Bodrum Travel Guide: A Turkish Gem by the Aegean Sea
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Bodrum is a hidden gem along the beautiful Turkish coastline. Before we visited, we knew very little about what Bodrum had to offer, and we were simply blown away by how beautiful it was!
Located on the southwestern coast of Türkiye, Bodrum is a stunning destination that combines ancient history and culture with the beauty of the crystal-clear Aegean Sea.
Bodrum is a great place to visit off-season. You can get flights to Bodrum with Jet2 from London Stansted that take just 3.5 hours, making it the perfect short autumn weekend break!
We visited with Jet2 for four nights in October, and the weather was perfect. Whilst we were relaxing in 25°C heat, our friends back in England were battling high winds and heavy thunderstorms. Bliss! 😅
In this Bodrum travel guide, I’ve included everything you need to know about this up-and-coming destination, including how to get there, what to do, where to stay and some of my favourite insider tips. So, let’s get started and get exploring Bodrum!
This article is sponsored by Jet2.com/Jet2holidays. However, I would never recommend a stay or destination that I didn’t truly love. All opinions in this post are my own.
TOP TIP: Look out for the 🍃 icon for tips on how to make your holiday more ethical and sustainable! We’re passionate about travel, but we’re also passionate about looking after the planet and travelling responsibly.
Bodrum Travel Guide: A Summary
Short on time? Here’s an overview of this Bodrum travel guide so you can grab your information and go!
| How many days should you spend in Bodrum? | 4-5 days minimum |
| Best things to do | Bodrum Castle, Underwater Museum, Gulet Cruise and snorkelling, Bodrum Marina, local markets, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the ancient amphitheatre and trying new Turkish food and drink! |
| Where to stay | Anywhere in Bodrum Centre, or the Kefaluka Resort for a slice of luxury |
| Getting to Bodrum | Jet2 offer flights from all over the UK. Our flights from London Stansted Airport only took 3.5 hours. |
| Best time to visit | Shoulder season (April-June or September-October) for fewer crowds and sunny weather |
| Best places to eat and drink | Fener (seafood) Limon Gümüşlük (seafood) The Lemon Tree (traditional Turkish) Marina Yacht Club (seafood, pastas, American) Memedof Restaurant (seafood) |
Why you should visit Bodrum
Bodrum is such an underrated destination to visit in Türkiye. Along with the stunning coastal towns of Antalya, Ölüdeniz and Marmaris, Bodrum is becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
Bodrum is an ideal place for couples holidays with Jet2holidays, especially for those wanting to relax on the beach, sunbathe in the hot weather, eat tasty local food and learn about some of Türkiye’s ancient history.
Along with classic holiday activities such as swimming, snorkelling and boat trips, it’s also perfect for those who want to hike and get outside. There are plenty of hiking trails in the surrounding mountains, and some of the viewpoints are just incredible!
In the evenings, if you want to experience the Turkish nightlife, Bodrum has it all. From traditional Turkish restaurants and bars to late-night clubs, Bodrum is a great place to party and unwind.
However, it’s easy enough to avoid all of this if you’d rather relax, sunbathe, hike and swim!
How many days should you spend in Bodrum?
Four days in Bodrum would be a minimum, especially if you’re travelling from the UK and getting a 3.5-hour flight.
In my opinion, the main sites and attractions of Bodrum can be explored in 4-5 days, but if you’d like to spend some days on the beach relaxing and sunbathing, a 7-day trip to Bodrum would be perfect.
What to do in Bodrum
The thing that surprised us the most about visiting Bodrum was how much there was to do! Our days were filled with activities, and I still feel like I would have wanted to have done and seen more.
Here are some of my best recommendations when it comes to visiting Bodrum for the first time!
1. Visit Bodrum Castle and the Bodrum Underwater Archeology Museum
One of the first things we did when we arrived was to head to Bodrum Castle and the Underwater Archeology Museum. Both are located in the same place, so it’s easy to pair the two activities together!
You’ll buy a ticket at the main entrance (near Bodrum Marina) and have unlimited time to walk the castle grounds and read about Bodrum’s history. As we had a local guide with us, we were able to learn even more in-depth about Bodrum’s past, including the way the castle was used to protect the area.
After walking around the forts and looking at the views of Bodrum from the highest points of the Castle, head into the Underwater Museum. There are shipwrecks, artefacts and types of equipment on display that are over 1000 years old!
🍃 If you’re visiting Bodrum Castle, I highly recommend hiring a local guide. Not only does this support local communities and tourism, but you’re able to learn on a deeper level about the history of Bodrum from someone who has lived there all of their life. This is an unmatched insight – even the internet can’t give you viewpoints like this!
2. Walk along Bodrum Marina
One of our favourite spots in Bodrum was the marina. With hundreds of beautiful, tall yachts lined up along the port, with extravagant restaurants and bars overlooking the water, it’s the perfect place for an afternoon stroll or lunch stop.
We loved the Marina Yacht Club restaurant, as it’s perfectly situated on the port. I sat and ate my creamy seafood tagliatelle whilst admiring the views. There’s even live music in the evenings, so you can check it out at any time of day!
🍃 There are also some great shops and markets at the marina run by locals. Buying gifts and souvenirs from smaller businesses helps to support the local economy (and they’re gorgeous!)
3. Experience the Bodrum nightlife
Now, I know this might not be for everyone, but bear with me. Bodrum nightlife can be crazy, loud and hectic, but it can also be chilled, enjoyable and relaxed. It all depends on where you go, and what you want from your night!
