The Bodrum Peninsula

An Overview of the Bodrum Peninsula

Bodrum is a hotspot for property investment and holiday homes in beautiful exotic Turkey.  Bodrum is famous for its whitewashed buildings draped in bougainvillea and you will find many souvenirs depicting this image.

There are several resorts to choose from offering villas and apartments in complexes, Bitez close to Bodrum, Gumbet in the next bay,  Ortakent half way along the Bodrum peninsula, Turgutreis at the far end, Gumusluk in the west and Yalikavak in the north.

It is a perfect choice for your Mediterranean home, steeped in history and full of charm where you can enjoy lazy days by the crystal blue water or magic walks on the hills.  There is also so much to see further afield in the surrounding countryside.  Bodrum is home to the Castle of St Peter dating back to the crusades and  Herodotus known as the father of History.

Bodrum is close to many other tourist destinations and is suitable for modern life alongside rural life with 3 main hospitals, many supermarkets and 3 marinas.  Bodrum nightlife is second to none with an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants and is home to the Halikarnassus disco one of the largest in the world.  The Bodrum climate during the long Turkish summer is especially comfortable as it is where the Mediterranean sea meets the Aegean and creates a unique air quality.  The warm clear blue waters are perfect for swimming and other water activities.

Bodrum Town

Bodrum is a town of white-washed houses hung with bougainvillea, rising in tiers on the green hill overlooking a dazzling blue bay at the entrance to which stands a medieval castle built by the Knights of Rhodes. Here, where the Aegean and the Mediterranean meet, is one of Turkey‘s loveliest holiday resorts, with its long palm lined waterfront and its marina crowded in the summer with elegant yachts not far from the town it is possible to swim in unbelievably clear,tideless, warm seas.

The boatyards of Bodrum have been famous since ancient times and today the craftsmen still make the traditional types of yacht: the pointed bow and stern (tirhandil) and the broad beamed and rounded stern (gulette). The latter, especially, is used for excursions and pleasure trips. The gulette is also used in the Bodrum Cup Race held every October.

Bodrum has a lively, friendly, Bohemian atmosphere and many small galleries. It is the meeting place of the Turkish art community. Renowned forits relaxed, informal life style and its abundance of daytime fun-filled activities and nighttime excitement, it is impossible to be bored. There are many interesting and varied bars, restaurants, night clubs (some with cabaret), and, of course, some of the best discos in Europe.

Lake Tuzla

An unspoiled region on the Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey, Lake Tuzla is home to hundreds of flamingos in winter and is famous for its wild life. Here, the Aegean sea meets the fresh water Tuzla Lake all surrounded by hills and mountains. There are many authentic Turkish villages dotted around the lake and the mountains. The sunsets over the sea here are spectacular and the sunrises reflected in the lake are unmissable. Fresh sea food restaurants are found in nearby Bogazici or Gulluk, your choosen sea food is cooked over charcoal and served with a fresh bowl of salad and crusty bread. All in all an excellent place to spend some time and explore Turkey, something for everyone. Only 20 mins from Bodrum airport, sitting on top of the highlands here, the resorts of Flamingo Country Club, Royal Heights, Lakeside Garden and Turquoise cater for the discerning traveller. For golfers, the challenging Vita Park Golf Course is just to the south of the lake and only 5 minutes from the resorts mentioned above.

Mumcular

is a small town located 29 kilometers north of Bodrum. With its outlying villages it has a population of about 15000 and since 1972 the status of a municipality. The region is famous for its production of honey, tobacco and olives.

A few years ago all the villages in this area decided to concentrate on rug production and it is now renowned for its carpets. The shearing of sheep, the spinning and colouring of wool and weaving of the final products are all done by local women and girls. There is virtually no house where females aged from 7 to 70 are not in some way involved in the production of carpets.

Tours from Bodrum arrive once or twice a week in Mumcular and its villages to see the art of carpet weaving and the village way of life.

