Turgutreis Things To Do

Turgutreis is a small town with a compact centre and some gorgeous well-organised beaches, all with good tourist facilities. Surfers love it here, and the strong prevailing winds can turn the sea into a surfer’s heaven. Wild! The current’s very strong too, so this isn’t an ideal beach for children. Anyone found swimming, canoeing and engaging in water sports in Turgutreis is guaranteed to be a hardy type! 

 

The Castle of Saint Peter was built way back in the 1400s and, during the Crusades, was a place of refuge for persecuted Christians. Since then it has been a military base, public baths and a prison. These days it’s a fascinating museum dedicated to underwater archaeological finds including a mummy, Ada, who was an ancient Karia princess.

 

The Turks make beautiful things and a holiday in Turgutreis is great for shopping. Try richly coloured hand-knotted carpets, expertly tooled leather, bronze and copper wares, precious metals and semi-precious stones and colourful, intricate embroidery.

 

Saturdays see the town centre spring into even more life with stalls groaning with wonderful local foods and hand made produce. There are glistening olives, beautiful fruits and sun-dried tomatoes.

 

If King Mausolos had known that his tomb would be here, in the 21^st Century, visited by thousands of people every year, he’d be amazed. His Queen, the famous Artemis, built this tomb back in the 4^th century BC, a remarkable 2400-ish years ago.

 

Cycling
Hire a bike and head off into the unknown! Lovely Kadikalesi lies just two miles north, where you’ll find an ancient Hellenistic Castle and a Roman church. These are ancient lands, they’ve been occupied for a very, very long time and the evidence is everywhere. The countryside’s pretty interesting too.  

 

Bodrum is within easy reach, about eleven miles away. So if you fancy a big night out, head for town! A true holiday resort, Bodrum is rammed with bars, clubs, cafes shops and restaurants. On the cultural side, it was once home to Turkish poet and writer ‘The Fisherman of Halicarnassos’ who was exiled there because of his political views. He wrote about Bodrum and attracted like minded hippy and creative types there to join him. The resulting bohemian atmosphere still shines through.

 

Bodrum Peninsula Tour
The Bodrum Region is a gorgeous place and a Bodrum Peninsula Tour comes highly recommended. Book a tour if you’ve got time to spare exploring this wonderful region.