Vega Concierge

Welcome to Bodrum.

A town of whitewashed houses tier on tier against a green hill, overlooking a dazzling blue bay guarded by the great medieval castle of the Knights of Rhodes.

Halicarnassus
Ancient Greek city, c. 1000 BC
Peninsula
649 km² of coves and white villages
Castle
Built by Knights of Rhodes, 1415
A Short History

From Halicarnassus to the Saint-Tropez of Turkey.

Bodrum was founded around 1,000 BC by Dorian settlers from Greece, becoming the capital of King Mausolos in the 4th century BC. His monumental tomb — the original Mausoleum — ranked among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Conquered by Alexander the Great in 334 BC, ruled by Romans, then the Byzantines, the city finally took its modern form when the Knights of Rhodes built St. Peter's Castle in 1415. Today it houses one of the world's greatest Museums of Underwater Archaeology.

St. Peter's Castle

St. Peter's Castle

Built 1415–1437 by the Knights of Rhodes; houses the world's foremost underwater archaeology museum.

The Mausoleum

The Mausoleum

Tomb of King Mausolos; one of the original Seven Wonders. Foundation still visible at the centre of town.

Antique Theatre

Antique Theatre

Hellenistic amphitheatre on the hillside above town, seating 13,000 — still used for summer concerts.

Museum of Underwater Archaeology

Museum of Underwater Archaeology

Set inside St. Peter's Castle — one of the world's most important underwater collections, home to the Uluburun shipwreck and ancient glass and amphorae.

The Leleg Way

The Leleg Way

A waymarked hiking trail tracing the peninsula's ancient Leleg settlements through pine forest and hill villages, with sweeping Aegean views.

Zeki Müren Arts Museum

Zeki Müren Arts Museum

The seafront villa of Turkey's legendary 'Sun of Art', preserved as a museum of his stage costumes, instruments and personal belongings.

The peninsula, village by village.

No other corner of the Aegean delivers traditional Turkish life so close to a world-class resort scene. Here is our short list of where to wake up.

Yalıkavak
Marina life

Yalıkavak

Designer marina, windmill views and the best dining of the peninsula. Famous for windsurfing and sunset.

Practical information.

The little things that help you settle into Bodrum on day one.

01

Geography

South-west tip of Turkey. The peninsula covers 649 km² of pine-clad hills, white villages and turquoise coves.

02

Emergency

All Emergencies (Police, Gendarmerie, Fire) 112 • Country code +90 • Area code 252

03

Banks & Exchange

Banks 09:00–12:00 and 13:30–17:00 Mon–Fri. Exchange offices open daily 10:00–23:00.

04

Driving

Right-hand drive. Towns 40 km/h, highways 90 km/h. Seat belts mandatory, no phones at the wheel.

05

City transport

Dolmuş minibuses run from Cevat Şakir bus station to every village and beach — cheap, regular, easy to flag.

06

Market days

Mon — Güvercinlik • Tue — Bodrum textiles • Wed — Gümüşlük • Thu — Bodrum food • Fri — Bodrum food • Sat — Turgutreis • Sun — Mumcular.

Distances from Bodrum

Bodrum Airport (BJV)25 km
Dalaman Airport (DLM)235 km
Izmir Airport (ADB)240 km
Yalıkavak20 km
Türkbükü22 km
Gümüşlük23 km
Bitez10 km
Torba8 km
Turgutreis18 km
Marmaris180 km
Fethiye272 km
Pamukkale300 km

Want a deeper tour?

Our concierges will walk you through the peninsula, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, and design your stay around what you love.

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