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White-washed and
flower-bedecked Bodrum is one of the most charming cities and sophisticated
resorts on the Aegean coast. Beautiful Turkish-made wooden boats, called
gulets, line the waterfront and can be hired for the day. (In fact, Bodrum
has been a Left for boat building since the days of Mark Anthony and
Cleopatra.) Local restaurants feature specialties of octopus and calamari;
shops are filled with Turkish treasures such as leather and woven rugs.
The history of Bodrum, known formerly as Halicarnassus or Halicarnassos, goes back to the 13th century BC. Excavations
reveal the 5000-year-old history of this town.
Bodrum's oldest antiquity, the Mausoleum, was built
by Artemisia II in honor of her husband King Mausolos. It became one of the
wonders of the ancient world. The entire structure stood at over 50 meters in
height. The first bas reliefs from the Mausoleum reached the British Museum in
London in 1846; these included frescos and other objects. Remnants of
antiquities remain in the city and in its attractive museum and gardens. One can
walk from the port to the main excavations and the museum.
Bodrum offers an attractive port and a nearby beach that draws sunbathers.
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