Bodrum is famously known for the Bodrum Castle. It’s regarded as one of the Seven Wonders for its time and was built in BC 4th century. There are a lot of memorable sights and attractions, with a string of nearby beaches and resorts for tourists. Bodrum had become a small fishing village around the time of the late Ottoman Era until the 1940s when the city opened up its ports to tourists. There’s many different historical attractions in this nice quiet town but we’re going to count down the top 5.
#1 – The Shopping District Bazaar
For those looking to indulge in some shopping, the Bazaar in Bodrum has everything you need. While it gives off an original Turkish market look, it’s been uplifted to give it a modern market feel with real shops rather than street vendors. There are a wide variety of shops there and while the prices aren’t the cheapest, you can find authentic Turkish products such as textiles and pottery.
They even have beach apparel for beachgoers. Located in Cevat Sakir Caddesi, you can indulge yourself into the different selection of merchandise from Central Asian textile, some local made pottery, some gold shops to bling yourself out in and a whole lot more. You definitely won’t leave empty handed when you visit the Bazaar of Bodrum. There’s so many historical and fun products to shop around for.
#2 – The Marina Shipyard
The clear and smooth waters of the Mediterranean Sea is what draws a lot of tourists in all year round to Bodrum. Located in Neyzen Tevfik Caddesi, the Marina Shipyard has a gasping view of yachts. The yachts you find here may be small fishing vessels or larger luxury yachts. Yachts are the number one attraction here and local tourism has spiked to get out into the open seas.
If you’d like to take on the open water, you can find an excursion vessel which may offer different trips depending on your destination. Some offer trips that only last a day and some of them offer trips for longer. They’ll take you all around the coast and you’ll visit some pristine water areas where you’ll be able to swim, sunbathe and more. If you continue to go down the Marina road into the West, you’ll come across the Ottoman Shipyard. The Ottoman Shipyard features a bunch of tombstones and you’ll get a great view of the Marina.
#3 – The Remains of Myndos Gate
Otherwise known as the Myndos Kapisi, this location is where a lot of researchers and historians come to find traces of the ancient city once known as Halicarnassus. While this place used to house a fortress for King Mausolus, it now stands as just a gate and it’s the only remaining piece of the fortress left. These fortress walls actually wrap around the entire city for seven kilometers.
There’s also some small ruins scattered around the gates that make for interesting exploration. Wandering tourists will find some tombs scattered throughout the grounds and some mosaic fragments. There’s also some fragments that are suggested to be part of a 4th century BC moat. While they’re not the most impressive thing you’ll discover in Bodrum, you’ll have plenty to explore in the ruins and around the gate.
#4 – Bodrum’s Historic Old Town
One of the most stunningly beautiful areas of Bodrum that you’ll visit is Old Town. The main attraction to Old Town is the cottages here that you’ll find scattered all throughout the narrow alleyways. Located in Off Kale Sokak just behind the Castle of St. Peter, this town stands as a reminder of what was once a small fishing village. While there have been renovations to modernize the town, a lot of authenticity was left in place.
The cottages are whitewashed and have vines that drape over them. If you love taking pictures, you’ll love the historic sights of Old Town and the shrubbery covered cottages. If you’d like to take a seat and grab a drink, there’s a wide selection of different cafes in the area. As expected, there’s also plenty of boutiques in the area as well. It’s a breath of fresh air to stroll through and is regarded as one of the top favorited spots to visit for tourists.
#5 – The Castle of St. Peter
Located in Kale Sokak, here lies The Castle of St. Peter. This is a tourist favorite because of the breathtaking view from the castle and the history behind the castle. If you visit Bodrum, you shouldn’t leave before coming here. Inside this castle is one of the most famous attractions, the Museum of Underwater Archaeology where you’ll find various artifacts, ship remains, pottery and more.
When the tower was built by The Knights Hospitallers of St. John in 1402-1437, various knights from different nationalities were given the responsibility of protecting the walls. The knights protected these walls up until the reign of Ottoman Sultan the Magnificent. Afterwards, it was given to the Turks who built a mosque inside the castle. A lot of the halls have been fixed and renovated but kept authentic with crests and markings on the walls.
