Bodrum is often called the St. Tropez of Turkey and although I haven’t been to St. Tropez yet, I can imagine that similarities do exists. During our trip to Greece, we took the opportunity to visit Bodrum after a quick half an hour ride with a ferry.
Quick Tip: If you’re in Greece, check if agencies offer day trips to Turkey. You get quickly through passport control and it is a great opportunity to spend some hours in a different country.
After exchanging some money, my boyfriend insisted to get me some sort of Turkish ice cream called maras dondurmasi. I took some time to get the ice cream because I literally had to catch it! My boyfriend and the ice-cream man had quite some fun watching me trying to grab it while the iceman quickly tossed it from one hand to another and occasionally gave me an empty ice cream cone. A lot of laughter later, I happily enjoyed my ice cream, which does not taste like the ordinary Italian ice cream. Make sure to try this speciality, if you’re into ice cream and some fun along the way.
We wandered through the market, drank some fresh squeezed orange juice and walked through the little alleys of Bodrum. I suggest to take some side roads in order to see where the locals live and to avoid touristy shops. Another advantage: you will discover charming traditional houses that are usually white and blue.
If you are in Bodrum, you can’t miss spending a little quality time on the beach. We found a great spot with an outstanding view on the harbor and some music and drinks. It’s the best way to relax and to cool down from the heating sun.
To finish our day in Bodrum, we headed to a restaurant that had a view on the ocean and picked one with Turkish food. There are a lot of ones near the beach to choose from, but as you will notice they are usually pricier, too.
Quick Tip: Choose a restaurant that has the prices on the menu to avoid paying more than necessary.
Due to the short amount of time we had there, we didn’t make it to visit the castle. I heard that Bodrum also has a lively night life, which we sadly couldn’t check out.
Our short trip to Bodrum was definitely a highlight during our time in Greece and I highly recommend to visit this city, if you are near.
Have you been to Bodrum? Which places do you recommend in Turkey?