Bodrum
A castle of the Knights Hospitaller on the harbour, stones of the Mausoleum in its walls, bays and marinas along the peninsula, and a runway thirty-six kilometres inland near Milas.
- Arrival
- Milas–Bodrum Airport · BJV
- To the town
- About 36 km to Bodrum by road
- Private jets
- General aviation terminal at BJV
- Best time
- April to October
The city
Halicarnassus, the castle and the bays.
Bodrum was Halicarnassus, where the tomb of Mausolus stood among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Only its foundations remain. Much of its stone went into the castle the Knights Hospitaller raised on the harbour in the fifteenth century, which now keeps a museum of underwater archaeology.
The peninsula lives from April to October, and the sea is at its warmest in August. Yalıkavak has its marina and its yachts, Göltürkbükü the calm bays of the north coast, and three kitchens on the peninsula hold a MICHELIN star.
Arriving
From Milas to the sea.
Milas–Bodrum Airport lies 36 km north-east of the town, with an international terminal opened in 2012 and two runways of 3,000 and 2,500 metres.
- Athens 45 min
- Cairo 1 h 30
- Geneva 3 h 00
- Barcelona 3 h 15
- Singapore 11 h 35 long-range jet
When to go
April to October.
Summers are long, hot and dry, and winters wet. April to October is the season; the sea is warmest in August, and the heavy rain comes from November to February.
- 14° J 168 17°
- 14° F 117 16°
- 16° M 79 16°
- 20° A 38 17°
- 25° M 23 19°
- 30° J 11 22°
- 33° J 3 23°
- 32° A 7 25°
- 29° S 18 24°
- 24° O 53 22°
- 19° N 94 20°
- 15° D 165 18°
What to see and do
Days in and around Bodrum.
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Landmark
Bodrum Castle
The castle of St Peter on the harbour, home to the Museum of Underwater Archaeology; parts remain closed while it is restored.
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Landmark
The Mausoleum
The foundations of the tomb of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
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Landmark
Yalıkavak
The marina village of the peninsula, with Palmarina and two of the starred tables.
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Culture
Bodrum Ancient Theatre
Begun under Mausolus in the fourth century BC and enlarged by the Romans, the hillside theatre again seats about 10,000 for summer concerts and ballet.
Official site -
Culture
Myndos Gate
Alexander's siege of 334 BC fought hardest at this western gate of Mausolus's city walls, where two towers and the dry moat survive.
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Culture
Zeki Müren Arts Museum
The singer's home from 1980 until his death in 1996 opened as a museum in 2000, showing the stage costumes he designed, his paintings and his 1976 Buick.
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Food & wine
Karnas Vineyards
On the Karaova Valley wine route, this estate planted Turkey's first Zinfandel in 2005 and serves tastings, vineyard tours and paired meals on its veranda.
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On the water
Kara Ada
Day boats from Bodrum harbour cross to this island, where a cave spring at a steady 32 degrees lets swimmers coat themselves in mineral mud.
Where to stay
From Paradise Bay to Yalıkavak.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Mandarin Oriental Bodrum Sixty acres of hillside above Paradise Bay, with two private beaches, olive groves and 109 rooms.
- Allium Bodrum Resort & Spa Thirty-eight suites in eight villas on a thirteen-acre hillside, with One MICHELIN Key for 2026.
- The Bodrum EDITION Kitchen By Osman Sezener holds a MICHELIN star here, and The Villa spreads four bedrooms over three floors around its own pool.
- Yalıkavak Marina Hotel by METT Collection Thirty-six rooms inside the marina, refurbished in 2023, among them two-bedroom suites with private pools.
- Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay Built on the cliffs of Barbaros Bay above a Blue Flag sandy beach, with a spa of about 5,500 square metres.
- Caresse, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Bodrum Eighty-four rooms, suites and residences, and a spa of 1,600 square metres.
- Rixos Premium Bodrum An all-inclusive resort whose accommodation runs from rooms to six kinds of villa.
- Swissôtel Resort Bodrum Beach Directly on the Turgutreis waterfront, with an indoor pool in its Pürovel spa and sports area of over 1,700 square metres.
- Titanic Luxury Collection Bodrum Its seafront beach runs for about 350 metres along Güvercinlik Bay.
Where to dine
Three tables with a star.
From the MICHELIN Guide 2026, shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these restaurants.
- Maçakızı One Michelin star Modern ₺₺₺₺ Maçakızı hotel, Göltürkbükü
- Kitchen By Osman Sezener One Michelin star Modern ₺₺₺₺ The Bodrum EDITION, Yalıkavak
- Mezra Yalıkavak One Michelin star Farm to table ₺₺₺₺ Dirmil, Yalıkavak
Elsewhere in Turkey
More reasons to come.
- Istanbul Hagia Sophia, the Topkapı Palace, and the waterside mansions of the Bosphorus.
- Göcek A sailing bay with a dozen islands.
- Antalya The walled quarter of Kaleiçi, and the resorts along the coast.
- Cappadocia Rock-cut churches and cave hotels in a valley of stone chimneys.
- Çeşme A resort town on the Aegean, an hour from İzmir.
Flying to Bodrum?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.