Bodrum is famous for a few things. One of them is the tomb of King Maussolos which actually gave us the word Maussoleum – it was one of the original 7 wonders of the world and though it is mostly gone – there are still some remains. Pliny the Elder reported that it was over 50 meters high! About the height of a 20 story building – and this was back a few hundred years before Christ was born.
The ‘father of history’ , Herodotus was born here, back when the city was called Halicarnassus. How fitting that the first tourist should be born in a town that would become a world class tourist city.
And then there is the Antique Theatre which dates to the 4th century B.C. and sits unobtrusivly on a hillside next to the road leading into Bodrum. With a capacity of 12-14 thousand people and after extensive restoration by Turkcell and other partners – is still used today for concerts and events.
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The Antique Theatre |
Situated directly on the main road from Turgutreis to the airport, unfortunately the traffic noise disturbs enjoying this beautiful scenery. The infrastructure of the area needs improvement and there are plans to divert the main road, there is even the idea to have the road underground, that would be just marvellous.
The most visible sign of the new restoration to the visitor is the entrance to a tunnel, which was found during the first restoration but not opened or investigated until now. It is guessed that this tunnel goes into a tomb chamber.
Right across the road, you will find a lovely hotel just far enough away from the city to be a calm oasis of serenity. Described as a small, elegant hotel and gourmet restaurant serving the privileged few – this beautiful little hotel is a member of the prestigious la Chaine des Rotisseurs, international gourmet association and has won numerous awards.
As one of the those who have been lucky enough to stay at the Antique Theatre Hotel - I can tell you that the true joy is not only drinking wine by the pool but getting in the pool and experiencing the view as you look out over Bodrum. From the pool the line of sight misses all the development and you see not only the sea, but the Bodrum Castle as well. Magnificent is perhaps the only word that adequately describes it.
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About Vago Damitio
Vago Damitio (@vagodamitio) is the Editor-in-Chief for Vagobond. He jumped ship from a sinking dotcom in 2000 and decided to reclaim his most valuable commodity, time. He bought a VW bus for $100, moved into it and set out on a journey to show the world that it was possible to live life on your own terms. That journey took him from waking up under icy blankets in the Pacific Northwest to waking up under palm tress in Southeast Asia. Three years later, his first book, Rough Living: Tips and Tales of a Vagabond was published. After diving into the Anthropology of Tourism and Electronic Anthropology at the University of Hawaii (with undeclared minors in film and surf) he hit the road again in 2008. Since that time,he's lived primarily in Morocco and Turkey, married a Moroccan girl he couchsurfed with, and become a proud father. He's been to more than 40 countries, founded a successful online travel magazine (this one!), and still doesn't have a boss. Life is good. You can also find him on Google+ and at Facebook