Aegean Tours

Bodrum:

Bodrum, the southern most major holiday town of the Aegean, is the center of attraction of the whole region. It is famous both among Turkish and foreign travelers. The population jumps from 50,000 people to more than half a milllion during summer time. The "Blue Cruise", a world famous Turkish Mediterranean classic for yachting and sailing through the blue of the Aegean and the Mediterranean in wooden boats with 2-12 cabins, started in Bodrum. Bodrum now has many small villages and towns spread all over its peninsula, almost all having resorts, hotels, guest houses, bars, restaurants, shops ... The small village Yaliciftlik east of Bodrum has only 3 resorts on the sea and is still in its original unspoilt form.

At the town center or Gumbet (next cove to Bodrum, close to the town center) if you are after night life or visiting Bodrum for a day or two. Night life was one the major reasons why people go to Bodrum, the first time. Of course that wasn't all. The sea is crystal clear, at the rite temperature and there are hundreds of small coves to swim, many places to discover.Turgut Reis and Yalikavak are two other major villages around which hotels, holiday villages and time-shares are located. These are about 25 minutes away from Bodrum city center by car or minibus. The other well known spots are Ortakent and Yahsi Nightlife:The city itself is famous for its nightlife, with numerous bars, discos, restaurants, cafes and shops offering the most that Turkey has to offer, second only to Istanbul. You may choose to stay in a guest house or hotel in the city itself for best experiencing the nightlife.

The old town and the bazaar are found east of Ulusal Egemenlik Bulvari. Neither is particularly interesting, but the Castle Museum is worth a look.

Marmaris is mainly useful as a starting point for excursions to the main sights of the coast and make sure you visit  Günlük and Turunc by boat. It's a pretty useful base too. There's plenty (some say way too much) accommodation, restaurants and bars. When you  are at Marmaris if  face to the sea, it may look like a lake.  There is small straigth connects to open see  which is hard seeing it.  During the World-II most of ships hide in the Bay.  Marmaris has two the large  marina.

Fethiye:

The high mountain range formed by rises and falls of the crust during the Tertiary Geological Period, and hundreds of bays lying at the mountainside seem to embrace each other along the Fethiye shore line. This limestone mountain range (it was called the Kragos and Antikragos in the antique period) with an altitude of more than 6560 feet (2000m.) forms the southwest end of the Toros (Taurus) chain and lies parallel to the shore without a single passage to the inner regions.

On a warm and sunny winter day, peculiar to the Mediterranean climate while you are sipping at your Turkish tea or Turkish coffee, at one of the local tea gardens, along the coast, these mountains with pine trees at their skirts, white snow and mist on their summits will once more welcome you to heaven.

Oludeniz:

Ölüdeniz remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of Ölüdeniz, on a blue lagoon.The lagoon is a national nature reserve and building is strictly prohibited. Ölüdeniz is famous for its shades of turquoise and aquamarine, and is an official blue flag beach, and is frequently rated among the top 5 beaches in the world by travelers and tourism journals alike. The resort is also famous for its paragliding opportunities. It is regarded as one of the best places in the world to paraglide due to its unique panoramic views, and the Babadağ Mountain's exceptional height.

Selcuk:

The 18 km of road from Kusadasi to Selcuk pass through spectacular beach and mountain scenery. The pretty town Selcuk is famous with its being a fascinating mixture of all historical periods. The strategic location of Selcuk has provided to be a popular place to settle down during the centuries. The name ‘Selcuk’ comes from the Turkish tribes settled in the region by the 12^th century.

Selcuk has been reputed well for its closeness to the ancient Ephesus, Virgin Mary’s House and Seljukian works of art.

Besides the historical richness around the area, Selcuk is worth-seeing with the places of superb natural beauty surrounding the town. The village “Sirince” is the one that attracts every visitors with its spectacular view from a mountain in the 8km east of Selcuk. The beach of “Pamucak” is also of interest, 9km away from the town. A very nice jogging road covered by the old raspberry trees just in the entrance of Selcuk, also makes an impressive setting and an ideal location for relaxation.

