Bodrum Activities

With the glistening waters of the Aegean Sea lapping the coastline, sailing aboard a traditional Turkish gulet (wooden yacht) is a must. Our top tip? Head to the port early in the morning and book your spot with one of the smaller, independent companies. If you prefer to keep on dry land, visit a local hammam dating back to the mid-1700s, drive to the former fishing village of Turkbuku (named the ‘St Tropez of Turkey) or take in live music at the Graeco-Roman amphitheatre.

Tuck into Turkish street food from gözleme, paper thin circles of dough filled with any combinations of meat, vegetables and cheese to simit (a cross between a pretzel and a bagel) and peynirli borek, flaky pastry filled with spinach and cheese. Eat lunch at canteen-style restaurants serving hot and cold mezes and sit down to a bowl of catch of the day at one of the many waterfront restaurants. And for a Bodrum speciality buy a sebzeli döner – cooked in a spinning skewer.

Built by the Knights of St John in the 1400s, Bodrum Castle was once a medieval fortress and now houses the Museum of Underwater Archaeology and a fantastic vantage point for views over the city. You can visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World at the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus or simply stroll the streets of Bodrum Town lined by white buildings draped with bougainvillea.