Home
Top Ten
Things to do in Bodrum

Top 10 Things to do in Bodrum

Our Top Ten things to do in Bodrum - Don't leave until you've experienced the best Bodrum has to offer

Bodrum is a very popular holiday resort on the west coast of Turkey and has a host of smaller, more intimate resorts around it. Night time action though centres on the town with a variety of cutting edge bars and clubs. At one time Bodrum aimed to become the new Ibiza or Ayia Napa but has settled for life in slipstream rather than deal with all the problems club superstardom brings. It’s great for families and young people who want a variety of fun and relaxation.

1 Bodrum Castle

Also know as the Castle of St. Peter. A massive castle and at the time it was built, the second most important castle in the Templar movement, Bodrum castle stands on a promontory overlooking the sea.
At the time it was build it had the coat of arms of all the contributors on its walls and nearly 250 survive to this day. The castle has been renovated over the years and now houses the Turkish National Shipwreck Museum with many finds from wrecks of the Aegean.

2 Museum of Underwater Archaeology

This brilliant museum inside the Castle of St. Peter is a must-see attraction, even if you don't have an interest in underwater archaeology. The layout of the Museum is very well organized, and the stunning artifacts are complimented by multimedia displays. After the entrance, with its huge amphorae collection and a glass-blowing workshop that kids will love, you enter the Glass Wreck Hall, which displays a 16-meter ship that sunk in AD 1025.

3 Mausoleum

The Mausoleum of King Halicarnassus is one of the wonders of the ancient world and situated in Bodrum. Not much remains of the building now, only the foundations and a few fragments from the walls. A small museum nearby documents the site which was built around 350 BC. Originally, the mausoleum or tomb was built for Halicarnassus by his wife and stood 148 feet high surrounded on all sides with friezes detailing the life of the king. Earthquakes initially saw to the demise of the mausoleum but the Knights of Malta took stone away from the site to help build Bodrum castle and the friezes were taken away and are now on display in the British Museum. Other blocks were shipped to Malta to help in the construction of the docks at Cospicua.

4 Sport

The Turks take sport very seriously and in Bodrum there’s no exception. The club Bodrumspor manage a number of sports activities in the town including the town’s second division football team Bodrumspor. Lots of events are held at the sports centre to which tourists are welcomed and for those who want to try a new sport, there’s always friendly locals willing to invite you to participate.

5 Camel Ride

Along the marina in Bodrum, a man sits all day with his camel offering rides up and down the harbourside. Whilst not the usual kind of place you’d expect to see a camel it’s quite fun to try and the owner is happy to take photographs of you with the castle in the background. If you’re down by the harbour, give it a go.

6 Turkish Delight

Turkey is famous for its Turkish Delight, even though there’s a degree of rivalry over its invention between Turkey and Cyprus. Many shops in Bodrum sell the sweet delicacy either loose or in boxes for tourists. There are over 60 different flavours in production and the shopkeepers are happy to let prospective purchasers try the sweets. My favourites are the traditional rose, lemon, orange and mint but there are many to choose from. They are delicious with a Turkish coffee and a glass of ice cold water.

7 Gumbet Beach

The closest good beach to Bodrum is at Gumbet, a mile or so away, the sandy beach is clean and popular with families with its gently sloping shore and warm waters. Recently more water sport opportunities have been added, appealing to the young generation and there are a good variety of beach bars, snack bars and restaurants to keep thirst and hunger at bay. Some of the beach bars offer night time beach parties which end up as riotous occasions but, if you can handle the pace, are lots of fun.

8 Marina

Bodrum Marina is a great place for people watching. Here the rich and famous of the Mediterranean and the wider world come to dock their luxury yachts before heading off into town to sample the many exquisite restaurants that have grown up following the popularity of the marina. There are a number of small, exclusive shops dotted around the marina and attractive bars and cafes to while away the time in.

9 Soup Kitchen 06 Lokantas

OK, we’ve mentioned some of the exclusive restaurants but if you want great traditional food and don’t mind slumming it, try 06 Lokantas, near the harbour. The food here is prepared to meet the needs of those that work long into the Bodrum night and it is frequented by taxi drivers, bar staff and shopkeepers. The food is traditional Turkish and is displayed in what could best be described as dustbins. Given a container, you help yourself to the food, pick up a bottle of drink and sit on the benches outside. Their Imam Bayildi – aubergine stew is absolutely delicious. If you fancy a sweet dessert afterwards, a little down the street a stall sells freshly fried doughnut balls drizzled in honey and lemon. Who needs a posh restaurant?

10 Waterparks

As is required of all beach resorts these days, Gumbet has two waterparks which are actually very good. Probably the better of the two is Aquapark Dedeman which has plenty of slides, flumes, a wave pool, lazy river and even a half pipe! Entrance is reasonably priced and you can buy a family ticket, an all day ticket or a half day one. There’s very little shade here so you’ll need to keep up with the sun screen to avoid getting burnt but it’s a fun and energetic way to spend a day.