRUM Bodrum,
a charming town with its bourgainvillea covered typical
Mediterranean houses, is located on a rocky peninsula,
where the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas join. Known
as Halicarnassus in ancient times, Bodrum is the birth
place of the father of history , Herodotus ,and the
site of King Mausolus's Tomb ( 4th century B.C.), one
of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum.
The green hill, overlooking a dazzling blue bay, at
the entrance guarded by a medieval castle built by the
Knights of Rhodes provides a spectacular scenery for
visitors. This castle, which has been converted into
the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, is a fine example
of 15th century crusader architecture with remains dating
as far back as the bronze age.
The panoramic view from Göktepe, where the antique
theatre is located, overlooks the city and offers wide
angle photo sessions of the harbour, marina and the
palm lined streets and waterfront of Bodrum, where most
of the activities take place all around the year.
The remains of fortified city walls can still be seen
in and around the city and Myndos Gate was the main
entrance to Ancient Halicarnassus. Bodrum, renowned
for its lively, friendly and bohemian atmosphere, relaxed
and informal life style, abundance of daytime activities
and night time excitement, is the centre of Turkish
art community, where many artisans have their exhibitions.
The first tourism activities in the region started as
the mystery and power of art revealed by these artisans.
The excitement starts as soon as the night falls over
the city. Small streets packed with people wandering
around and music coming out of the bars and clubs are
an irresistible invitation for non-stop fun till the
sun comes up.
Bitez ^Yukarı^ Bitez
once boasted the best quality mandarins of the area and still
retains a large portion of the orchards , but is now more
know fot its clean seawater and beach, as well as the colorful
windsurfing sails , which flit across the water utilizing
the afternoon breeze.
Bitez successfully combines a centuries old way of life with
a full range of touristic amenities, and is a favourite haunt
of both water sports enthusiasts and those in pursuit of calm
and tranquillity in an unspoilt setting. The accommodations
are situated within a few paces of the clean, sandy beach.
You have a choice from larger hotels and apartments to smaller
family-run guest houses, where you and your familly will be
looked after, as if you were honoured and invited guests.
After the first holiday in Bitez, many families return to
the same hotel year after year.
Lapped by the tiny waves of the Aegean,the beach is the center
of activity, whether you just want to soak up the sun with
a good book or join in a game of beach volleyball. The sea
slopes gently down, with plenty of shallow water for younger
children to splash around. Incoming boats and windsurfers
are safely zoned away from swimmers.
There
are many small cafes, bars and restaurants along the lenght
of the beach or in the mandarin groves, where you can find
various tastes of the international cuisine. There are some
small shops, such as a chemist, a barber, gift shops and general
stores for self-caterers.
Bitez is a world famous windsurfs venue.In the morning the
light breeze gives beginners confidence, in the afternoon
the 'meltem' gives more of a challenge to the advanced surfers.
Windsurf equipment may be hired from one of the surf schools
on the beach. Other water sports like dinghy sailing, water
skiing, parasailing and diving are also available. In the
green mandarin gardens and groves ,walkers and mountain bikers
will find special pleasure exploring the paths between the
beach and the village.
Tennis, table tennis, beach volleyball and billiard are available
in some of the hotels.
A daily boat trip is a traditional pleasure and a 'must' for
those who wish to experience the
famous turkish hospitality on the crystal clear waters of
the Aegean Sea. On Fridays it's well worth while visiting
the bazaar at the village ,where they sell clothes and kilims.
Göltürkbükü ^Yukarı^
Göltürkbükü signifies two villages , which
have been joined for municipal purposes. Located on the site
of ancient Caryanda, the home of Scylax, a pioneer navigator
, who explored the coast of the western Indian Ocean in the
6th century B.C., today's Göltürkbükü
is the favourite summer holiday venue for many well-off and
well-known Turks. The end of the large bay of Gölköy
with its palm tree forest , known since Carian times, is more
quiet and restrained, while Türkbükü caters
to the more flamboyant. The shore of the latter is lined with
numerous restaurants, many with their own jetties, which are
used for sunbathing in the daytime and, with fine tables and
chairs replacing sunbeds and towels, for dining at night.
