Until as recently as few decades ago, Bodrum was a sleepy fishing village known only to a select group of vacationers from international jet-set and artists who sought Mediterranean experience in idyllic settings. Today this charming Aegean town still offers the natural beauty, cobalt blue sea and charming white village houses that attracted those first visitors but has grown in popularity to become a favorite of the cream of international travelers.

For anyone who has ever watched the sunset from the Bodrum marina and seen the fading rays sun paint the nearby Castle of St .Peter in glorious shades of pink and orange, this should be no surprise. Nor should you be surprised to learn that Bodrum offers outstanding luxury accommodations and particularly fine boutique hotels, like The Marmara Hotel a member of the distinguished Small Luxury Hotels Association, like Ada Hotel a member of the distinguished Relais and Chateaux and like Antique Theather Hotel a member of the distinguished international gastronomical society the Chaine des Rotisseurs.

The Castle of St. Peter was built in the 15th century by crusaders of the Order of the Knights of St. John, which included knights from most of the nations of Europe. The interior of the castle is decorated with the coasts of arms of 249 Christian knights of the Order, and the Castle's towers are named for different countries represented in the Order: the English Tower, the Italian Tower, the French Tower, the German Tower. The one exception is the fifth tower, the Snake Tower, which takes its name from the relief of a serpent over the entrance tower. One of the seven wonders the world the Mauseloum is unfortunately not in the shape listed in literature as all blocks have been used building the castle.

Today the Castle is home to the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology which houses one of the world's best collection of underwater finds, including antique pottery, Islamic glassware and articrafts from shipwrecks dating back as far as 14th century BC. Housed in 14 different galleries within the Bodrum Castle , the Museum's collection provides a fascinating glimpse into both the daily lives of the ancient civilizations and the commercial links between the Mediterranean civilizations dating back thousands of years. Its definitely worth your while to reserve a day to the only one underwater archeology museum in the world.

Another manifestation of this vibrant maritime tradition is the Blue Cruise, a now internationally famous tradition that got its start in Bodrum. A Turkish poet, known as the Fisherman Of Halicarnassos, Bodrum's ancient name, in the 1930's began exploding the isolated coves around Bodrum and invited friends from Istanbul to join him. Today the visitors are enchanted by pristine coves, quaint villages, sparkling blue waters and untouched natural beauty of the Aegean coast surrounding Bodrum area, as well as the charm and the luxury of the yacthing experience.





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