Ride a camel in Kargi Bay
Less than half-an-hour’s drive down the road gets you to to Kargi Bay – also known as Camel Beach. The name’s the giveaway. You can settle into the saddle and go for a 30-minute ride along the long, sandy stretch here. Afterwards, the cheap sunbed hire and beachfront café-bars should help you make a day of itBodrum has a 600-metre sliver of pebbly beach, and almost every square inch is covered by sunloungers. They’re laid on for free by the waterfront restaurants and bars, which provide waiter service direct to your sunbed. Swimming is the order of the day here, and the crystalline water is very shallow close to the shore, making it safe for little ones.
Read MoreAt this little gem of a restaurant, it’s not bring your own beer, but bring your own fish. It’s located in a little lane crammed with fishmongers. You can pick out sea bass, mullet or prawns, and then the restaurant will cook them for you however you like. While you wait, you’ll be plied with bread and mezze. And when you see the bill, you’ll understand why Evgenia’s kitchen is such a hit with the locals.
Read MoreThe marina may have the scoop on sea-view restaurants, but busy Ataturk Street in the old town is the place for authentic Turkish dining. Look out for the traditional eateries where chefs turn succulent meat kebabs over a charcoal fire. Try the adana, a spicy kebab of minced meat, usually served with bread, mixed salad and rice.
Read MoreTurkish for ‘let’s go’, this legendary bar recently moved to a seafront location, in the shadow of St Peter’s Castle. You can go early for a quiet drink, but later it really heats up. There’s a terrace, awash with dancers, and a more intimate second floor, where you can sip margaritas while watching the moon rise over the bay. If you can, pop your head around the door of the stone house, which hosts art exhibitions from up-and-coming Turkish artists.
Read MoreFor the best prices on holiday gifts, make a beeline for the Tuesday fabric market, right opposite the bus station. You’ll find row upon row of stalls selling kilims, linen, clothes, shoes, and fake designer watches. It’s worth a visit if only for the amateur dramatics of stall-holders vying for your attention. On Thursdays and Fridays you’ll find a food market here instead.
Read MoreFor a real Turkish knees-up, meyhanes – traditional bars – are the place to eat, drink and let your hair down. At well-established spots like Veli or Kaptan Mahmud’s on the aptly-named Bar Street, you’ll find singers performing the classics and rounds of raki being poured at the bar. Things don’t really get going until after midnight, and you won’t be too far from Halicarnas, Bodrum’s most famous nightclub.
Read MoreSt Peter’s Castle was built in the 15th-century by the crusading Knights of St John, using masonry from the nearby Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World. These days it’s home to the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, which houses the remains of some of the oldest and most important shipwrecks of all time. The merchant ship dating back to 1400BC is mind-boggling.
Read MoreThe Henley Regatta comes to Bodrum – sort of. This annual race in the third week of October is a great way to see the traditional Turkish gullets – wooden yachts – in full sail. Join the harbour-side crowd to watch the action, or sign up as a passenger on one of the competing boats.
Read MoreVeli Bar is one of Bodrum’s meyhanes – a place where locals meet to eat, drink and listen to live music. It’s a cosy place where you can relax over a glass of the aniseed-flavoured raki while Turkish singers and musicians entertain you. Bands kick off around midnight, but get there earlier to nab a ring-side view of the stage.
Read MoreJudging by the queues for a table at this rustic pizzeria, the food here is pretty good. You’ll get the old favourites – pepperoni, veggie, ham and pineapple – or you can shake up the toppings with calamari, veal and lamb. It’s a lively spot opposite the marina and if you pitch up early enough you’ll get a table on the top floor, which comes with a castle view.
Read MoreIf you know your plié from your en pointe, you’ll be spellbound by this yearly festival at St Peter’s Castle. You can expect performances of classics such as Zorba the Greek and A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Turkey’s biggest, brightest, ballet companies, as well as international troupes. Booking ahead is recommended as the 35 euro tickets get snapped up quickly.
Read MoreThe Empire may have fallen long ago, but Ottoman style has never gone out of fashion. At the Tuesday market you can haggle for bargains on Turkish carpets and jewellery. Kale Caddesi and Ataturk Avenue are good streets for local crafts like leather, bronze and silver jewellery. But if you need a designer fix, the boutiques near the marina feature the likes of Polo and Diesel.
Read MoreThis isn’t just any old castle. It was built from bits of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus – one of the Ancient Wonders of the World. You’ll need a good couple of hours to poke around the ramparts and dungeons and climb to the top of the towers. And you’ve also got the Museum of Underwater Archaeology inside here – apparently, it has the oldest shipwreck ever found.
Read MoreMeze gets star billing in Bodrum. Many restaurants have a point-and-pick system so you can just choose what you want from the counter. Houmous, stuffed vine leaves, meatballs and aubergine with garlic and yoghurt all make the line-up of starter-size nibbles. You’ll find eating spots all around town, but for cheaper bites head for the area around Cevat Sakir Caddesi.
Read MoreIt’s like Las Vegas came to Bodrum in Bar Street. The place is a long, neon-lit strip leading all the way through to the harbour. The crowd here is a dressed-up mix of locals and tourists doing cocktails and shots. As for the music, it’s a mash-up of hip hop, house, techno, rock and Turkish pop.
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