Sightseeing in Bodrum

The main building in Bodrum is the Castle of Saint Peter, which the Knights Hospitaller began raising at the start of the fifteenth century. They took the stone from the ruined Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the seven wonders, which stood right here; of the Mausoleum itself only the foundation remains, a couple of blocks from the harbour. Inside the castle works the Museum of Underwater Archaeology — the cargo of a ship that sank off Cape Uluburun back in the Bronze Age was raised and is now laid out through its halls.

The town stands on the site of ancient Halicarnassus, birthplace of Herodotus, and the antique theatre on the slope is still used for concerts. The streets of the old quarter drop towards two bays either side of the castle: yachts fill one, fishing boats and restaurants the other. Sightseeing programmes usually take half a day and end at the windmills on the ridge, from where the whole peninsula is visible.

The day-long format known as Bodrum in a day gathers the castle, the Mausoleum, the theatre and the market into a single guided route. Practical notes: the castle has many stairs and open terraces without shade, so in summer go in the morning. Museum and castle share one ticket, but some halls close earlier than the main opening hours — check the schedule at the entrance.