Book flights to Bodrum

The city’s most famous historic landmark and one of Bodrum’s biggest attractions is Bodrum Castle. Designed and constructed in 1402, it is now a museum that showcases much of the region’s unique history. It is also one of the best-preserved medieval monuments in the world, and a great location for some stunning sunset photo opportunities.

The most iconic and instantly recognisable images of Bodrum are its whitewashed windmills. There are seven dotted along a hill between Bodrum and Gümbet, while another cluster make a wonderfully evocative attraction around the old fishing port of Yalıkavak.

Diving is hugely popular in this part of Türkiye, and to explore the underwater treasures that have been found on various archaeological dives, the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology is well worth a visit. This award-winning museum includes artefacts dating back thousands of years, as well as the famous Uluburun Shipwreck, which has been beautifully preserved and displayed in all its glory.

Other attractions on your visit to Bodrum include the Amphitheatre, the Ottoman shipyards, Myndos Gate, and the tranquil yet stunning Türkkuyusu Camii mosque.

Holidays in Bodrum are all about relaxation, so leisure activities centre on or around the water, sightseeing, and enjoying the many excellent restaurants and entertainment venues. If you love scuba diving (or have always wanted to try it) then you will find in Bodrum in the perfect place to begin. The city’s underwater diving locations are spectacular, with crystal-clear, warm water and excellent dive sites for all skill levels. There are plenty of PADI-approved diving centres where you can get your open water certificate, or for more advanced divers with a wreck certificate, there are some excellent sites to explore a little further out.

If you want to see the underwater world but would rather stay dry, then take a trip on a glass-bottomed boat, or hire a yacht and find your own secret cove along the coast for a day’s relaxation. For a taste of traditional Bodrum, hop onboard a gulet, an old-style wooden sailing boat

A visit to Bodrum with Qatar Airways is a chance to discover a whole new menu of exotic food, from the grab-and-go pleasures of simit bread (sesame-coated  bread), to restaurants serving the freshest fish dishes cooked with a delicate blend of herbs and spices. Fruit is a key ingredient, and you will find a lot of both sweet and savoury dishes that incorporate everything from pomegranates to peaches and apricots. For a great street snack, look out for peynirli borek (spinach and cheese stuffed between layers of flaky pastry), or indulge your sweet tooth with delicious lokmasi, fried dough balls dripping with sugar syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon.

For a relaxed shopping experience on your trip to Bodrum, head to the pedestrianised Old Town shopping area, filled with boutiques and independent stores. The market is a great spot to find trinkets and souvenirs to take home. Bodrum also has some excellent malls, such as the Oasis Shopping Centre and the Midtown Mall, and for high-end designer goods, head to the Milta Bodrum Marina complex, which is filled with fashion and jewellery outlets.