Watching the splendid full moon rise from behind the mountains
across the bay is almost a religious rite here. The visitor
has a very wide range of hotels to choose. Modest accommodations
are available as well as some of the most exclusive and luxurious
hotels.
Gümbet
^Yukarı^ Fifteen
years ago Gümbet was the closest beach to Bodrum and
just a large campsite. It's now a resort in its own right
with its own special character , temperament and appeal. Banks,
hotels and clubs are providing everything a tourist desires.
Some of the most popular hotels of the region are to be found
in and around Gümbet Bay. The long sandy beach, where
watersports are practise with flair, is undoubtedly a great
attraction, but it's the combination of sea, sun, sand and
fun, that makes Gümbet so popular. The fun part, of course,
is its rollicking night life in various pubs, bars and discos.
Because the beach is within an easy walk from most of the
hotels and the central area, Gümbet is also a favourite
for families with children. It's a place for the young and
the young at heart.
Gümüşlük ^Yukarı^ Gumusluk
stands on the site of the ancient Carian city of Myndus whose
seafront sections slid into the sea in some long-forgotten earthquake.
Today, these barely submerged remains are a magnet for snorkellers
and underwater photographers. The land site is yet to be fully
excavated, but traces of antiquity can be spotted in empty fields,
sounding an evocative echo of a distant age. Country walks around
Gumusluk are invigorating and rewarding, especially in spring
and early summer when riotous displays of wild flowers cast
their rural spell and mingle their fragrance with the smell
of the sea.
'Rabbit Island', situated in the middle of the bay and accessible
by a partially sunken causeway, offers a magnificent panorama
and, yes, a glimpse of rabbits scurrying about.
Gumusluk's current attraction is the plethora of fine fish and
seafood restaurants, a 'must' of a visit to the region. It's
other attribute is the serenity of its nights.
Gündoğan
^Yukarı^ Whether
it is called Gundogan or Farilya, both names relate to the
"sun rise". This is the clue to the wonderful view
of the sun-rise behind the steep and magnificent rock formations
surrounding the village on the east. Some imaginative people
believe that these rock formations are, in fact, the remains
of an ancient zoo built of stone. There may be truth in this.
Because Gundogan is located very near to the ancient Lelegian
city of Madnasa. And the historians of antiquity say that
the Lelegians were skilled in stone work. If you look carefully
towards those rock formations and if you have a little bit
of imagination, then you may see the wild animals of the ancient
zoo carved in stone.
Gundogan is situated at the northern part of Bodrum Peninsula
facing Mandalia Bay, lying between Torba, Turkbukii-Golkoy
and Yahkavak.
The Gundogan Dolmus will bring you, via a road across the
pine forests, passing through! the upper village, with a view
of the magnificent rock formations on the right, then through
citrus gardens towards the lower village, to the coastal zone
of Gundogan, consisting of two bays: Gundogan Bay (the larger
one), and Kucukbuk (the small bay). There are two small islands
across the bay, Fener (Lighthouse) island and Apostol (Kiiciik
Tavsan - Little Rabbit) island, housing the remains of a Greek
Chapel.
If you are driving, you may choose to come to Gundogan either
via Torba or via Yahkavak through the main entrance.
Gundogan presents you an opportunity to spend a tranquil holiday,
though you may easily join the hectic entertainment life of
Bodrum, whenever you wish to do so, just in 20 minutes.
Enjoy your stay with us, in Gundogan!
Konacýk
^Yukarı^ Konacik
is a community that has recently attained the status of a municipality.
