Su Hotel
Design-led budget hotel with its own pool, known for its special atmosphere. Very well rated for ambience and location. One of the more interesting options in the lower price range.
from EUR 60 / night View →
Turkey · Aegean · Travel guide
Bodrum
Whitewashed lanes, a Crusader castle on the harbour, one of the Seven Wonders in ruins and the quietest bays on the Aegean coast: Bodrum is more than a summer party destination.
Photo: Muhammed Gündüz / Pexels
What does a trip to Bodrum cost?
Adjust the values to your trip: the calculator updates live (EUR, converted from CHF estimates).
1,552 EUR
≈ 776 EUR per person
- Flights 621 EUR
- Accommodation 482 EUR
- Food 321 EUR
- Local transport 64 EUR
- Peninsula boat tour 64 EUR
Estimates for orientation, not booking prices. Flights and hotels vary strongly by season: current prices are behind the links below.
Money & payment: You pay in Turkish lira (TRY). The exchange rate moves a lot, which is why all prices here are given in francs and euros. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; you need cash for the dolmuş, markets and tips. Flight time: 3 to 4 hours.
Recommended hotels
Nine options in three price ranges, each among the best-rated on Booking.com.
Budget
Antique Theatre Hotel
Small hotel in a restored house overlooking the Greco-Roman amphitheatre. Very central, quiet terrace. One of the most individual budget places in Bodrum.
from EUR 70 / night View →
Gümüşlük Pension
Simple, well-rated guesthouse right in the quietest village on the peninsula. No tourist noise, fish restaurants on foot, the cheapest bed with a sea view.
from EUR 45 / night View →
Mid-range
Manastır Hotel & Suites
Boutique hotel on a hill with panoramic views of the harbour and castle. Terrace pool, prettily designed rooms, excellent reviews. A little out of the centre, but with its own shuttle.
from EUR 140 / night View →
La Jolla Boutique Hotel
Stylish small hotel near the harbour with a lovely courtyard pool. Very well rated for design, service and breakfast.
from EUR 130 / night View →
Marina Vista Hotel
Well-rated mid-range hotel right on the marina with views of the yachts. Comfortable rooms, short walks to the castle and the centre.
from EUR 120 / night View →
Luxury
Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay
One of the most renowned luxury resorts in Turkey: on a rocky headland above its own bay, with an infinity pool, thalasso spa and private beach. A long way from mass tourism.
from EUR 480 / night View →
Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
One of the most exclusive addresses in Turkey: right on the bay, large suites with private pools, excellent restaurant, discreet service. For travellers seeking maximum privacy.
from EUR 750 / night View →
Caresse, a Luxury Collection Resort
Part of Marriott's Luxury Collection, right on quiet Göltürkbükü. Elegant villas and suites, private beach, upmarket restaurant. One of the best views of any luxury hotel on the peninsula.
from EUR 535 / night View →
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Experiences worth your time
Crusader castle & underwater museum
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology in the Castle of St Peter shows the oldest known shipwreck in the world. Rooftop terrace with the best harbour view. Allow two to three hours.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
Ruins of the ancient wonder of the world in the middle of town. Small, well-explained site with foundations, columns and sculpture finds. Good in combination with the castle.
Peninsula boat tour
Day tours from Bodrum harbour to several bays on the peninsula, with swimming stops and lunch. Book directly at the harbour and negotiate the price.
Gümüşlük day trip
The quietest village on the peninsula, 20 km from Bodrum. Fish restaurants on the water, a small island you can walk to, no clubs. Reachable by dolmuş from Bodrum town.
Ferry to Kos (Greece)
Day trip to the Greek island of Kos: the Plane Tree of Hippocrates, the ancient Asklepieion, Greek food. Ferry from Bodrum harbour, 20 to 45 minutes. Bring your passport.
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Food & drink
Bodrum eats Aegean and more expensively than the rest of Turkey, but not everywhere. Çökertme kebabı comes from the village next door, the mandarins grow in the gardens of the peninsula, and in Gümüşlük the fish comes straight off the boat. Avoid the harbour promenade, head for the villages and markets, and you eat well for normal money.
Çökertme Kebabı
Strips of beef, marinated and fried, on paper-thin straw potatoes with yoghurt and tomato sauce. Named after the village of Çökertme near Bodrum. CHF 10 to 16 (about EUR 10.70 to 17).
Tip:The straw potatoes must be crisp; if they arrive soft, they were not fresh.
Bodrum Mandalinası
The Bodrum mandarin is smaller, more fragrant and grows all over the peninsula. Fresh from November to January, otherwise as juice, jam, cologne or mandarin liqueur. Juice CHF 1.50 to 3 (about EUR 1.60 to 3.20), jam CHF 3 to 5.
Tip:The mandarin cologne is the best souvenir: it costs little and smells of the holiday.
Meze at the harbour
The Bodrum evening: cold meze from the counter (samphire, fava, octopus salad, Girit ezmesi), then fish. CHF 4 to 7 (about EUR 4.30 to 7.50) per meze, the harbour promenade dearer than the lanes behind it.
Tip:Four meze for two people, and only order fish if you are still hungry.
Fish in Gümüşlük
The fish restaurants in Gümüşlük set their tables in the water and the fish comes off the boat. Sea bream, sea bass, octopus. CHF 20 to 35 (about EUR 21 to 37) per person with meze, rakı extra.
Tip:Arrive late afternoon, wade across to Tavşan Adası, then eat at sunset, and reserve in July and August.
Ot Kavurması and Zeytinyağlı
Wild herbs of the peninsula in olive oil, plus artichokes or beans served cold in oil. Light, bitter, summery. CHF 4 to 7 (about EUR 4.30 to 7.50) a plate.
