Karaada is a small island just off Bodrum, Turkey, in the Aegean Sea. It’s easily accessible via a day cruise from Bodrum.
The biggest attraction in Bodrum is Bodrum Castle. This huge walled structure sits at the entrance to the harbor in the center of the city.
I found food in Bodrum to be generally overpriced and of low quality. It’s a touristy town so that’s to be expected, but thankfully there are some good places to eat.
Since the beaches aren’t that great, the best way to enjoy the pristine waters around the Bodrum peninsula is to take a day cruise. You’ll be able to visit a few different coves inaccessible by land and jump off the boat into the water.
The tiny fishing village of Gümüşlük has retained its charm by limiting development. My Turkish friends told me to visit in the afternoon to eat very reasonably priced fish at one of the restaurants up against the harbor. I took my family there when they came to visit one day during their cruise ship stop in Bodrum.
Turgutreis is a modern resort town named after the Ottoman admiral Turgut Reis, who was born there to a Greek family in 1485. The town was originally known as Karatoprak until it was renamed in honor of Turgut Reis in 1972.
You’ve surely heard of the ancient Greek city of Halicarnassus (Ἀλικαρνασσός) and its famous mausoleum, but where was it located? The modern city of Bodrum in Turkey. Only a few bits and pieces of the ancient city are still around to this day.
Most people go to Bodrum to relax, enjoy the sun and sea, and party. While all of those are great reasons to visit, Bodrum’s city center has a long and colorful history with some decent archaeological sites, a Crusader castle, and a bazaar to keep you busy for a day.
Thinking about visiting Bodrum? Need some convincing?