Turgutreis

The second largest town in the Bodrum Peninsula, Turgutreis has become a popular holiday spot and visitors are drawn to its pristine beaches, covered markets, a bustling marina, tasty fish restaurants and budding nightlife. Turgutreis is known as the commercial centre for the western side of the peninsula and an extensive market is held every Sunday. Stalls begin to pop up in the early morning as the sun is rising and block the streets until the evening. Some locals travel from rural villages to make their weekly food shop, while others come for the vibrant textiles, clothes and household goods. Here you can taste some local food at the temporary restaurants or sample traditional Turkish Delight at one of the many sweet stalls. From Monday to Saturday there is still plenty for shopaholics with a variety of high street and boutique shops dotted about the centre of town as well as souvenir shops by the beach, there is even quaint street by the marina selling only hand made goods: colourful gourd-lamps, puppets, embroidery, jewellery made with precious stones and so on.

Perhaps the main reason to visit Turgutreis is for the breathtaking sunsets that you can see from anywhere along the beach. In the warm summer evening, people begin to gather along the beach or at the marina to witness the glowing sun sink below the soft waves of the sea, the sky turns a to a reddish-orange and slowly fades into the evening sky. Grab an outside seat in one of the many restaurants and enjoy the show while sipping on a cool Efes beer or a glass of locally made wine.

Turgutreis is a 500-year-old settlement, named after the Ottoman Admiral, Turgut Reis, who was born in the village and led a series of naval victories. The town is located on the Aegean Coast just 20 kilometres from Bodrum and there is a regular bus service between the two vacation towns and connections to other main towns and villages on the peninsula. A series of stunning beaches stretch along the coast on either side of Turgutreis and small islands are scattered about the bay, most are accessible by bus or boat. From Turgutreis, there are even Ferry Services connecting the town to neighbouring Greek Islands.