Whole hillsides are seen to be covered with carpets making a wonderful subject for photographs. The tours, designed primarily to promote sales, include a demonstration of the women spinning and weaving plus a lunch cooked and served by young local girls.

Yalıkavak

Yalıkavak is on the North coast of the Bodrum Peninsula with a newly built harbour and shops. 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 centre, 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 centres 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 harbour 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..

The restaurants in the town centre and on the sea front are popular with locals and tourists alike. There is a small beach, but it‘s more comfortable to sit in a waterside cafe and watch the world go by. Several buildings have been tastefully restored in the town; a former water cistern has become a small art gallery and a former olive oil press is converted into a kilim showroom where visitors are welcome.

Güvercinlik

Güvercinlik, picturesquely translating to ‘dovecote’, lies by the sea on the main Milas-Bodrum highway. The extensive area over which the touristic establishments are spread avoids crowding, giving them liberty to space their facilities and leave free space for landscaping and greenery.

The bay, protected by Salih Island, offers opportunities for all watersports, particularly water-skiing. Although the larger hotels have just about everything that a guest may desire, trips to the bright lights of Bodrum or to the market town of Milas are easy by regular minibus or inter-city buses that pass through. Also, for those who may wish to try some simple village fare, small local restaurants serve tasty native dishes. The close proximity of Güvercinlik to the Bodrum/Milas International Airport is an added asset as less time is spent intransit and more enjoying the holidays.

Gumusluk

Gumusluk is 23 km from the centre of Bodrum and is set amidst tangerine groves, a quiet setting for your property in Turkey. The quaint harbour is decked with seafood restaurants and is a favourite all year round where you can lunch or enjoy a romantic dinner.  The villas and apartments here are set in complexes around the bays close to the sea.

To the right of it is a little island called Tavsan (Rabbit ). When the sea is shallow, you can literally walk to this island via the small causeway of stones that was built in Hellenistic times. While making your little ‘walk‘ to this island, make sure to check out the remains of ruins underneath the water.

Bitez

Bitez is conveniently located only 7 km from Bodrum in a beautiful sandy bay surrounded by citrus groves. It hosts several International water sports competitions throughout the year and is a windsurfers paradise. There are an abundance of quality shops, hotels and restaurants lining the promenade. It combines sports activities with a relaxing cosmopolitan atmosphere and a more refined nightlife.

The old village is inland with small winding streets reminiscent of the famous quaint streets of Bodrum. Bitez is a perfect choice for your ‘home in the sun’.

Gumbet

Only 2-3 km away from Bodrum this place recently became almost a resort unto itself and features one of the longest and most popular beaches on the peninsula. Gumbet (named after Kümbet - these white domed cisterns in this area)

The long sandy beach is undoubtedly a great attraction, but it‘s the combination of the sea, sun, sand and fun that makes Gumbet so popular. Because the beach is within an easy walk from most hotels and the central area, Gumbet is also a favourite with many families with children. It‘s a place for the young and young at the heart.

TORBA

Torba tucks into a protected bay at the extreme north east corner of the Bodrum Peninsula and the pine forests stretch down to the sea due to the favourable humid winds.  A popular residential area for those looking for peace and quiet yet easily accessible to Bodrum only 6 km away, Torba features a long coastline dotted with a holiday village, some hotels, small pensions, bars and restaurants and isolated stretches for private sunbathing and swimming. On the beach are the remains of a 4th or 5th century monastery.

Torba is also a popular haven for local fishermen and yachtsmen seeking to unload their catch or the quiet haven of the well-protected harbour. In addition a ferryboat makes daily runs across the unspoiled Gulf of Gulluk to Didim, a wonderful opportunity to view the magnificent Temple of Apollo and combine a pleasant boat trip at the same time.