If you want to party the night away, I recommend heading to the centre of Bodrum, especially around the market area. There are plenty of bars and clubs to choose from, with most packing out from 10 p.m. onwards. We politely declined shots of Raki as we snuck off to bed at 11…
But, if you still want to enjoy Bodrum’s nightlife and don’t want to be dancing on tables, I recommend the Gümüşlük area. It’s a little further from the centre of Bodrum, but it had such a great evening atmosphere that was better suited for two thirty-year-olds going on ninety.
It has a late-night market and an artsy and eclectic vibe. There were restaurants along the water with live music and entertainment, and we sat here for hours whilst drinking Efes beer and enjoying the Turkish culture!
4. Visit the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Did you know there’s an Ancient Wonder of the World in Bodrum? We didn’t either!
Visiting the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Halicarnassus is the ancient name of Bodrum) was one of our favourite parts of our trip. We spent over an hour walking around the ancient ruins that were once a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC.
A structure that was once over 40ft tall now remains as rubble, due to an earthquake that hit the area between the 12th and 15th Century.
However, some of the original artwork is still in place, as well as some of the podiums. Some of the Mausoleum can also be found in the British Museum in London.
It’s worth a visit, and not many people can say they’ve visited an Ancient Wonder of the World!
5. Head to the Ancient Amphitheatre
There’s a lot of history in Bodrum, isn’t there?!
Another incredible activity is to head further into Bodrum and up to the ancient amphitheatre.
Dating back to the 4th century BC, the theatre was later developed by the Romans. Ultimately, it was restored to become a 13,000-seat theatre which was the home of entertainment in the area.
With free admission, this is a perfect afternoon activity in Bodrum!
6. Go on a Gulet Cruise
Have you ever heard of a Gulet cruise? We hadn’t either!
Gulet sailboats are traditional to Turkiye, and enjoying a day at sea whilst in Bodrum is a great way to spend the day!
We boarded our sailboat early in the morning and spent the day swimming in the crystal clear water, jumping off the side of the boat, snorkelling, eating fresh seafood, relaxing on deck and drinking Turkish coffee.
It was a day I’ll always remember!
You can pick from different durations of Gulet cruises, for example, an entire day or just for a few hours. You can also choose whether you’d prefer to enjoy it privately or with other people (and we did see a few party boats!)
7. Visit the Bodrum windmill viewpoint
If you’re in Bodrum town centre, I recommend taking a slight detour and heading up to the windmill viewpoint.
Whilst the windmills are no longer in use, it’s a beautiful, panoramic spot to look over the entire coastline of Bodrum. There’s even a restaurant at the top to grab a drink or some food and soak up the views for a little longer.
8. Try local Turkish food and drink
It’s not a holiday without trying new food and drink!
We loved trying the new foods recommended to us by our guide, especially as my partner, Tom, is a huge seafood fan! We didn’t have many meals that included your typical Turkish cuisines (kebabs, shish etc), as Bodrum is so well-known for its fresh and tasty seafood.
My personal favourite was Turkish coffee – something I’d never tried before. Made over a fire, the strong coffee is a popular post-meal drink in Turkish culture, and it’s a tradition we adapted to quickly!
We walked away with a new Turkish coffee mug which now sits on our living room shelf, just waiting for its first brew. I’ll let you know when that day finally arrives!
Getting around Bodrum
Getting around Bodrum will depend on where you’re staying. Most of the hotels are either in the main city centre or further out towards the coast.
If you’ve booked a holiday to Bodrum with Jet2 holidays, the resorts you’ll be staying at will often provide transport. Our hotel had linked taxi drivers and shuttles so you could get to and from different areas easily.
You can also hire a car or board the local bus. Just be sure to check with your hotel where the bus stops so you can make the right travel arrangements (and not get stuck somewhere!)
Where to stay in Bodrum
As holidays to Bodrum are so popular (with both Brits and locals), there are plenty of hotels and resorts to choose from.
We stayed at the beautiful Jet2holidays Kefaluka Resort, which was around a 35-minute drive from the main centre of Bodrum. This didn’t affect our plans, but it depends on what you want from your trip. We also liked having closer access to some of the other nearby towns, like Gumusluk.
With a balcony view over the ocean, two giant pools, unlimited breakfast, a waterpark, a private beach, evening entertainment, a spa and comfortable rooms, we loved our stay at Kefaluka, and would love to return in the future!
It’s nice to live in luxury before returning to reality back home…
Getting to Bodrum
Getting to Bodrum from London Stanstead is straightforward. When flying with Jet2, you can check in online and everything is taken care of. You’ll just need to check in your bags if you have checked luggage!
We arrived at the airport around 2 hours before our afternoon flight, cruised through security and even had time to grab some pre-flight food.
The flight time from London Stanstead to Bodrum is listed as 4 hours, but it usually takes around 3 and a half hours. This goes by surprisingly quickly!
Currently, Jet2 have flights from all over the UK to Bodrum, departing on different days of the week. This includes destinations such as Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester.
Arriving in Bodrum
When you arrive in Bodrum, most hotels and resorts are at least 1 hour away from the airport. This means you’ll either need to arrange a transfer or driver (which is usually included in your Jet2 Holiday).
When you’ve collected your luggage, you’ll meet your driver at the arrivals gate. Most drivers will have a written sign marked ‘Jet2 Holidays’ or your name, depending on the type of holiday you’ve booked.
Bodrum Travel Guide: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! I hope this Bodrum travel guide has inspired you to book your next trip and experience this incredible place for yourself.
And don’t forget to try Turkish coffee!
When you’re planning a trip to Bodrum, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below! It makes my day to know I’ve helped you on your travels!
Keep an eye out for more Turkiye content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view.
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
