Some of the top things to do and to see around Bodrum
Bodrum is one of the most popular destinations in the Turkish Aegean riviera, and of the whole Mediterranean basin. So, there is no shortage of information out there.
Therefore, what I will try to do here is to share my personal experience visiting some spots in the area which I think can be of interest, particulatly if you are looking for something more than just tanning by the beach (for the record, I did spend a considerable amount of time at the beach or poolside too!).
Before moving ahead, let me clarify that I have used the word “Bodrum” here to refer to the whole peninsula where this city is located. I think this is in line with how most people use this place name, since the points of interest and the related tourist infrastructure is spread out over a rather large area.
Another important point: if you wish to move around the area is best to rent a car. Roads can vary in quality, some are pretty good, like the one to and from the airport, but secondary ones can be a bit more tricky and signage is often lacking. It is overall manageable, though, best to carry a phone with interenet connection to be able to navigate the place.
Staying in Gültürkbükü
As mentioned, the concept “Bodrum” is generally applied to a whole peninsula, which is roughly 15km long and 5km wide. The central part of the peninsula is rather mountainous and, while there are some roads, most movement is along the coastlines, which can take considerable time. Saying all this, because, even if you have a car rental (much recommended, btw), it is important to choose your base well.
In this regard, my choice is clear: Gültürkbükü is a town on the north side of the peninsula, which is large enough to have pretty much all services (including a rather picturesque once-weekly outdoor market) while not being crowded or overbuilt.
A great place to stay in Bodrum
Lavinya Hotel, Gültürkbükü
This is a really nice nice boutique hotel located right on the beach, and when I say right on the beach I mean that no more than a couple of meters of sand separate some of the ground floor rooms from the crystalline, warm water of Gültürkbükü Bay.
The whole property is built in Mediterranean style, with open areas like the bar, blending in with the beach (which is actually public). There are also this type of sea platforms (all seafront hotels and restaurants in Gültürkbükü have them), which act as “forward” terraces, allowing people to get more or less “onto” the water without actually getting wet. At night they become restaurants, as we shall soon see.
There is a summery, laid-back vibe that pervades the whole place. You can see how there are also plenty of flowers interspersed among the whitewashed walls.
As per the rooms, since Lavinya Hotel is not a chain hotel, they are not entirely standardised. They all share a common style and tone, though.
Next (below) you can get a glimpse of one of the “villas” on the ground floor. These are the rooms that located right on the beach, with direct access to it.
Let’s move one floor up next, to have a view of one of the rooms upstairs:
And, last but not least, you can see one of the “standard rooms”. These are located a bit further from the beach (but still less than 1min walk from it!) on an adjacent building.
Lavinya Hotel has also quite a nice open sea-facing common area, where breakfast is served in the morning. There is a bar and also some spots, sheltered from the sun but open to the breeze, that are great if, for whatever reason you have to do some remote work during your Turkish holiday.
I also recommend trying the hotel breakfast at least once. This is no buffet brekfast, but you can order sets like this one below. Pretty well balanced!
Gültürkbükü-la-nuit
Gültürkbükü is a relatively calm and family-oriented spot (compared to bigger and more glitzy towns like Yalikavak - more on this soon), it does have quite a lot going for it in the evenings, though.
The beachfront is lined with restaurants, which use the same platforms that during the day serve as tanning stations. From here you can gorge yourself in seafood (beware, though, it is not cheap!) while enjoying the view of the bay. This part of the coast, by the way, has quite a few luxury resorts, including some well known names such as Maxx Royal and Mandarin Orienta. During the season it is also visited by quite a few yachts, which you can be at their moorings.
Where to eat out in Gültürkbükü - Option 1: Lavinya Hotel Restaurant
One of the options to eat out in Gültürkbükü is, again, the Lavinya Hotel, which transforms one of its beach platforms as a venue for outdoor dining. Here below you can find some of the dishes I tried.
Where to eat out in Gültürkbükü - Option 2: Orkide Restaurant
Likewise, just a few meters to the left (facing the sea) of Lavinya is Orkide, which offers also the fish-focused, platform-based dining experience.
You can even see some of the local fish before ordering them.
As mentioned above, it is not cheap, even by standards of some high-price parts of Europe, but it is a nice experience to indulge in at least once if you happen to be holidaying in the area.
Below you can see what a self-curated degustation menu looks like (as is often the case in Turkey, the dessert merits a full two pictures and a mention on its very own!).
Visiting the city of Bodrum
So, let’s say you have got enough of sun and sea and wish to see what’s around. Let’s head to downtown Bodrum for a glimpse of the southern side of the peninsula and a bit of Ancient history!
