Bodrum City Center

Once known as Halicarnassus, this popular Aegean resort and yachting port boasts the ruins of the original Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, as well as the lofty Castle of St Peter,a Crusader fortress which now serves as the world's foremost Museum of Underwater Archeology.Two small picture perfect bays frame the castle, making it particularly attractive to yachters (map). The beaches right in town are small and the water not particularly clean, but there are other beaches and towns nearby on the Bodrum peninsula.

Bodrum is also known for its enthusiastic nightlife. If you like staying up late at loud discos and clubs, you'll love Bodrum. If you go to bed early and sleep lightly, you may suffer. As the provincial governor once said, "If you want quiet, go somewhere else." turkeytravelplanner.com by Tom Brosnahan