Adjacent to the northwest city limits of Bodrum, Konacik lies
on both sides of the main highway leading
to the western regions of the Bodrum peninsula. O While known
mainly for its shopping centers and enterprises serving the
tourism industry Konacik is also proud to have within its boundaries
the remains of the ancient city of Pedasa, one of six Lelegian
settlements known to have been established in this region. These
vestiges of antiquity include circular memorial tombs whose
structural shape appears to have been replicated in the more
recent domed cisterns that dot the countryside.
Mumcular
^Yukarı^
The
town of Mumcular and its subsidiary communities of Bahçeyaka,
Çamlik, Çömlekçi, Gökpinar,
Güvercinlik, Kemer, Kum, Mazi, Pinarbelen, Saz, Tepecik
and Yeniköy are situated in highly varied terrain that
includes rich arable lands, forests, mountains and the sea
coast of the Gulf of Gökova. This region supplies Bodrum
with its agricultural produce as well as life-giving water
from the Mumcular Dam. For the visitor any one of its secluded
pastoral places or coastal spots is a welcome restful refuge
from the numbing noise and crowds of popular resorts. Unassuming
but hospit-able country restaurants serve tasty garden-fresh
vegetable dishes while on the shore sea-fresh fish is usually
the meal of choice. The hills and mountain slopes covered
with red pine, olive and fig trees are ideal for walking while
breathing unpolluted, oxygen-rich air scented by the fragrance
of tangerine orchards. One of such walks can lead to the remains
of the ancient city of Theangela inhabited by the Lelegians
in the 6th century B.C. No mention of this region can be complete
without reference to the lovely Milas carpets woven on looms
in village homes. Visit a carpet-making center and hear about
how from the dyeing of wool to the tying of the last knot
these hand-made creations evolve.
Ortakent-Yahşi
^Yukarı^ Like
Bitez, the village of Ortakent is inland of the beach. This
is one of the oldest settlements on the peninsula, a major
mandarin producer and generous supplier of water to Bodrum.
Located to the west of Bodrum on the main road, Ortakent houses
one of the thirteen remaining original tower houses in the
area. The Mustafa Pasa tower house, built in 1601, has cannon
embrasures along the roof and walls 60-cm thick, indicating
that it was built with defense in mind.Further on from Ortakent,
Yahsi offers spectacular views back towards Bodrum, and a
road descends to the wide sandy beach where a couple of boatyards
mingle with small hotels and restaurants along the shoreline.
Turgutreis
^Yukarı^ The
second largest town on the Bodrum peninsula, Turgutreis provides
the visitor with a glimpse of real Turkish life combined with
sufficient recreational amenities for everyone.
Turgutreis is named after the great Turkish Admiral of the same
name who was born here in the 16th century. Known in the west
as Dragut, Turgutreis is primarily known for his participation
in the Ottoman siege of Malta. A few kilometers outside of town
a waterfront memorial marks the place where he first set sail.
Today the town bearing the great admiral's name is a center
for commerce on the western side of the peninsula. Produce from
the surrounding villages is collected here for transport, bakeries,
shops and services flourish. For the more recreational minded,
Turgutreis features kilometers of sandy beaches, waterfront
restaurants and bars all with a special Turkish flavor.
Yalıçiftlik
^Yukarı^ A
20-minute dolmus ride from Bodrum takes one through pine forests
on a winding road past whitewashed water catchers (gümbets)
to the beach at Yaliçiftlik. The first bay after the
end of Karaada Island and marking the entrance to the Gulf
of Gokova, this shingle beach has several small restaurants
scattered around it. The eastern end of the beach is sandy
and it is also possible to swim and sunbathe in solitude by
the rocks a bit further on. It is in these spectacular surroundings
that you will find.
Four kilometers from Yaliciftlik ('Beach Farm') one comes
to the farming village of Ciftlikköy. The stone farmhouses
are scattered around the hillside, and the main crops are
pine honey collected from the beehives in the forests and
figs grown in the surrounding orchards. Untouched by tourism,
the village offers an interesting insight into local farming
life on the Bodrum peninsula.
