- Bodrum
- (20)
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Turkey
There are plenty of restaurants in the old town of Bodrum, most of which close in the dead of winter. Not so the family run Sünger Pizza café. Literally translated as "sponge diver" this busy, informal restaurant makes perfect thin-crust pizzas, but is more famous with the locals for its seafood.
Up on the roof in the summer is for tourists, where the fast and efficient waiters are quick to deliver your meal. The fish soup is to die for and the köfte (Turkish meat balls) is the best in Bodrum. Downstairs you'll rub shoulders with the local cognoscenti at any time of the year. Squashed together among the tables of the two dining rooms, or outside on the pavement on the shared benches, have a few glasses of rakı and you could end up talking about the state of the mausoleum (one of the ancient seven wonders) with local archaeologists, or swapping Mark Twain quotes with the resident sail maker. Ex pats from all over the world live in the marina opposite and use the restaurant as their dining room, so there's always a fishy tale to be told. It's open every day of the year and is rammed to the rafters with atmosphere.
www.sungerpizza.com/
Neyzen Tevfik Caddesi, No: 218, BODRUM
(opposite the marina).
+90 252 316 08 54
Google map: bit.ly/GDaibW
Unspoilt Gümüşlük, stubbornly refusing to allow any concrete tourist developments within its tiny bay, is the prettiest fishing village on the Bodrum peninsular. And just a short walk away, hidden along the road towards Yalıkavak, is Limon Café, the region's most picturesque restaurant. From the road you walk through an unprepossessing series of shacks, past the art shop and kitchen through to the outside bar and terraced garden. Under the sky an assortment of wooden tables, chairs and sofas sit higgledy-piggledy, lit with candles or low lights, and decorated with home-made ceramics. Oversized cushions artfully tumble down the hill, inviting you to lounge and admire the view across the ruins of ancient Myndos. The food, often flavoured with lemons, is predictably fresh, scrumptious and authentic. Try the home-made lemonade or lemon cocktails before you eat. It is all made just that bit more magical by the nightly spectacular sunsets over the Aegean.
www.limongumusluk.com/
Yalı Mavkii no:1, Gümüşlük, Bodrum 48400 Muğla, Turkey
+90 252 3944044
Google map: bit.ly/GDbiga
This is a glorious section of the Aegean coast, with turquoise bays, hidden coves and authentic fishing villages. You can't see the best bits from the road, and a big ship wouldn't be able to get into the small bays, so the best way to see it is on a small gulet. You can book a cabin or take over the whole boat.
www.ewaterways.com/shipdetail/itinerary/?shipID=814&itineraryID=1151
An unspoiled region on the Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey, Lake Tuzla is home to hundreds of flamingos in winter and is famous for its wild life.
The Aegean sea meets the fresh water Tuzla Lake all surrounded by mountains. There are authentic Turkish villages dotted in the mountains. The sunsets over the sea are spectacular and the sunrises reflected in the lake are unmissable.
Fresh sea food restaurants are found in nearby Bogazici or Gullick, your choosen sea food is cooked over charcoal and served with a fresh bowl of salad and crusty bread.
Bodrum itself is a well known holiday destination steeped in history with an international marina surrounded by bars and restaurants. Everything from the magnificent indoor market selling the freshest of fruit, vegetables, spices, leather and textiles goods through to designer shops.
Bodrum is only 2.5 miles from Ehesus and Pamukale and coach trips are laid on with extras.
Take a trip to Dalyan by boat. Cruise down the Koycegiz lake before entering the mud baths. You will see the famous tombs of Caunos as you approach the Iztuzu coast which is the breeding place for the Caretta (sea tortoises) in the region where you will have a short rest on the golden sands before heading for the thermal spar which is believed to help skin disorders and rheumatism.
All in all an excellent place to spend some time and explore Turkey, something for everyone.
Only 20 mins from Bodrum airport, sitting on top of mountains, Flamingo Country Club caters for the discerning traveller.
www.flamingo-country-club.com/
Haggling is traditional, expected and enjoyed in Turkey. It ranks as high on my list of holiday activities as sightseeing. If you go into the market and shops to look for souvenirs in Bodrum, you are going to have to play the game!