Bodrum is quite a sprawling city. There is not much flat space between the sea and the mountains and the modern city is spread over quite a long stretch of land. The most interesting part, though, unless you are going to one of its large shopping malls (complete with IKEA, Decathlon and all the big retail names), the part of interest is downtown.
This is quite a buzzing area in the summer, with hordes of tourists roaming the streets and hundreds of shops and other businesses catering to them.
There is a large port and marina along the waterfront, which hosts also the main landmark: Bodrum Castle and its museum collections.
Bodrum Castle is actually what gives its name to the modern Turkish city of Bodrum. The name being a derivation of “Petronium”, or “Castle of St. Peter”.
It was built by the Knights Hospitalier, one of the famous Christian military religious orders that were active in this part of the Eastern Mediterranean in the late middle ages. The castle is located on a narrow isthmus, which made it a very strong defensive position back in its time, and it seems that much of the material that was used to build it comes from the ruins of the nearby Ancient city of Halicarnassus (more on this soon).
Besides offering great views of the city littoral facade, the marina and its surroundings, Bodrum Castle is also a museum hosting several interesting collections.
There are a number of items that are straight out of Antiquity, gathered from the many archaeological sites found in the Bodrum area. This part of the Aegean was at one located right on one of the main trade routes of the Ancient World and there is a significant heritage dating back to thousands of years ago, from the bronze age to the Turkish conquest, pretty much every civilization has left its mark on this area.
One of the most interesting collection you can visit at Bodrum Castle is that of the Museum of Subaquatic Archaeology. Here you can see what has been recovered of several shipwrecks found in shallow waters around Bodrum. As mentioned earlier, this rocky coast was one of the main avenues of trade in early Antiquity, so a number of ships went down with their cargoes in this area. Each of these ships is an absolute trove of material for archaeologists and researchers.
(btw, a bit off topic, but if you are interested in the archaeology old shipwrecks, you should check also my post about Kansas City and its great museum of the Steamboat Arabia!)
Visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: The Maussoleum of Halicarnassus
Can you name the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? Well, one of them and one of only two still (kind of) visible in some form is here, in Bodrum.
(Btw, in case you were wondering, the “7 Wonders of the Ancient World” were: the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the he Mausoleum at Halicarnassus).
How the Mausoleum of Halicarnasus looked like in its heyday
Interestingly for the vestiges of something with such a grand title, the ruins of what was once the Mausoleum of Halicarnasus is located at a rather unassuming spot in the middle of one of Bodrum’s residential areas. In fact, the access is through a rather narrow street and it is not even very well indicated.
Parts of the Ancient city were basically used as an impromptu quarry in the middle ages to source stone and buidling materials for Bodrum Castle, so there is little left today above ground of the Ancient city of Halicarnassus.
This mauseloeum was built in the 4th C BC by Masolus, hence its name, which was a Carian king (well, technically he was a satrap or governor of the Persian Empire). The Carians were the people that inhabited this corner of Western Anatolia at the time. They were close to the Greeks, but were not quite Greek and had, apparently, a distinct Anatolian identity. For example, they spoke their own Indo-European language, which is now extinct.
So, basically, Masolus decided to build his tomb in such magnificence that it soon became famous all over the Ancient world and other rulers and powerful people of that era were soon imitating him. Hence the name “mausoleum” became a common word to designate this type of tombs and it has made its way to many modern languages.
As you can see in the pictures, there is little left standing, although it is quite interesting that you can walk through the stones and even around the base of the monument.
The precinct is demarcated and there is an entrance fee to get in. There is also a small museum that explains the story of the site and how it may have looked like at the time of its construction.
Overall a very interesting site and I definitely recommend visiting, but a lot more could be done on the museum and interpretation side of it!
Interesting things to see around Bodrum: Gümüşlük
Driving west from Bodrum you get to the fisherman’s village of Gümüşlük, almost at the very tip of the peninsula.
This is quite a nice spot and a good option for a fish dinner by the sea. Gümüşlük has a rather pleasant seaside promenade, which is buzzing with visitors and lined by quite a few restaurants, each exhibiting the catch of the day.
But perhaps was I found most interesting of all here is the tiny island that encloses the bay of Gümüşlük bay. This island is the site of the Ancient city of Myndos (“Myndos Antik Kenti” in Turkish), where it is said that two of the assassins of Julius Caesar, Cassius and Brutus, sough refuge temporarily after their deed (unsuccessfully, as it turned out). It later became the site of bishopric, in early Christian times.
