Happy Easter everyone! Easter break is such a great time to travel and take a quick break from the busy life. The weather gets better, flowers start blooming and you can find unlimited travel deals! My friends and I found a deal through Teletext Holidays

It wasn't the best deal in the world and they made a HUGE issue about my Saudi passport, but it was kinda cheap. I had my heart set on Istanbul, but reservations were impossible, so settled for another spot in Turkey; Bodrum. It was a lovely city with many picturesque views. Here's a photographic report about the trip's highlights.  

At the Airport:

It was such a quiet airport and the service was really quick. Visas were £20 each. Airport pick up was arranged as part of the holiday deal. 

Welcome to Bodrum!

At the Hotel:

I stayed at the Mavi Hotel. The only good thing in that hotel was the view from the breakfast room.

The hotel itself was ok-ish. April is considered the start of the season, so a lot of construction work was taking place and the facilities weren't ready. You can read my full hotel review on Trip Adviser. 

The location of the hotel was not too bad. The bus stop is right on top of the hill. Well there isn't a REAL stop per say, but you can flag the bus from there and it's WAY cheaper than taxis. Just 3TL instead of 20TL. 

Heading to Bodrum City Centre:

The view from the top of the hill

A very cute cafe on the road

I loved the set up and the fresh bright flowers that added a special touch to the place

On the bus going to the city centre

on the road to the city centre

At the Tuesday Bazaar:

The Tuesday market was the talk of the town. Every time I asked about something, people told me to wait for the market. When Tuesday came, I was really excited and headed there when it first opened. It was nice, BUT everything was priced in euros! which made everything ridiculously expensive. Plus, sellers really get all in your face to buy something. Some shops around the Bazaar were cheaper.    

Different views from the Bazaar. 

Lunch at the Bazar. That was the best part!

At the City Centre:

I really enjoyed walking in this part of town. All the shops have wonderful artefacts. What ruined it for me was the amount of fake brands. I was looking for Turkish merchandise with their designs and styles not another fake MK or Gucci.   

Silk cushion covers, colourful glass lights, and detailed plates.

That's what I loved the most. 

At the Fish Market:

The fish market had the most amazing table arrangements. Each one had a different colour making every little place unique and standing for its own. These pictures were taken during the day because at night time this place is very lively, loud and overly crowded. This area is really tailored towards tourists. The prices are really expensive, but you get fresh fish that is just caught. I haven't tried the food so I can't really say much about it.   

This arrangement is really subtle with a lovely art work of Bodrum. 

This one was my favourite.

I loved the hanged art, the bright blue, the floral cushions and the vintage feel of the place.  

The purple was a nice touch.

It works really well with the white backdrop and the stone flooring.

A view of more table arrangements.

Adorable art work in the street. I love seeing small artistic expressions around.

At the Harbour:

Turns out that Bodrum is a famous harbour city, where boats from all over come and "park" there. The pictures in that spot were really pretty. We looked into getting a boat trip because everyone online is raving about it, but an hour for one person is 200TL, so we passed.   

At the Castle of St. Peter and the Museum of Underwater Archeology:

The castle and the museum are both in the same place for the same entrance fee of 25TL for one person. This was my favourite activity in Bodrum. It only took 2+ hours. I even got the audio guide, which was a little limited, but at least you get some information. 

The Castle of St.Peter.

This picture was taken from a city centre restaurant called The Place.

You can't see the full view like this from the harbour.   

The start of the visit

Inside the castle

More of the inside

More of the inside

I really liked this structure.

There was a beautiful peacock.

I waited ten minutes for it to open up its feathers, but it wasn't feeling it :(

The castle was full of bright Spring flowers and this picture captures few things I love:

Hot pink, stones, wood and nature. 

The view of Bodrum from the French Tower in the Castle 

View from the top of one of the towers to the waters in the bottom.

Isn't it beautiful?

The gift shop was AWESOME!

The prices are reasonable and even cheaper than some shops around town.

At the Best Turkish Restaurant, Konyali:

This restaurant was hands down the best place I ate in the whole trip. Actually, this is the highlight of the trip. My friends spotted it on the bus ride and we decided to try it. Best decision ever! The service was GREAT! Everyone was very polite and accommodating. The prices were so worth it. Locals were eating there, which is another sign that the food is authentic. Salad, dips and fresh bread were free. They had a massive meat pie that was very delicious. The mains were wonderful. If you are ever in Bodrum, find it and try it! I highly recommend it.   

How massive is this meat pie?

Look at those mouthwatering mains 

On the Plane: 

The trip was only four days, but it was a nice getaway. Overall, Bodrum was lovely, but very tourists oriented. It will be great to discover different Turkish spots next time that are a little more authentic.

Quick snap from the plane

Bye Bye Bodrum