The most important thing is to decide how much you are prepared to pay for your (fake) watch or (fake) football shirt or (fake) designer perfume. Then let the shopkeeper quote first. Your offer should be much less than you are prepared to pay - as much as 25-50% of the asking price. This will probably be refused and then it's the shopkeeper's turn to bring the price down slightly - then you go in with another offer, slightly more than you first offered and so on - until you come to an agreement.
It could take quite a while and might involve a cup of apple tea ... you might need to walk away without buying anything but be gracious and part on friendly terms - the shopkeeper could begin to run after you and drag you back in and offer you a final price - if it's near enough what you expected to pay, don't let a lira or two get in the way of concluding the deal. Just remember what you were prepared to pay in the first place and more or less stick to it!
We bought a set of bowls for our villa from the market - having agreed a price for one, we then haggled for a set of four - the vendor was absolutely delighted to be doing business again with people with whom he'd already struck a deal a few seconds earlier! We all enjoyed the bartering and we were all happy with the outcome ...
Three good supermarkets, with Kipa being the largest but not necessarily the best. All three are open all day every day and Kipa is open 24 hours which is useful if you have an out-of-hours flight and you want to buy enough food to stock the fridge in your self-catering accommodation.
Kipa is on the main Bodrum highway, the others have several branches along main roads in most towns.
Gumusluk is one of the most beautiful villages on the Bodrum peninsula, Gumuşluk, known as Myndos in ancient times.
The spot is very beautiful, genuine and quiet, because local authorities have forbidden traffic in the seaside area.
The sunsets are amazing, overlooking a small long island which faces the little harbour where you will find the best fish and seafood restaurants on the Bodrum peninsula. The beaches in the bay are ideal to relax on.
Hotel & Sailing Club : Club Hotel Zemda.
18 kms from Bodrum (55 kms from Bodrum / Milas international airport).
Google map: tinyurl.com/yabhg5a
Food and drink at Bodrum Milas airport is very expensive. Two pints of Efez and two portions of chips cost £13 last summer! Even if you have soft drinks instead, it is still a lot of money if you are travelling with a family. We make sandwiches for the journey now. It saves about £5 per person. You are still stuck with buying drinks as you are not allowed to take liquids over 100ml through security.
Limon is one of the most amazing and bohemian restaurants in Gumusluk and only about eight minutes walk from the harbour/beach. We booked a few days in advance to reserve our favourite antique sofa in the meadow, from where we sipped cocktails, nibbled on freshly-made stuffed marrow flowers and watched the last few rays of sun. Our food was brought over to the sofa and we stayed there all evening listening to live music and generally feeling at one with nature. It was a 10 minute stroll back to Villa Myndos, a little further on up the hill. Booking essential
www.limongumusluk.com
Yali Mevki no.1, Gumusluk, Bodrum, 48400
Modern Turkish is a beautiful language, full of long words which are 'glued' together. Turkish people are very polite and will appreciate your attempts at speaking Turkish, however simple (though probably not at the airport!) MERHABA is hello and TESEKKURLER pronounced teshekorlair is thanks. There are some useful Turkish words and phrases on the web page below, under the section 'Turkish talk...quick and simple'
Gumusluk is a charming fishing village, harbour and beach on the west coast of the Bodrum Peninsula. It is one of the prettiest places on earth and I go there every year. I stay at Villa Myndos, only 10 mins' walk from the village. Gumusluk still looks much the same as twenty years ago because it has been designated as an area of natural beauty and there are strict building regulations to preserve its character. Small villas and rustic apartments covered with bougainvillea and other exotic plants mingle amongst the many excellent seafood restaurants along the beach and harbour. There is an astonishing number of fish restaurants (also serving other menus) and you would need about three weeks and a hefty budget to try them all. Gumusluk is an upmarket resort and a quiet one. The restaurants and bars stay open all day and very late, reflecting the Turkish tradition of eating late. The only noise you will hear after midnight will be gentle words and laughter, as loud music is banned. The sunsets are spectacular and when the sun finally disappears behind the islands in the Aegean, the colours red, indigo and violet dance in the warmth giving way to stars which shine on the sea and create silver strands. The word Gumus means silver in Turkish and legend would have it that this is how Gumusluk got its name.
A great find! A beautiful family run beach front hotel in a small Turkish village. The warm welcome lasts all week! If you are looking for a taste of Turkish culture and spectacular food then this is the place to be! Bodrum is only 15 minutes bus ride away but we only visited once, there was always enough to do nearby. Local markets, horse riding, live music.
