Nestled in an indent of Türkiye’s famous Aegean coastline, Bodrum is a town of rich contrasts; ancient ruins such as the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, bohemian murals, a vibrant bazaar culture, sleepy fishing bays and a deeply cosmopolitan spirit. Steeped in history, culture, and natural beauty, it has long served as a magnet for visitors around the world, and a place where the sea’s serenity is merely a head-turn away.
Sunset over Bardakçı Bay.
Bodrum’s rugged hills and cliff-faces make for a picturesque sight. The peninsula’s allure is raw. Untamed nature is an essential part of the beauty in this space, with wild green shoots and tufts of foliage dotting the winding roads through the villages. Surrounding slopes are covered with olive trees and citrus groves, and if one braves the climb upwards they will find themselves rewarded with a sunset view framed by an azure blue of sea and sky.
With so much water surrounding Bodrum it will come as no surprise to readers that the majority of the traditional diet is fresh fish and seafood such as black seabream, sole and calamari. Weaving through the villages one might catch the smell of the grill — sea bass (levrek), grouper (lagos) or stingray, often with hints of freshly squeezed lemon and parsley, served with traditional flatbread.
The local markets are bustling with people and fresh ingredients, usually brought from mere kilometers away. In a place with lots of sun and water, produce grows easily here. Olive oil is in abundance, as well as fresh greens such as cibez, radika and ebegümeci.
The boats come in at Boğaziçi Village, bringing in the fresh produce of the day.
Offsetting the lush abundance of color in the produce, water and sky of the surrounding area are serene, deep-set and rich colours of handwoven tapestries and rugs, such as those found in Etrim Village. Rug weaving here is a generational skill rooted in Anatolian traditions, with techniques handed down over generations and considered to be some of the finest in Türkiye. While there are similarities between the styles here and other rugs across the country, Etrim’s designs have distinctive colorways, carefully entwining with motifs to tell unique stories.
Craftspeople using double knotting and hand weaving techniques to make wool carpets at Etrim Village.
There are also distinctive ceramic producers in the area, who use an adapted method of the Japanese Raku firing technique to create their wares. This approach, combined with sand-infused clay leads to a kind of “crackled” effect on the finished product, arguably reminiscent of the surrounding hills and stones of the area. Stepping outside into the night, one might hear Aegean Folk Rhythms, a vibrant genre of music primarily used for dancing. Many of Bodrum’s traditional music encompass unusual time signatures, a distinguishing feature that reflects the area; beautiful, mysterious, and utterly beguiling. ■
Sculpture and ceramics at Tevfik Türen Karagözoğlu, where the Raku firing technique is used to give items a 'crackled' look.
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