Bodrum harbour and castle

Bodrum Property Bodrum is a town of white-washed houses hung with bougainvillea, rising in tiers on the green hill overlooking a dazzling blue bay at the entrance to which stands a medieval castle built by the Knights of Rhodes.Here, where the Aegean and the Mediterranean meet, is one of Turkey‘s loveliest holiday resorts, with its long palm lined waterfront and its marina crowded in the summer with elegant yachts Not far from the town it is possible to swim in unbelievably clear,tideless, warm seas. Underwater divers, especially, will not want to miss the numerous unexplored reefs with caves and majestic rock formations. Multicolored sponges of all shapes and sizes, octopus and other forms of aquatic life are commonly found here. Afterwards, sit idly in one of the many restaurants eating delicious seafood, with wine or some of the other Aegean specialties. Stroll beside the marina, a popular place that beats to the tempo of this town with yachts constantly bringing in tours and tourists from all over the world. The boatyards of Bodrum have been famous since ancient times and today the craftsmen still make the traditional types of yacht: the pointed bow and stern (tirhandil) and the broad beamed and rounded stern (gulette). The latter, especially, is used for excursions and pleasure trips. The gulette is also used in the Bodrum Cup Race held every October.Bodrum has a lively, friendly, Bohemian atmosphere and many small galleries. It is the meeting place of the Turkish art community. Renowned forits relaxed, informal life style and its abundance of daytime fun-filled activities and nighttime excitement, it is impossible to be bored. There are many interesting and varied bars, restaurants,night clubs (some with cabaret), and, of course, some of the best discos in Europe. Bodrum is a charming and fascinating little port, 270 km. south of Izmir, on the Aegean coast of Turkey. The inhabitants of Bodrum are around 30.000 and earn their living by fishing, boat-building, agriculture, weaving (the village Mumcular is famous for its carpets, kilims and other weavings) and tourism, which has become the most important industry in the last few years. In recent times Bodrum has become not only a tourist center but also a visiting place for famous Turkish and foreign artists and also an art center, which is a source of inspiration. The heart of the town is around the harbor, where shops, bars and restaurants jostle together in the narrow streets under the shadow of the St. Peter Castle . The main artery is Cumhurriyet Caddesi (Republic Street), much better known as bar street. This street is a pedestrianized showcase of what the town has to offer. Skilled artisans can make you a pair of snugly fitting leather sandals in the traditional Aegean style, while small boutiques offer stylish creations inspired by local designs and fabrics.mainstream Turkish Fashions are well represented to, with clothes designed for hot summer living . The souvenir shops sell attractive onyx, copper and brass ware, along with toy camels, and Gold harem slippers. Cafes and restaurants offer a cosmopolitan choice.To accompany your meal, try the light aniseed flavored national drink Raki or locally produced wine. After sundown, Bodrum lights up with flashing neon and laser shows to pulsating throb of the latest dance music. It's party time all over the town.         Just outside of Bodrum is Içmeler, here you find Europe's largest for wooden boat building yard. An 18 meter Gulet, that's the name for this kind of boats, can be built from scratch in 8 to 12 month. Since the time of King Mausolos Bodrum has been an important center for boat building. Ptolemäus from Egypt had his warships made here in 300 BC. see Mavi Yol also the There is much more to Bodrum than the town itself, within easy reach by minibus, or "Dolmush", you can visit many picturesque villages on the  all with a distinct character of their own. The new airport Milas-Bodrum, opened last year in April, is now is fully connected. Scheduled Turkish Airlines and International charter flights are now arriving regularly. The long transfer from Izmir or Dalaman now belongs to the past. And there is more, now you have a chance to be in one hour in Istanbul for a romantic weekend. New here Restoration of Bodrum's town walls The remaining sections of Bodrum's town walls, which are a remarkable example of ancient Western Anatolia architecture, are now undergoing major restoration work sponsored by the companies Ericsson and Turkcell . The town walls began west of the harbor and encircled the ancient town of Halicarnassus, renowned for for the Mausoleum, one of the seven wonders of the world. The passage of time combined with the building spree which began in the 1970s in this popular Aegean holiday resort, have severely damaged the walls. It is expected that this restoration of nearly 4,5 kilometer's will take four to five years to complete.