Well, this tiny island is linked to the mainland by an Ancient stone pathway that is partly submerged, but just enough, so that you can actually walk to and from the island if you are willing to get your feet wet! (as you can see in this picture below). Apparently
There is no shortage of dining options in Gümüşlük, rather the opposite, there are so many restaurants by the seaside, with the staff on each of them inviting you to stay there, that you can develop a bit of choice anxiety! In the picture below you can get an idea of what the views look like from most of the restaurant terraces.
Places to eat in Gümüşlük
Siesta Restaurant
So, we opted for the Siesta Restaurant, and I think it was a rather good choice (although I think the offering and prices are quite similar across the board).
As you can see, fish and octopus are the stars here, although I would also recommend trying one of the great yogurt-type entrants with the spicy peppers as well.
Yalıkavak Marina
Also on the western tip of the Bodrum peninsula is Yalikavak, a rather larger town which has become known for its rather modern and luxurious marina (built with Azerbaijani capital, apparently).
If Gültürkbükü and Gümüşlük are quite laid back, casual places, at Yalikavak is rather the opposite. Here people come to see, be seen and show off.
It is interesting in some ways, but, in my opinion the whole ensemble lacks a bit of authenticity. Many renowned luxury brands, fashion houses and restaurants have opened branches here, to offer their wares next to the super-yacht moorings. But, at the end of the day, what you find here, you may find also in Dubai, Montecarlo or Marbella and you would be hard pressed to tell which one is which.
Good value places for casual eating in Yalikavak
Nevertheless, if you are looking for a bit of casual dining in Yalikavak, you can find some options as well in the streets just across the marina’s main access road, on the land side.
We ended up at Midye7, a rather unpretentious place which specializes in serving mossels with French fries, Belgian-style. It has an outdoor terrace where you can spend a good time while relishing the freshly steamed mossels.
Bonus tip: best viewpoint in Bodrum
One last tip about Bodrum: if you are with a car, you may want to check the sunset views from a spot on the road that crosses the peninsula from north to south, from Yalikavk to Bodrum downtown, and that is marked in the maps as “Yel Değirmenleri” (which indicates that apparently there are some windmills, but I didn’t see them).
From here you can get some magnificent views of the sun setting over the Mediterranean and you can also see the Greek islands of Kalimnos and Leros, which are really, really close! (the latter was the setting of a WW2 battle between British and Germans, which later inspired the classic war movie, “The guns of Navarone”).
Just beware, because, to be honest, while the views are great, the place is not well prepared to get visitors. There is some space to park the car on the side of the road, but it is difficult and a bit dangerous to cross (it is located just at a turn of the road and the traffic is constant). There is also quite a lot of garbage around (this is one of the main issues in Bodrum, refuse, particularly plastics and cans, accumulates on the sides of many roads and streets, despite there being places to leave them!). Nevertheless, it seems to be quite a popular spot, with many people, both tourists and locals, spending some time here contemplating the sunset and taking pictures.
And this is the end of this Bodrum story, although, this is a destination that I may return to and where there are still many sights I haven’t visited and many stories to be told. Watch this space!
48 hours in Jeddah: top things to see and to do
Jeddah is likely one of the most historical cities in the Arabian Peninsula.
Located on the shores of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia’s second largest city is just a short drive from Mecca, the most sacred place in the Muslim world, something that becomes apparent already at the airport, as you encounter crowds of pilgrims from all over the world.
In fact, this coastal location and its role as a gateway to Mecca has made of Jeddah, for many centuries, a major trading entrepot.
Unlike other cities in the region, which have developed pretty much out of the desert, Jeddah has a faily large historical center, which has gained it a spot in the UNESCO World Heritage list and offers a glimpse (even if extensively restored) into the Arabia of yesteryear.
By the way, my impression of Jeddah are based on a couple of short forays during a recent business trip I made to the city, so this post, by no means intends to be a comprehensive tourist guide.
I am sure there plenty of other blogs that can offer much more detailed insight into some aspects of the city, such as the several museum-houses that are open in the Al Balad area of Jeddah (many of them were not open when I visited), cultural sites and events and places to eat in the city.
I hope, though, that these few lines and pictures can offer you some broad impressions about what to do and what to see if you travel to Jeddah.
