The Bodrum Peninsula is located on Turkey’s south-west coastline and is a port city with ancient origins in the province of Mugla. Bodrum is popular with sailors keen to explore the secret coves and beaches of its 174km coastline, or one of the 32 islands dotted around its waters.
In antiquity, Bodrum was known as Halicarnassus a Greek city whose inhabitants probably worshipped Poseidon, the Greek God of the sea. The city later fell to the Persians and gained much prominence under its ruler Mausolus (the Mausoleum of Mausolus was known as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world), then in 334 BC, was conquered by Alexander the Great.
Bodrum’s famous castle was built in the 1400s as a defensive fortification by the crusaders and later served as an Ottoman prison and even a public bath-house.
First mentioned in antiquity by Homer in the Odyssey when it was known as Halicarnassus, Bodrum has attracted poets, singers, artists, statesmen and women since ancient times when Anthony and Cleopatra used to stop off on the way to Rome. Modern day, the peninsula has hosted a host of stars from Hollywood icons like Tom Hanks and Nicole Kidman to rock stars such as Mick Jagger and Sting.
Bodrum enjoys a hot Mediterranean climate with average summer temperatures reaching 34c and average sunshine of 337 hours in July. The winters are mild with an average temperature of 15c.
Bodrum has an impressive and modern infrastructure too, and is home to some of Turkey’s some top hospitals. It also has a selection of excellent private international schools, plus three large shopping malls equipped with entertainment centres – all selling the latest fashion brands. Bodrum also has marinas, golf courses and tennis clubs and a superb transportation system with high quality roads.
The Milas-Bodrum international airport is just 35km away and is a 36 minute drive down the modern D330 highway. A new international terminal was opened in 2012 with a capacity to handle over 5 million passengers per annum.
Cosmopolitan and trendy Bodrum is suitable for all year round living, and is the favoured place where wealthy Turks choose to have their second homes. With a diverse and friendly ex-pat community that includes Northern Europeans, the Gulf states and even further afield to people from the United States.