Golkoy

You can find Golkoy on the peninsula map east of Yalikavak and 18km north of Bodrum where visitors also enjoy heavily forested area in the Bodrum Peninsula. The village is divided into upper and lower Golkoy. This delightful spot is the favourite retreat of many well-known Turkish artists, actors and entertainers who enliven the many small bars and restaurants at night. Golkoy occupies a verdant green valley fronted by a long sandy beach with small pensions and restaurants. Several of the more popular restaurants are run by Istanbul couples who have fled the big city. The delights of Golkoy are many, but perhaps foremost among them is the ability to enjoy the quiet native atmosphere.

Konacik

Konacik is a busy village situated very close to Bodrum town, with easy access to the rest of the peninsula. There is a regular bus service into Bodrum and other local areas of interest. Konacik is also ideally located for visits to the beaches at Gumbet and Bitez, it is also close to the exclusive shopping centre Oasis.

Konacik is well-known for the ruins of the castle of Pedasa four kilometres away as the crow flies, on the top of a hill covered with trees. As there is no road  you can only get there on foot after a  90 minute walk . For those who are interested this trip will give them a pleasant hike and great satisfaction. The ruins can be seen on the top of the hill, within a circle of 150 metres in diameter. The remains are generally of the walls and the inner castle. To the south and south east of this area you can see tombs in the style of the Lelegian.

Turgutreis

Turgutreis is located 18 kilometers from the city of Bodrum.  The town has grown rapidly during the last few years and the town centre has been totally redeveloped and has become more modern.  It has a sandy beach which stretches for 2.5 miles, where the strong wind creates perfect conditions for wind surfers. The panoramic view of 14 Greek islands provides a wonderful background by sunset for memorable photographs. The restaurants and bars lined along  the seafront in the town centre offer a wide choice of selection from seafood to Mexican food. There are many cheap hotels and pensions to choose from. The area has many villa complexes and Turgutreis was the first place in Turkey to adopt the timesharing idea.

The latest development in Turgutreis is the newly opened D-Marin Marina. Our company was the main contractor in this project. It has 7 piers with an additional pier to handle the ferryboat traffic. This pier will have a ferryboat service to/from Turgutreis to Datça, Didim, Kusadasi, Marmaris and Fethiye all located on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts of Turkey. Additionally, Turgutreis is only 5 miles from the island of Cos in Greece and this marina will be the only one in the Bodrum area with the capability to handle the arrival of cruise ships from the Greek islands.  The Marina also has a shopping arcade with various shops, supermarket, bank and cafes.

The village takes its name from Kaptan-i Derya Turgut Reis who lived from 1485-1565 (known as Dragut in the West ) a famous Ottoman corsair born here. Turgut joined the Ottoman navy and rose to commander. He was killed during an abortive siege of Malta in 1565.

Additionally, the sea around Turgutreis is littered with sea wrecks that have yielded important finds, which are now on display in the Bodrum  Museum.

The surrounding area of Turgutreis is agricultural and covered in mandarine, grape and fig groves.

Ortakent

The name "Ortakent" means "Middle town" and lying in the centre of the Bodrum Peninsula on the main Turgutreis-Bodrum road, Ortakent is an ideal central base from which to explore the region.  The beach is long and wide, with cool sea breezes which provide relief from the intense summer heat and speed up the tanning process.

Between the beach and the village lies a green, fertile valley with fig, olive and mandarin trees, and neat market gardens typical of the agricultural backbone of this area.

Recently tourism has become very important and in 1999 Ortakent and Yahsi got the status of a municipality.

When passing through the village, it is worth making a short detour to see the 17th century ‘Mustafa Pasha tower‘, built for defensive purposes, and one of the best surviving examples of this type of structure.

Gundogan

GUNDOGAN is one of the holiday destinations of the rich and famous and is a fast developing area with a variety of properties in the village and surrounding countryside. Many Turkish nationals come here from Istanbul and Ankara for weekend breaks. A new five star hotel has just opened this summer and this is attracting a lot of international clients and money too!

