Travel Eye on Bodrum (Turkey)

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Overview:

The popular resort of Bodrum, called Halicarnassos in ancient times, is the South Aegean's most attractive resort, described by Homer as 'The land of eternal blue'. The hillside is covered in painted villas adorned with bougainvillea. Narrow streets wind their way down to the sea, and the peaceful setting of its twin harbours offer shelter for yachts. Bodrum is a mustering point for local boats offering tailor-made daytrips to nearby islands or the pristine beaches and seaside restaurants along the magnificent coastline. From its position between the two harbours, the 15th-century crusader Castle of St Peter dominates every part of the town, now home to the fascinating Museum of Underwater Archaeology. The other attraction in town is the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the crumbling remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. As Turkey's leading seaside resort destination, Bodrum is packed with foreign visitors in summer, yet it remains unspoilt and retains its charming Turkish character, perfecting the balance between exotic bazaars, the wailing cry of the muezzin and ancient history, with water sports, sunbathing and a nightlife that is notorious throughout Turkey.

Locality:

Bodrum is located on Turkey's SW coast, at the point where the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea meet (150 mls S of Izmir, 30 mls SW of Bodrum airport, 135 mls NW of Dalaman airport).

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

Entertainment here is mainly centred around sightseeing. The town itself is a worthy sight; principal others are the castle and its archaeological museum; a stone amphitheatre; the ruins of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). The Hall of the Carian Princess (an ancient tomb). By night the area is very popular with many music bars in the centre and waterfront areas and some impressive discos. Local excursions consist of Greek Island ferries to Kos and Rhodes, coastal cruises to Ephesus, Pamukkale (with its fantastic limestone formations). Villages and bays of the peninsula.

Probably the most popular attraction is that of Pamukkale:

Calcium-rich mineral springs surging over the edge of a mountain plateau for thousands of years has resulted in an intriguing natural masterpiece. The rock formations of Pamukkale ('Cotton Castle') are a series of natural shelves and ridges, terraces that have been turned white from the solidified chalky calcium deposits left behind as the thermal waters tumble into further basins clinging to the cliff edge below. From a distance it appears to be a dazzling white fairytale castle, with a formation of tiers rising from the ground containing warm water pools. The hot springs have been used since Roman times to cure certain ailments. On the plateau is the Pamukkale Thermal enclosing the bubbling 'sacred pool of the ancients', the main source of the springs creating the white terraces, and its mineral waters are open for public bathing. Pamukkale is also the site of the ancient Roman spa-city of Hierapolis, and there are several ruins scattered about the area, including an impressive Roman theatre. It was considered a sacred site for its magic healing waters and was the weekend destination of kings and emperors of the Pergamum and Roman Empires.