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. 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.



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.