Yacht Charter Bodrum – Turkey’s Fun Central
Built on the ruins of the ancient city of Halicarnassus,
yacht charter Bodrum is today one of the most frequented cities in
Turkey when it comes to tourism. Once home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, today it provides the backdrop for great sailing holidays to a significant number of holidaymakers from around the world.
It’s located in the southwestern corner of the Turkish peninsula, facing the blue waters of the
Mediterranean, which means there are a lot of sailing opportunities in the region.
The local airport is called Bodrum-Millas and it can be found 35km from the city center. It has flights from operators from all over the world, but if you can’t find a connection, you can fly to one of the bigger airports in the region like Dalaman and Izmir, both about 3 hours away from
yacht charter Bodrum.
By road, the city can be reached by taking the D330 highway which splits into several secondary roads. This is also the route taken by busses which arrive from other cities such as Istanbul, Ankara or Izmir.
And since it’s a port town,
yacht charter Bodrum is also accessible by ferry, with lines coming in from
Greece, from ports like
Kos or
Rhodes, which are close to the Turkish coastline. In the summer time they make daily runs to cope with the large numbers of tourists transiting the region.
The main attraction in
yacht charter Bodrum is the site of the former Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, since the monument itself was destroyed by earthquakes long ago and its remnants can be admired today at the British museum in London.
Among some of the other famous attractions there are the Castle of St. Peter, which was built by the Knights Hospitaller around 1400 with material taken from the Mausoleum ruins, the Amphitheater and the Windmills which have become a symbol of the city and were operational up until the 70s.
Shopping in
yacht charter Bodrum can be done in 2 distinct ways: either you go for the old commerce with the small shops in crowded street selling groceries , pottery and leather goods, or you go for the new, tourist-oriented commerce practiced in the shopping centers. The only thing to remember while in Turkey is you never offer the price you’re being asked, you always haggle. That’s a good way of picking up a nice deal on either clothing or jewelry.
Since Turkey is located at the border between east and west, the cuisine is also a mixture of the two cultures with surprising effects. Despite misconceptions built from Turkish restaurants from all over the world, the locals eat a lot of fresh vegetable, roasted, fried or served with yoghurt. One of the best recipes is dolmatas, which are vegetables (usually peppers) stuffed with a mixture of minced meat, rice and condiments.
Of course, there are also the Turkish exports found all over the world such as donerkebab, which in
yacht charter Bodrum is sold be street vendors, delicious and inexpensive, the perfect food when you’re on the run. Also, you definitely have to make a stop at the local coffee houses to taste real Turkish coffee, a strong brew, very different from what the Westerners consider coffee.
As far as nightlife goes, there is only one word that can characterize it: wild. Those who’ve been here before describe is as being loud, colorful and crowded, typical of the Turkish coast. The places you need to go to after dark are streets such as Dr. Alim Bey Cadesi and Cumhuriyet Cadessi.
Because it’s an old and important port town, yacht charter Bodrum hosts annually a couple of events as a testament to its maritime inheritance. The most prominent one is the International Bodrum Cup regatta in October which is organized by the local yacht club.