Al-Balad neighbourhood, visiting Jeddah’s old town
This is, without a hint of doubt, the most interesting part of Jeddah, Al-Balad is the historical core of the city (in this aerial picture you can see how it looked like as recently as 1938 and compare with a modern picture of the city!). Its roots date back, at least, to the 7th C. and its ensemble has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
I would say there is not “one thing” to see in Al-Balad, the main thing to do is to walk around and admire the architectural ensemble built in the traditional style of the Hejaz region of Western Arabia. Many of these houses were built using coral blocks from the Red Sea as building material and framed by “roshan”, the wooden windows which often protrude from the facades.
The Souq Al Alawi is, what I would say, the main gateway to Al-Balad. At the time I visited (in the evening) it was packed by visitors and buzzing with activity. There are many souvenir shops and cafés around. To be honest, it is quite a touristized spot, but it is a good reference point to start the walk, since it opens in a rather broad and lively square.
It is also here that we find one of the singular buildings of note, the Nassif House Museum (picture above), which houses an exhibition about old Jeddah, although I found the information is provided in a not very clear way. Apparently it also has a rooftop which is sometimes accessible to visitors and has great views of the whole historical town, but it was closed when I visited and, again, could not find much info about when they open.
So, what follows are some snaps of my walk through Al-Balad. While the aforementioned square was quite crowded, it gets a bit quieter as you start walking into the maze of small streets, as visitors disperse around.
In the picture below you can find two clear examples of Roshan windows, in the two colour tones that prevail through Al-Balad, the natural wooden, brown one and the pale green one.
You will also find several pieces of street art when walking around Al-Balad. This one, for example, evoking fish is a timely reminder of Jeddah as a seaport. In fact, one of the attractions marketed to tourists is the fish market, which is not too far from Al Balad, but I didn’t have the time to visit it.
Al-Balad: an ongoing restoration project
One thing that becomes apparent is that Al-Balad is currently the object of a major restoration project. This is, like so much going on in Saudia Arabia right now, part of the Vision 2030 tourism drive.
In 2023, the Saudi government, through its sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) even created a special entity, the Al Balad Development Company, to undertake this work. The goal is to make of Jeddah’s Al -Balad one of the top tourist attractions in the Middle East.
Seeing the state of disrepair some of these magnificent buildings are in, one can only wish they succeed, although it would be great if they did not overdo it. A great part of the charm of Al-Balad is that, even if you know that a big part of it has been restored, it has managed to preserved most of its authentic atmosphere,. It would be tragic if it ended up looking like a theme park.
Wherever you go in Saudi Arabia, there is passion for football, as you can see, even in the middle of the historical district. Actually, shortly before my visit, Jeddah had hosted the Spanish Supercup, which was won by FC Barcelona.
Al-Balad can be equally interesting at dusk and at night.
In fact, it is possibly the most lively time, since, like in many places in the Middle East, much social life happens in the evening, to avoid the extreme heat during the day. In Al-Balad, some of the main streets are even decorated with lights, which makes the place more scenic.
I would recommend timing the visit to enjoy it both during daylight and in the evening.
Visiting Al-Balad’s historical museum-houses
Several of the historical houses that dot Al-Balad have been restored and are open as visitors. I had the chance to visit three of them, which I detailed next.
Bear in mind, though, that although some of them have some sort of small exhibit inside, perhaps the word “museum” is a bit of a stretch. I had the chance to visit three of them.
Overall I found much information is missing that could help visitors plan the visit and the itineraries better.
For example, it is not that clear which ones are open and when and once you are at the house in question, there is not much contextual information either. In fact, there is not even a ticket counter or anything like this, entrance was free in all three of them and you just walk in.
Also, several of these houses have rooftop terraces that are open at certain times and on certain days, but this information was also not very clear and staff that were around at different spots didn’t seem to know either.
Anyway, here are the museum-houses I visited in Al-Balad.
1. Nassif House Museum
This one has been mentioned already and it is perhaps the best known and most crowded.
2. Al-Sharbatly House
I visited Al-Sharbatly house, located at the northern edge of Al-Balad, as I was dashing through the area looking for a rooftop terrace to see the sunset. That effort was unsuccessful, but I was rewarded by stumbling upon the opening of an art exhibition.
This house, I learned later, has just been completely restored by a businessman who happens to be a descendant of one of the first owners. Here is an interesting article with more details on this story.
As I mentioned, there was an art exhibition inside by Saudi artist Hams Almureh. Not only that, but I was invited to join a small tour group, but also had the chance to meet the artist at the end of it.
Hams Almureh is from Taif, a region in southwestern Saudi Arabia, near the Yemeni border. She has recovered a traditional technique to paint on palm leaves weaved together to form a 100% organic canvas. Quite interesting.