Tip:Best in spring, when the herbs are young.
Gözleme from the market
Flatbread with cheese, spinach or potatoes from the sac griddle. The cheapest meal on the peninsula: CHF 2 to 3 (about EUR 2.20 to 3.20).
Tip:In the morning, with ayran, and pick up olives and cheese for the beach while you are there.
Rakı at sunset
Fish and meze call for rakı with ice and water. A glass costs CHF 5 to 8 (about EUR 5.40 to 8.60), a small bottle in a restaurant CHF 22 to 32. In Bodrum often also wine from the peninsula or from Urla.
Tip:Order the rakı after the first meze, not before, and round it off with melon and white cheese.
History & background
Bodrum was called Halicarnassus in ancient Greek and is one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor. Herodotus, the first historian of antiquity, was born here around 484 BC. The Persian satrap Mausolus had a tomb built for himself in Halicarnassus so magnificent that his name became the word for any grand burial monument: the mausoleum. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; today only a few stones remain. The Crusader castle that defines Bodrum today was built in 1402 by the Knights of St John, who quarried the stones of the Mausoleum to do so. The Castle of St Peter now houses the world-famous Museum of Underwater Archaeology, with finds from shipwrecks dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. In the 20th century Bodrum became a favourite haunt of Turkish intellectuals and writers, among them Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, known as Halikarnas Balıkçısı (the Fisherman of Halicarnassus), who immortalised the coastal culture of the region in his books. Today the Bodrum peninsula attracts both party tourists and travellers seeking peace and quiet, and the experience differs enormously from bay to bay.
Insider tips
Crusader castle and underwater museum
The Castle of St Peter is the symbol of Bodrum and at the same time one of the most interesting museums in Turkey. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology shows finds from shipwrecks going back to the 14th century BC, including the oldest known shipwreck in the world. The glass finds from the Uluburun wreck are archaeologically unique. The admission price is worth it; allow two to three hours. The castle's rooftop terrace offers one of the best views of the harbour.
Gümüşlük: the quietest bay on the peninsula
Gümüşlük lies at the westernmost tip of the peninsula, about 20 kilometres from Bodrum town. The village has no big hotels and no clubs, but fish restaurants right on the water, a few boats and a small island you can wade to on foot. Unusually cheap, even by Bodrum standards. If you want peace and quiet, stay here instead of in Bodrum town.
Türkbükü and the north coast: the exclusive side
Türkbükü and the surrounding bays on the north side of the peninsula are the most expensive corner of Bodrum. Boutique hotels, yachts, upmarket restaurants on the water. The opposite of Gümüşlük. Interesting for an evening or a day trip, not as a cheap place to stay.
The windmills and Kaleiçi
On the hill behind the castle stand seven old windmills from the 18th century, renovated and nicely lit. The way there leads through Kaleiçi, the old town with its whitewashed houses, blue doors and bougainvillea. Touristy, but lovely. Mornings and evenings without the big crowds. The Mausoleum site is also right in the middle of town, a little inconspicuously signposted, but worth it.
Ferry to Kos: Greece in 20 minutes
A ferry runs from Bodrum to the Greek island of Kos; the crossing takes about 20 to 45 minutes depending on the service. A day trip to Kos with the Plane Tree of Hippocrates and the ancient Asklepieion is easily done. Bring your passport. The ferries run several times a day in season; buy tickets directly at the harbour.
Bitez and Akyarlar: cheaper and windier
Bitez is the windsurfing bay of the peninsula: shallow, constant wind, family-friendly. Cheaper accommodation than in Bodrum town. Akyarlar lies right in the south, quieter, with views of Kos and the Greek islands. Both reachable by dolmuş from Bodrum town.
Frequently asked questions about Bodrum
How do I get to Bodrum from Western Europe?
Bodrum has its own airport (BJV / Milas-Bodrum). In summer there are seasonal direct and charter flights from Zurich and many other European cities; outside the season a connection in Istanbul is common. Alternatively fly to Izmir (ADB) and take a bus or rental car to Bodrum, about two hours.
When is the best time to visit Bodrum?
May, June and September to October: warm sea, prices below high-summer levels, less party noise. July and August are hot and expensive, especially in Bodrum town. Gümüşlük and the quieter bays are more pleasant even in high summer.
Is Bodrum only for party tourists?
No. Bodrum town has a lively nightlife, but the peninsula as a whole is very varied: quiet bays like Gümüşlük, a family beach in Bitez, culture in the castle and the Mausoleum. If you stay outside Bodrum town, you will notice little of the nightlife.
Do I need a visa for the day trip to Kos?
Kos belongs to Greece and therefore to the EU and the Schengen Area. Swiss, EU and UK citizens need no visa for Greece, but you are leaving Turkey and entering Schengen, so you pass through border control each way. Bring your passport, not just an ID card. Other nationalities should check whether they need a Schengen visa.
Itineraries with this destination
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West Coast Camper Van Tour
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Two weeks in a camper between the Dardanelles and the Lycian Coast: Troy and Assos, olive groves, windy bays, beaches where you sleep by the water, and harbour towns where in the evening you simply park the van.
Activities in the region
Events
Oct 18
Bodrum Cup Sailing Regatta
SportThe best-known sailing regatta in Turkey, held since 1989: around 100 gulets and sailing yachts race for a week in stages from Bodrum to the coves and islands nearby and back. You can sail along through charter companies that offer berths on regatta gulets, from around CHF 800 (about EUR 855) for the week. Parties in the harbour in the evening, races with wooden boats in front of the castle by day.
For travellers: The harbour and hotels in Bodrum are full during regatta week; the rest of the coast is quiet in October and the water still warm.
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