Flights to Bodrum

Cheap flights to Bodrum

Gumbet

Upbeat and lively Gumbet is the closest holiday resort to Bodrum just a couple of miles across the hill or 5 to 10 minutes away by dolmus. Large hotels and apartments surround the bay's long sandy beach and the parallel main street is packed with disco bars, restaurants and cafés. There are plenty of watersports available at the beach, daily gulet cruises from the jetty and backing the golden sands a wide choice of beach bars and casual cafés in which to chill out away from the sun. A small weekly market is held every Sunday.

Bitez

Just 10 minutes from Bodrum by dolmus the upmarket resort of Bitez is quieter than neighbouring Gumbet and features traditional villas, shops, restaurants and smart new hotels set amidst olive and orange groves. A huge choice of leisure watersports is available from the beach where the wide golden sands have been awarded blue flag status for their cleanliness. Peaceful evening strolls along the beachfront offer a choice of international or traditional Turkish dining from one of the many restaurants and cafés that line the promenade.

Turgutreis

The bustling town of Turgutreis is 30 minutes away from Bodrum by dolmus on the far western edge of the Bodrum peninsula. With new beach and holiday developments growing up around it all the time the town boasts a brand new marina, extensive waterfront, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and plenty of shops. A weekly ferry operates a day trip over to the Greek island of Kos and blue boat trips sail daily from the harbour on snorkelling and fishing trips. The Saturday market is the largest in the area with mounds of fresh fruit, exotic vegetables, fragrant spices, leather bags, shoes and cheap textiles.

Altinkum

Altinkum is one of the most established tourist resorts of the area lying north of Bodrum on the western Aegean coast about 70 kilometres from Bodrum airport. Its modern centre of hotels and apartment blocks focuses on the soft white sand beach and pedestrianised seafront promenade where plenty of watersports by day and restaurants, tavernas and fast food eateries by night will cater to all tastes. Around the old fishing village to the west of the resort there are traditional Turkish cafés and boat trips out from the harbour.

Cheap flights with Kiss Flights for Family fun in Bodrum

A tradition when in Turkey is to take a blue boat cruise. These blue boat or gulet trips depart daily from Bodrum and from all of the harbourside resorts. Friendly captains will sail round the smaller offshore islands and more remote beaches giving a chance for fantastic snorkelling in clear blue waters followed by fresh fish barbecues and diving off the deck.

Standing guard over the lively harbourfront Bodrum Castle's origins date from the time of the Knights of St John in the 15th Century. Today it houses the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology amongst its exhibitions the fascinating discovery of a Phoenician shipwreck, ancient coins and jewellery. Also on view are the remains of a Carian princess, her sarcophagus and artefacts plus dungeons and a restored Turkish hammam.

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World the Mausoleum of Halikarnassus was built in 353 BC by King Mausolus and completed by his widow Artemis. This colossal tomb is estimated to have stood 150 feet high was ornately decorated and so impressive it lent its name to all future mausoleums. Sadly all that remains today of the structure is its carefully preserved foundations. The site is just outside of Bodrum on the road to Ortakent.

The Bodrum Aqua Park is a great fun day out for the family with large wave pool, toddler pool, lazy river pool and a full range of slides including tubes, rings, kamikaze and a black hole. There's also food and refreshments from the café with regular happy hours.

Just opposite Bodrum lies the Greek island of Kos, birthplace of Hippocrates. During a day in the capital of Kos Town you can stroll the shops of the main square, chill out in a Greek taverna, trace the island's ancient past in the ruins of the Agora and see the huge plane tree in front of the Castle of the Knights, reputed to have given shade to Hippocrates himself as he tutored his students around 460 BC. The hydrofoil journey takes just 20 minutes but lengthy immigration procedures at both ends can add over an hour to the total journey time.

Kiss Flights for visiting Bodrum

The Turkish dolmus system of minibuses is easy to use with frequent services. Rate boards are displayed in each blue and white dolmus and you pay the driver directly. The final destination of the dolmus is shown on the front and even if you're not at a marked bus stop, the dolmus will stop if you flag it down. All of the local routes start from the main terminus in Bodrum and main routes will run throughout the night although with a more haphazard service.