Yalıkavak^Yukarı^ The
overland journey from Bodrum to Yalikavak provides the visitor
with some of the most spectacular scenery on the peninsula.
Slowly climbing through fertile valleys, the road then tops
at the mountain range running down the peninsula center, at
this point providing unbroken vistas of the north and south
coasts before descending to the seaside village of Yalikavak.
For many years Yalikavak has been one of the most important
fishing centers on the Turkish Aegean, home to fleets of fishermen
and sponge divers. Today, the majority of the local men still
fork the sea. Yalikavak remains the same combining the ambiance
of a hard working fishing town and the recent influence of
tourism: cafes, restaurant and bars; the harbor in Yalikavak,
with its fishing boats unloading their catch and the presence
of sleek yachts unloading passengers, has a unique atmosphere,
industrious and relaxed, foreign and friendly
Bodrum,
a charming town with its bourgainvillea covered typical
Mediterranean houses, is located on a rocky peninsula,
where the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas join. Known
as Halicarnassus in ancient times, Bodrum is the birth
place of the father of history , Herodotus ,and the
site of King Mausolus's Tomb ( 4th century B.C.), one
of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum.
The green hill, overlooking a dazzling blue bay, at
the entrance guarded by a medieval castle built by the
Knights of Rhodes provides a spectacular scenery for
visitors. This castle, which has been converted into
the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, is a fine example
of 15th century crusader architecture with remains dating
as far back as the bronze age.
The panoramic view from Göktepe, where the antique
theatre is located, overlooks the city and offers wide
angle photo sessions of the harbour, marina and the
palm lined streets and waterfront of Bodrum, where most
of the activities take place all around the year. 
Bitez
once boasted the best quality mandarins of the area and still
retains a large portion of the orchards , but is now more
know fot its clean seawater and beach, as well as the colorful
windsurfing sails , which flit across the water utilizing
the afternoon breeze. 
Fifteen
years ago Gümbet was the closest beach to Bodrum and
just a large campsite. It's now a resort in its own right
with its own special character , temperament and appeal. Banks,
hotels and clubs are providing everything a tourist desires.
Gumusluk
stands on the site of the ancient Carian city of Myndus whose
seafront sections slid into the sea in some long-forgotten earthquake.
Today, these barely submerged remains are a magnet for snorkellers
and underwater photographers. The land site is yet to be fully
excavated, but traces of antiquity can be spotted in empty fields,
sounding an evocative echo of a distant age. Country walks around
Gumusluk are invigorating and rewarding, especially in spring
and early summer when riotous displays of wild flowers cast
their rural spell and mingle their fragrance with the smell
of the sea.
Konacik
is a community that has recently attained the status of a municipality.
Adjacent to the northwest city limits of Bodrum, Konacik lies
on both sides of the main highway leading
Like
Bitez, the village of Ortakent is inland of the beach. This
is one of the oldest settlements on the peninsula, a major
mandarin producer and generous supplier of water to Bodrum.
Located to the west of Bodrum on the main road, Ortakent houses
one of the thirteen remaining original tower houses in the
area. The Mustafa Pasa tower house, built in 1601, has cannon
embrasures along the roof and walls 60-cm thick, indicating
that it was built with defense in mind.Further on from Ortakent,
Yahsi offers spectacular views back towards Bodrum, and a
road descends to the wide sandy beach where a couple of boatyards
mingle with small hotels and restaurants along the shoreline.
The
second largest town on the Bodrum peninsula, Turgutreis provides
the visitor with a glimpse of real Turkish life combined with
sufficient recreational amenities for everyone.
The
overland journey from Bodrum to Yalikavak provides the visitor
with some of the most spectacular scenery on the peninsula.
Slowly climbing through fertile valleys, the road then tops
at the mountain range running down the peninsula center, at
this point providing unbroken vistas of the north and south
coasts before descending to the seaside village of Yalikavak.