The Mandalya Hotel
Golturkbuku
Bodrum
Huge hotel, out of this world food, lovely pools. This is the best hotel I've ever stayed in, and right on the beach. Great for honeymooners. Quiet at night. Get a sea view room - it's fantastic.
side,turkey
Gumusluk is one of the the last remaining 'unspoilt' bay on the Bodrum peninsula, due to the strict laws prohibiting construction. This is due to the fact that the whole of Gumusluk is located on the ruins of the 2000 year ancient city of Myndos. A small charming fishing village, Gumusluk does not get the crowds that you will find in most other bays in Bodrum. For music lovers, a summer long International Classical Music Festival takes place in the old byzantine church on the top of the hill.
By dolmus(shared taxis) - 30 minutes from the central Bodrum bus garage.
www.gumuslukfestival.org
We joined a family gulet cruise with an onboard archaeologist. We were a little uncertain how much 'history' there would be and how the children were going to like the cultural site visits, but it turned out to be a great mix. The kids swam and swam, jumping off the gulet into the crystal waters, and were fascinated by all the Greek and Roman sites. They turned into historical detectives, young Indiana Jones's, exploring 2000 year old temples and putting on plays in ancient Greek theatres.
When we were thinking of booking, we found the fact that our guide would be taking his own family and gives his name to the company very reassuring, and it turned out to be well organised and truly inspirational. I only wish I were back on the boat being cooked for and enjoying the sunshine!
The Istanbul-Bodrum ferry is an ideal way to travel between Bodrum and Istanbul, offering excellent views of the Aegean coast and Greek islands on the way, and a dramatic entrance into the heart of Istanbul.
More like a cruise liner than a cross-channel ferry, it has a swimming pool, fitness centre and restaurants. The ship leaves Istanbul on Fridays and Mondays, and Bodrum on Sundays and Wednesdays (Istanbul-Bodrum is about 24 hours, Istanbul-Cesme is 17 hours). The midweek sailings stop in Çeşme on the way. Prices are about £50-70 per person sharing a two-berth or double outside cabin, meals not included.
Website www.denizline.com/eng/index.html
Telephone: +90 216 444 3369
This is an excellent restaurant at the very eastern end of the main harbourfront street in Bodrum. Go past all the crappy "Irish" pubs. It's a little restaurant at the end, filled with locals and the best seafood I've ever had. Friendly service. We ate there both nights we were in Bodrum.
Berk Balık
Cumhuriyet Caddesi 167
Bodrum
Turkey
This resort is actually in Torba, a short dolmus ride away from Bodrum. It was modern, full-service, pleasant, but smaller and much quieter and nicer than all the hyper-resorts.
Unique villa off the beaten track, approx 30 minutes drive from Bodrum. We were so pleased to find this stylishly decorated secluded villa with cracking views and swimming pool.
The highlight of our stay was when the villa owners offered to come and cook us a delicious and authentic modern Italian meal - such a treat! An unforgettable holiday - we hope that others get the chance to experience this idyllic oasis, but not too many so we can still go back!
Mazi, Bodrum Peninsula
www.villamuranco.com
This hotel is run by a Japanese-Turkish family and is located in the beautiful and secluded Paradise Bay.
The hotel is just by the water with a stunning view, and you can relax on the long wooden jetty listening to the nature, without any disturbances. The sea is very clear - just like an aquarium where you can watch the fish go by.
The food is delicious, it is basically Aegean food: vegetables, herbs and mainly fish cooked with olive oil, and the Japanese menu cooked personally by the owners suited my taste.
The deluxe rooms are nicely decorated and are spacious, all with seaviews. The only
thing that might be negative is that the road leading to the hotel is unpaved and quite bumpy. They are waiting for the municipality to fix it, I hope that it works.
I would recommend the hotel to anyone who would like to have a quiet and relaxing holiday, enjoy the seaside and the nature plus a very friendly and comfortable stay.
www.atamihotel.com
Cennet Koyu n:48 Gölköy Bodrum 48400 Mugla Turkey
phone: +90 252 357 74 16-17-18
Cennet Koyu no:48 Gölköy Bodrum 48400 Mugla.
Tel: +90 252 357 74 16-17-18
www.atamihotel.com
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