Take a day trip to the picturesque fishing village of Gümüslük boasting idyllic waterfront restaurants where you can laze away the hours sampling colourful meze and succulent fresh fish whilst boats bob on the gently lapping waters. The village is home to the ancient city of Myndos, now submerged beneath the Aegean Sea with the ruins still visible from the sunken causeway that connects to the offshore Rabbit Island. The pebble and sand beach has received a blue flag award for its crystal clear waters and you can shop for brightly coloured handicrafts along the shady lane that meanders down to the waterside.

One of Bodrum's most traditional villages is Yalikavak - a delightful mix of white washed houses, bougainvillea-lined narrow streets and small friendly cafes, all nestled amidst lush green poplars with its waterfront windmill a local landmark. Shady walks under the tangerines and olives lead to the bustling harbourfront where blue cruise boats bob in the waters. Try and visit on market day - Thursday - when the vegetables and fruits of all shapes and sizes are piled high and the scent of spices and gently sizzling kebabs fill the air.

Absolutely not to be missed is a spectacular step back in time to Ephesus, one of the Mediterranean's best-preserved classical cities and just a 3-hour drive from Bodrum. The ruined Temple of Artemis is numbered amongst the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and in the languid heat of shady olive groves the view down Curetes Street, still lined with temples, statues, fountains, public baths and rich city dwellings is quite awe-inspiring.

Along the Mediterranean coast 3 hours west from Bodrum lies the fishing village of Dalyan. The haunting beauty of wild reed beds flank the course of the Dalyan River as it flows past looming ancient Lycian rock tombs culminating in the stunning 5km sandbar of Iztuzu Beach. Here the gently shelving sands are one of the last nesting grounds of the endangered Loggerhead Turtle and access to the beach is restricted during May - September when the turtles are nesting. In season it's possible to spot these timid creatures basking at the water's edge or even swimming in the shallow surf.

If you've time take a boat trip on Lake Koycegiz and slather yourself with the sulphurous mud that oozes from the shores. As you bask in the hot sun the mud bakes hard and it's great fun to then wash it off and take a dip in the hot spring waters of the thermal pools.

Cheap flights to Bodrum for a great sports scene

The waters around the entire Bodrum coastline are ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling. All of the blue boat or gulet cruises will stop for a spot of snorkelling generally followed by fresh fish BBQ on deck, cooked up by the friendly captain and his crew. Conditions are particularly good around Gümüslük, site of the ancient city of Myndos now submerged beneath the sea.

The Aegean breezes around the entire Bodrum peninsula create excellent windsurfing conditions. Winds tend to be a little stronger on the western coast of the peninsula particularly so around the coast near Turgutreis.

Flights to Bodrum for shopping & dining with Kiss Flights

Don't miss the local bazaars - mounds of fragrant spices and the season's ripest fruit and vegetables, gathered fresh that morning from the surrounding fields. Nearly every day of the week is a market day in Bodrum- textiles on Tuesday, fruit and veg on Thursday and Friday. In the outlying market towns stallholders will proudly test out their latest English catchphrases keen for you to bargain for 'designer' label clothes, bags, rich rugs and textiles and sweet Turkish Delight, often over a glass of sweet apple tea. The Saturday Turgutreis bazaar is the largest after Bodrum, Thursday in Yalikavak less crowded and quite pleasant to stroll around and Gumbet's Sunday market quite small.

On the outskirts of Bodrum on the main road through Konacik, the Oasis Shopping Centre is one of the largest modern malls. The centre houses upmarket shops, bars, restaurants including a Chinese and a multi screen cinema complex showing English films.

Turkish hospitality is legendary and the cuisine recognised as one of the world’s classics. Try a selection of hot and cold meze before your main course; waiters will often lead you out for a tour of the kitchens to make your choice. Succulent fresh fish is superb and sold by the kilo, the price of which, as usual in Turkey, is negotiable. Fruit and vegetable choices are varied and kebabs and stews of lamb and chicken are found on most menus. Turkey is a Muslim country so pork is not found on local menus although many English bars will include bacon and sausage in their all-day breakfasts.

Bodrum nightlife

Bodrum nightlife is lively with plenty of bars, clubs and discos. A warren of small streets, cafés, restaurants and clubs around Cumhuriyet Caddesi has earned the area the label of Bar Street.whilst Bodrum's marina and harbourfront promenade are great for an evening stroll lined with colourfully illuminated restaurants.

Bodrum's most famous nightlife spot is the Halikarnas Disco. Spectacularly positioned at the end of the bay it claims to be Europe's largest open air disco surrounded by columns and trees and boasting top DJs, amazing cabaret acts, fantastic laser light displays and fun foam parties.