Kusadasi:

Kusadasi, as many know, takes its name from the small islet of Guvercinada (Pigeon Island) in the bay. The island, now the site for a number of tourism facilities, was connected to the mainland for security reasons following the Moria Rebellion in 1834. Although the date of the first settlement in Kusadasi is unknown it is clear that it goes back in time. In 3000 BC the Karia came from Anatolia and settled here. In 12th century BC, it became a part of the Ionian League and was then known as Panionia. In 546 BC, the Persians came here had seized the entire coastline, with Kusadasi then being taken over by the Romans in 200 BC. This naturally was followed by the Byzantine era and with the neighbouring city of Ephesus losing its popularity, kusadasi became more prosperous. With its natural port it became a centre of trade. In 1071, it came under the control of the Selcuk Turks and in 1413 was seized by Ottomans. The Ottomans made use of the port as a trading centre for agricultural products brought over the Silk Road running through China, Central Asia and Anatolia. Altough it never was a major centre, Kusadasi was always an important port, having strong links with Levantine communities. Until the First World War many Jews, Genovese, Venetians and Greks lived here. After the war, with the population exchange, the Greeks went to Greece and Turks, especially those from Crete, were settled in the aera.

Pamukkale:

Pamukkale is one of Turkey’s top attractions and a precious in the world with its cotton-look terraces. The underground water once gave life to the ancient city of Hierapolis now helps Pamukkale be one of the most important thermal centers of Turkey.

Tourists and locals visit Pamukkale and Hierapolis frequently not only for its extraordinary look and its ancient history but also for wellness. Scientifically proven to cure many diseases, the waters attract people and there are many thermal hotels in the area that serve 12 months a year.

Troy:

The Troy war is one of the most important episodes that have survived in the mythology and from greek legends. Some events that caused the war are known from the two great Homeric poems, the Illiad and the Odyssey.The term "Illiad" comes from "Ilias", that means "regarding Ilion", the name of a city in the Asia Minor coast. In Illiad has 24 songs, with 15 thousand verses. Although it tells Troyan war, it is not a complete narration of what happened. The Illiad tells the second year of the conflict, when a disagreement between Agamenon and Achilles began. The wood troyan horse is considered to be an idea of Ulisses, and the most courageous Greeks got inside the horse. The troyans believed that if the horse never entered Troy, the city would never be taken; and if it was left outside, the Greeks would end up returning and would devastate the city.

Pergamon:

Pergamon was a small settlement during the Archaic Period. Lysimachos, one of the generals of Alexander the Great and who had become the sovereign of Anatolia after 301 B.C., delivered the war expenditures, at the amount of 9000 talents (1 talent is believed to be US$ 7,500 approx.), to Philetarios who was the commander of Pergamon, and the kingdom founded by Philetarios by using this sum of money following Lysimachos's death, flourished and became the most eminent center of culture of the Hellenistic period for 150 years. Eumenes I, Attalos I and Eumenes II were enthroned successively after Philetarios. Eumenes II took acropolis of Athens as an example and had the acropolis of Pergamon adorned with works of art which reflected fine taste, and Pergamon became one of the most graceful cities of the world. Attalos III who succeeded Attalos II, handed over his land to the Romans when he died in 133 B.C.

Assos:

Assos lies within the village of Behremkale. I is believed that Assos was founded by the people of Methymna in the 7th century B.C. a town on the island of Lesbos. Walls surround the Acropolis, built on a hill dominating both sea and land, about 3 km. in length. These walls were distinctively built at the time expressing different style and workmanship. The gateways, which were built in different design and character, are very interesting. The temple of Athena built on the highest points of the hill, the bouleterion, consisting of statuettes, small monumental buildings, and the gymnasium the theatre stoa and the necropolis from Roman period, and the agora are the finest examples of the period.  Apart from Assos in Ayvacik; Chryse in GoIpinar Bahcelerici, the shrine of Apollo Smintheus with luted pillars which is one of three in Turkey (Didyma Apollon, Ephesus Artemis), the altar of Zeus in Adatepe, mentioned in Iliad by Homer, the Roman bridge in Golpinar, Babakale Mosque, built by Kaymak Mustafa Pasha in the seventeenth century, Hudavendigar Mosque, built on a hill near Assos, the stone bridge built over Tuzla stream are all historical ruins worth visiting.

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