The village remains very Turkish and traditional. There is a handful of shops, two internet cafes and a selection of restaurants and bars. Many of these are directly on the seafront or built on jetties into the sea. Seafood is a speciality but there are many small Turkish restaurants serving Turkish dishes.

Gundogan is a good base for touring the Bodrum Peninsula - no where is far away. Ideally placed for house-hunting - the Bodrum Peninsula is becoming "the" place for summer houses.

Kadikalesi

Kadikalesi is 23 kilometers from the city of Bodrum. This town has an excellent beach and the sunsets are exquisite. Kadikalesi has a choice of hotels and holiday villages.The ruins of what appears to be a citadel ( known as Cadi‘s Castle) are located at the cape overlooking the bay. In fact, this is the remains of the city of Pedasos, founded five thousand years ago.This location has not been excavated and is under the prodection of the ministry of Culture so construction is not permitted in the vicinity.

Turkbuku

Midway along the peninsula‘s north shore, nestled in a huge bay is the quaint village of Turkbuku. It is 20 km from Bodrum centre. Safely tucked in the surrounding hillsides on the west side of the bay and sheltered by two islands (Badem) the village of Turkbuku is a natural haven for local fishermen, who still operate from the many wooden jetties along the beachfront.  Just outside the bay are popular fishing grounds. Those jetties along the shore are used by sunbathers in the daytime too and become romantic restaurants and bars by night.

This resort was very tranquill until recently, it has now become the place for high society both Turkish and from around the world to spend a day or two in luxury yachts or buy a luxury home.

On the hillside you can find the historcal ruins of the town Masanda and the remains consist of two towers, a hoiuse, some tombs, a water cistern and a stone covered square. m-

Iasos

Kiyikislacik, ancient Iasos, lies at the innermost point oft the Gulf of Güllük north of the Bodrum Peninsula and is 18 kilometers east of Milas.  Across the water on the opposite shore Güllük can be seen. In the further distance other villages along the coast of the Bodrum Peninsula are visible. While the peninsula is Turkey's most popular holiday area crowded with visitors in summer, Kiyikislacik is astonishingly peaceful and tranquil. The present village only dates from 1929. Before that, it was a Greek farm. Today it is famous for its olive groves and cheap and abundant fish, like in ancient days. Iasos was formerly an island, the founders probably chose it for its protected natural harbour. Excavations of the Carian city Iasos by a team of Italian archaeologists have revealed that the earliest settlement dates back to the Early Bronce Age. Many artefacts and sculptures can be seen in Izmir, Milas and Bodrum museums, and there are some objects and inscriptions made of the local purple marble in a Roman mausoleum referred to locally as the Balik Pazari (Fish Market). Other buildings in the ancient city date from various periods.

In recent years fish farming has become widespread in the area and like in ancient days the abundance of fresh fish in Kiyikislacik is one of its main attractions. Every day people come here from the opposite shore just to buy fish and to have a meal at one of the fish restaurants on the seashore here is delightful.

Milas

The name Milas comes from the name of the Carian city of Mylasa. The name Mylasa in turn came from the son of Khrysaor called Mylasos who was the grandson of Sisyphos and Aiolos.

According to the historian and geographer Strabon, Mylasa was one of the important settlements of the inner ring of Carian cities. The other two were Alabanda and Stratonikeia.

In the 5th century BC, Mylasa joined the uprising of Ionia against the invading Persian army. In 446 BC, it overthrew Persian rule following the Berymdon War and joined the Attica Delos League. Mylasa, like other Carian cities, surrendered to the army of Alexander the Great in 334 BC but Alexander left the city to be ruled by the Carian Queen Ada. In 143 BC, Mylasa played the role of a judge in a dispute over the classes at the request of the Roman Emperor Acmilius and then became a centre of courthouses ruled by governors. After 129 BC, it became part of the Roman Empire.

During the Byzantine era, Mylasa became a centre of bishopric. In the 13th century it was taken over by the Menteseogullari Turks.