3. Baeshen House Museum
This was the third house that I visited, in the very center of Al-Balad. It was a short visit since there were two or three ground floor rooms open to the public containing a mix of old (but not ancient) objects and what looked like some type of contemporary art exhibit. I must say I didn’t fully get what this one was about.
Shopping in Jeddah
Let’s start by saying that I really didn’t go shopping while in Jeddah. But, I thought worth mentioning the shopping experience, because there is no shortage of shops in Jeddah, particularly if you are into spices and fragances.
There are several modern malls next to Al-Balad (although just outside of it, in the modern part of the city), as well as many smaller bazaar-style shops (from where the aroma of frankincense emanates constantly) lining the most transited streets in Al Balad and along the commercial axis which connects with the modern commercial area between Al Balad and the sea.
It is also possible to find some street stalls on the eastern edge of Al Balad.
The Jeddah Corniche
The other must see area in Jeddah is the famous “Jeddah Corniche”, the seaside promenade which stretches for quite a long way along the sea shore.
Some consideration, though: the Corniche is really long and it is not (at least at the time of my visit) continuous all the way. I opted to take a cab and head towards its northern side, next to the Al-Rahmah mosque, which you see pictured here.
My intention was to walk south from here as far as I could on my way back to the hotel, which was located not far from the southermost end of the Corniche. At the very least I was hoping to be able to get to the Jeddah Aquarium, which I had read is one of the city’s highlights and take a cab back to the hotel from there.
The first kilometer or so looked quite promising: there is a broad promenade lined with quite a few shops and cafés. The weather was also quite pleasant with a slightly warm breeze, but not too hot. The proximity of the sea means that temperatures can be a bit milder than in other parts of Saudi Arabia.
As you get to the area next to the Formula One circuit, though, the promenade gets truncated. The pedestrian boulevard ends and it becomes a motorway for cars only. At this point the route is also devoid of any amenities and very few people are around, just a few anglers every here and there. Cab prices also happened to be more expensive than where I started my walk, I guess because it is not a very transited spot, so I decided to turn back.
I don’t know whether the discontinuity in the pedestrian part of the promenade is permanent or due to construction work, since there is some development going on along the seafront. In any case, since I was short of time and had already got my glimpse of the sea, I decided to get back to the hotel. The southern part of the Corniche will have to wait for another day.
I like the image below because somehow encapsulates how tradition and modernity mix in Saudi Arabia at the moment.
Walking along the Alhamra Corniche
This another seaside promenade, although a bit further south and closer to downtown. It was right next to my hote (more on this below), so I decided to go for a walk.
Despite this being, in theory, a prime seaside spot, I was kind of underwhelmed. There was a stretch of boulevard with some very basic entertainment and food and drink options around. Just a few people walking by (the weather was rather nice, but I guess most people are using to walking out in the evening, not in the morning!)
The water looked pretty nice here, since it is more of less a secluded area protected from the open seas by a a sort of bay and several outlying islets.
However, it doesn’t seem that they are making much use of its recreational possibilities. It is not just the uninviting signage, the boulevard is also interrupted at several points by road works and other infrastructure.
It is still possible to keep walking, although at some spots it is not too pleasant, and get to “Jeddah Beach”, which, to be fair, was a massive disappointment.
Not that I was expecting a pristine beach, but what I came across is just a barren, open space, which is partly used as parking lot and it is not kept particularly clean.
Reminds me a bit of Barcelona’s seaside in the 1980s, before the city decided to successfully open itself up to the sea! Plenty of potential here!
Where to stay in Jeddah
Ritz-Carlton Jeddah
Southern Corniche, District, Al Hamra
Jeddah 21493
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/jedrj-the-ritz-carlton-jeddah/overview
This is a grand hotel which acts also as a major conventions center. Palatial style, pretty nice overall.
The hotel is quite high (it is possibly one of the highest structures in this part of the city, and the upper floors have views of Jeddah’s port and part of the city. To be totally honest, while Al-Balad is truly unique, the modern part of Jeddah is nothing to write home about, but seaside views are always welcome!
Here is how the rooms at the Rtiz-Carlton Jeddah look like.
Nice and elegant, as you would expect in a hotel of this category.
Lots of marble in the bathroom and one detail that I liked: this retro-style alarm clock by the bedside!
One great thing of the Ritz-Carlton Jeddah is breakfast at one of the top floors. Amazing views and amazing food!
Last but not least, if you travel to Jeddah, chances are you will do so on Saudia, which is the main carrier at the … airport (JED). If you do so, you may want to check my Saudia flight review.