Itinerary

1. Meet your Host and Explore Traditional Mediterranean Culture in Bodrum

   • Meet your friendly host in the heart of beautiful Bodrum, Turkey, and set off through the narrow streets to begin your cultural experience. 
   • Admire the colourful bougainvillaea flowers adorning Bodrum’s white-fronted houses, and listen as your host shares insight into traditional life and local culture in this charming corner of the Aegean.

2. Stroll Through Bodrum Bazaar Like a Local

   • Browsing the diverse stalls of Bodrum Bazaar, you will discover speciality stores selling products such as peştemal (towels used in Ottoman Hammam), woodblock-printed scarves, handmade silver, and jewellery and leather bags made in Bodrum.  
   • You will also find an acceptable range of textiles, arts, and crafts to buy back home for yourself or loved ones. 
   • We will visit the atelier of an expert Turkish carpet- and rug-maker with 50 years of experience and learn why his locally-made carpets and rugs make their way around the world! Here, perhaps pick up a souvenir of your travels for your own home. All the stores and boutiques we visit on the tour are owned and run by local families, which offers unique insight into Bodrum’s culture and society.

3. Explore the Worlds of Turkish Art, Artisanship, and Local Style

   • Delve into the creative side of Bodrum at lesser-known venues and cultural centres set away from the tourist trail. 
   • Admire beautiful artworks from the wide variety of local artists on display. 
   • In a Turkish designer’s store nestled among the side streets, browse garments featuring Oriental and European styles and see how traditional Turkish design has influenced global fashions.

4. Experience Bodrum Through its Delicious Cuisine

   • Bodrum’s cuisine features fresh seafood and traditional recipes handed down through the generations, and no visit is complete without a few tastings! As we explore, you’ll learn the role of homemade street food in the town’s local culture. 
   • We’ll stop four or so times along the way to sample delicious street food such as baklava (layered filo pastry filled with nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey), Bodrum special doner (a delicious kebab with marinated seasonal vegetables and Bodrum’s secret sauce), and midye tava (crispy mussel snacks on a stick. With local fishermen bringing in new hauls of fresh seafood daily, you are spoiled for choice! We will sample traditional baked goods at a local patisserie from 1876 and savour a steaming cup of Turkish tea or coffee. And, of course, the highest quality Turkish Delight is also featured on our homemade and handmade tasting menu.

5. Your Host Shares Hints and Tips to Enjoy the Best of Bodrum

   • Along the way, we will visit local neighbourhoods and see traditional Bodrum houses where families have lived for generations. 
   • Listen as your host shares local stories and hear helpful tips to make the most of your time in beautiful Bodrum.