840km (521 miles) south of Istanbul; 240km (149 miles) south of Izmir; 180km (112 miles) west of Marmaris; 25km (16 miles) south of Bodrum Airport
Less than 100 years ago, Turkish writer Cevat Sakir Kabaagaçli was sentenced to exile in the dungeon of St. Peter's Castle as punishment for his politically incorrect writings. Times under the paranoid Abdülhamid II were harsh -- except the sultan apparently didn't know that the prison had been closed a decade earlier. With the help of the local governor, Cevat found a house overlooking the sea in which to live out his period of exile, enjoying a view so picturesque that it inspired him to pen piles of essays on the beauty and allure of life in what was then a laid-back fishing village.
As a probable result of this early bit of marketing, Bodrum has become Turkey's most popular seaside tourist destination, a perfect balance of whitewashed stucco hillside houses dripping in bougainvillea, magnificent vistas, historic imprints, and blow-out nightlife. St. Peter's Castle dominates every corner of Bodrum from its spot at the middle of Bodrum's twin harbors. The crumbled yet enduring remains of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, also resides in Bodrum. And although Turkey's most popular "party destination," by day Bodrum is a quiet but thriving holiday beach resort. In the summertime the city's twin harbors become densely packed with hundreds of the wooden gulets offering trips to the nearby islands or for the Mavi Yoluculu (the "Blue Cruise"), Cevat's romanticized weeklong journey along the glorious coastlines of the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, Bodrum's nightlife -- an all-night party organized by club owners each trying to outdo the excesses and spectacle of the other -- is infamous throughout Turkey. By night the city becomes a maniacal stream of human flesh flowing through the narrow expanse of "Bar Street," which empties onto an open harbor of more outdoor cafes and bars, the whole sporadically illuminated by a laser show emanating from the famed Halikarnas Night Club. From every vantage point in town, there's St. Peter's Castle, illuminated by spotlights shining on the ramparts.
Bodrum's popularity seems to have no limits, and as fast as the Turkish jet-set can lay its claim to a secluded cove or sandy bay, tourism follows, spurring the entitled class to seek new unspoiled hunting grounds. Examples of this can be seen all along the Bodrum Peninsula, in the boutique hotels and beaches of Torba and Türkbükü, in the expansive seasides at Yalikavak, Turgutreis, Ortakent, and Akyarlar, and in the poetry of the sunken ruins and waterside fish restaurants of Gümüslük. Clearly, Bodrum still has quite a long way to go before becoming just another one of Turkey's overbuilt seaside resorts.
Less than 100 years ago, Turkish writer Cevat Sakir Kabaagaçli was sentenced to exile in the dungeon of St. Peter's Castle as punishment for his politically incorrect writings. Times under the paranoid Abdülhamid II were harsh -- except the sultan apparently didn't know that the prison had been closed a decade earlier. With the help of the local governor, Cevat found a house overlooking the sea in which to live out his period of exile, enjoying a view so picturesque that it inspired him to pen piles of essays on the beauty and allure of life in what was then a laid-back fishing village.
As a probable result of this early bit of marketing, Bodrum has become Turkey's most popular seaside tourist destination, a perfect balance of whitewashed stucco hillside houses dripping in bougainvillea, magnificent vistas, historic imprints, and blow-out nightlife. St. Peter's Castle dominates every corner of Bodrum from its spot at the middle of Bodrum's twin harbors. The crumbled yet enduring remains of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, also resides in Bodrum. And although Turkey's most popular "party destination," by day Bodrum is a quiet but thriving holiday beach resort. In the summertime the city's twin harbors become densely packed with hundreds of the wooden gulets offering trips to the nearby islands or for the Mavi Yoluculu (the "Blue Cruise"), Cevat's romanticized weeklong journey along the glorious coastlines of the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, Bodrum's nightlife -- an all-night party organized by club owners each trying to outdo the excesses and spectacle of the other -- is infamous throughout Turkey. By night the city becomes a maniacal stream of human flesh flowing through the narrow expanse of "Bar Street," which empties onto an open harbor of more outdoor cafes and bars, the whole sporadically illuminated by a laser show emanating from the famed Halikarnas Night Club. From every vantage point in town, there's St. Peter's Castle, illuminated by spotlights shining on the ramparts.
Bodrum's popularity seems to have no limits, and as fast as the Turkish jet-set can lay its claim to a secluded cove or sandy bay, tourism follows, spurring the entitled class to seek new unspoiled hunting grounds. Examples of this can be seen all along the Bodrum Peninsula, in the boutique hotels and beaches of Torba and Türkbükü, in the expansive seasides at Yalikavak, Turgutreis, Ortakent, and Akyarlar, and in the poetry of the sunken ruins and waterside fish restaurants of Gümüslük. Clearly, Bodrum still has quite a long way to go before becoming just another one of Turkey's overbuilt seaside resorts.
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