Bodrum

Bus & Minivan Tours

After being picked up from the port in Kos, take a stunning boat cruise across the Aegean Sea to Bodrum. Once you have passed through passport control and customs, enjoy a full day to explore this incredible ancient city on your own.  When you arrive in the port, gaze in awe at the beautiful white houses built amphitheatrically on the hillside, dozens of sailboats and yachts, plus one of the most imposing castles in the world. Take a walk along the picturesque streets and admire the architecture. Take in the historical sights and ancient ruins, including the Castle and the ancient Greek city of Halicarnassus, the Windmilles, and the ancient Greek Theatre with 13,000 seats. If you are not a history lover, take a stroll through the small streets and get to know the local cuisine instead. Enjoy a Turkish coffee or tea at a traditional coffee shop, or try 'kebab' and other traditional 'mezedes' and sweet 'kazandibi' - some of the most popular Turkish specialties. After that, head into the really big bazaar for a chance to practice your bargaining skills. Shop for all kinds of souvenirs, folk art, crafts, and clothing. Soak up the incredible lively atmosphere and enjoy the aromas of the spices and local produce. Many stallholders accept euros and almost everyone speaks Greek or English. For a truly Turkish experience, visit a Turkish bath for a little relaxation. Discover how Turkish bathhouses have held a special place in the Turkish culture for hundreds of years. Relax in the steam roam while a highly skilled masseur works away the stresses and strains that have built up in your body during the year. At the end of your incredible day trip, take the boat back to Kos Port in time for your onward journey. 

Explore the unique travertine terraces of Pamukkale (literally “Cotton Castles” in Turkish), and enjoy a full-day trip to one of Turkey’s most popular attractions. Depart Bodrum and transfer by air-conditioned coach to Pamukkale, known as the “8th Wonder of the World” to those in the know. Explore the natural landscape of limpid pools, hot springs and travertine, terraces of carbonate minerals left by flowing water. Inscribed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1988, Pamukkale attracts some 2 million visitors every year. Get a view of the terraces from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli. Then, go to the ruins of the ancient Greek-Roman city of Hierapolis, built on top of the “Cotton Castles” in the 2nd century BC. See the remains of the Roman amphitheater, and visit the former Turkish Bath, now converted to an archaeological museum. Discover where Cleopatra used to swim, and the monumental tomb of the Christian apostle St. Philippe. Marvel at the Necropolis of Anatolia, filled with sarcophagi, most notably that of Marcus Aurelius Ammianos.

Enjoy a relaxing full-day tour of Dalyan on Turkey’s Lycian coast, sailing by boat across the turquoise sea to Turtle Beach. The boat leaves from Bodrum, and you’ll be able to admire the remarkable rock-cut tombs of the Kings of Kaunos along the way. Founded around the 9th century BC on the border of the Kingdom of Lycia, Kaunos became an important Carian city by 400 BC and its culture reflected aspects of both kingdoms. The tombs were designated for the kings and other powerful persons, and filled with food, money, jewelry, and other valuable items. Marvel at the Dalyan Canal as it weaves its way from Köyceğiz Lake to the beach, a peninsula jutting out from the mainland. Famous for the endangered loggerhead turtles that lay their eggs in the sand, as well as blue crabs, the beach is now protected to help conserve the turtles. It is out of bounds to the public from May through September. Experience a mud bath for an indulgent and therapeutic treat before your return transfer to Bodrum.

Begin your ancient Bodrum tour at Crusader Castle, which is the first structure that most visitors see, whether approaching from land or sea. The castle now houses Turkey's Museum of Underwater Archeology, which holds treasures that have been excavated from Turkish waters. During the 5-hour private tour you’ll see St. Peter's Castle, the Myndos Gate, the Roman Amphitheater, and many more relics of Bodrum's ancient past. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology is home to the world's oldest known shipwrecks. See the Glass Wreck Hall, late Bronze Age shipwrecks, the Carian Princess Hall, and the amphoras, which were used for transporting and storing olive oil and wine. Next you’ll visit the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. The mausoleum was built in 355 B.C. by Artemisia, the sister and wife of King Mausolos. See the historical windmills standing near the Bodrum harbor. The windmills are made of stone and lined with wooden planks, and were in use from the 18th century until the 1970s. Stop at the Myndos Gate, built by King Mausolus in the 4th century. This is the only surviving gate of the 2 original entrances to ancient Halicarnassus. The last site on your tour is the Ancient Theater of Halicarnassus, which dates to the 4th century B.C. If you’re interested, you’ll have time for some shopping before heading back.

Tour one of the world's best preserved archaeological sites, and walk in the footsteps of ancients on a 2-day (overnight) tour of Ephesus and Pamukkale, with round-trip transfers from the Turkish Riviera. Marvel at the calcium-filled springs that pour down the mountain side to form a kind of Arctic wonderland called “cotton castles.” Learn more about the Ephesians and the ancient Greek city that they built on the coast of Ionia. See some of the best-preserved ruins, including the Celsus Library, Temple of Hadrian, and amphitheater. Day 1: Ephesus Meet your guide at 07:00 and depart early, heading west towards İzmir Province in western Anatolia. Enjoy breakfast en route so that you can make good time to reach Ephesus by 10:00. Upon arrival, you will have approximately 3 hours to explore the ruins, and walk down the marble streets once walked by the ancients. The city was famed as the site of the Temple of Artemis (one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World) and while only a single column remains, much of the rest of Ephesus is remarkably well-preserved. Admire the Library of Celsus, built to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a mausoleum for Celsus, who is buried in a crypt beneath. See stone carvings of Roman and Greek gods, and get a close-up view of the amphitheater. After lunch, continue to the House of the Virgin Mary on Mt. Koressos. Experience the holy spirit of the humble house where the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her last days. Transfer to your hotel for dinner. Day 2: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before the transfer to the ruins of Hierapolis, built over the hot springs of classical Phrygia. Now enshrined as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruins of Hierapolis give an insight into the lives of the ancients during pre-Roman, Roman, and medieval times. Admire the remains of the city gates and theater, along with the Nymphaeum in front of the Temple of Apollo. Beyond the city walls, and passing the Thermae Extra Muros (Outer Baths) lies an extensive necropolis that extends for over 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) on both sides of the old road to Phrygian Tripolis and Sardis. Along with an inclusive lunch and a chance to photograph the local villages, you will visit the extraordinary “cotton castles” of Pamukkale over which Hierapolis was built. The hot springs and travertines of the mountains have created terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water, leaving a unique landscape in the River Menderes Valley. Depart Pamukkale for Bodrum in the afternoon for an estimated drop off back at your hotel at 19:00.

Drive away from the bustle of the city to admire how diverse and amazing the Turkish landscape is. On arrival to the rural area you will have a tea/coffee break in a local coffee house and the tour guide will provide you with general information about village life in Turkey. Visit a traditional village house to see the lifestyle of locals before going to the village mosque to learn about Islamic beliefs and customs.  Then, meet a village chief and stop for a lunch at his house as you experience true Turkish hospitality and sample delicious local food. After lunch you will visit a carpet cooperative, where a short demonstration of carpets and kilims woven by village women ends your unforgettable day at the Bodrum countryside. You may buy some souvenirs, local goods, handicrafts and handmade kilims/carpets directly from the locals. Drive back to Bodrum for drop off at your hotel.