Bodrum, the pearl of Turkey's southern Aegean coast, has become a real hotspot in recent years. Bodrum's lively town centre is just a 45-minute drive from Milas - Bodrum Airport, and the Greek islands of Kos, Leros and Kalymnos are all easily accessible by boat. The once tranquil port town and its picturesque villages on the peninsula have experienced an astonishing resurgence.
Built on the ruins of the ancient city of Halicarnassus, Bodrum is home to the legendary Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Founded by the Dorians in 484 BC, the city exudes a rich historical aura. But Bodrum has much more to offer than just history: the sunny days, the sparkling sea and the breathtaking landscape are also tempting. Whether you're a history buff or a sun worshipper - there's something for everyone in Bodrum.
Almost 100 years ago, there was a fateful moment in Bodrum when Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, a writer from Istanbul, was exiled to this picturesque region for three years.
In a simple hut, right on a pristine beach!
He fell in love with the beauty of the area and ended up staying for three decades. Local sponge divers showed him the underwater treasures, and as the "Fisherman of Halicarnassus" he wrote about Homer's land of eternal blueness, with its sunken cities and the traces of Greeks and Romans, of saints and apostles, of Antony and Cleopatra.
His vision of the Blue Voyage brought Istanbul's high society to Bodrum to spend their summer holidays on gulets - wide, comfortable wooden boats - along the coast.
In the 1970s, Bodrum became one of the most glamorous places in Turkey.
Here you will find one of the most popular hotels in the Mediterranean - the Macakizi. The hotel is surrounded by hills covered with pine trees. Maçakızı is located just outside the picturesque village of Türkbükü. Whitewashed suites nestled between oleander, jasmine and palm trees.
The Macakizi is the longest established boutique hotel in Bodrum. The hotel has been run with quality, service and attention to detail for decades.
Macakizi was founded by a Turkish woman who moved to Bodrum in the 1970s.
Ayla Emiroğlu - the woman who helped initiate the first tourist developments in Bodrum. A tall, slim woman with curly dark hair and deep, dark eyes. A poet friend gave her the nickname "Maça Kızı", which means the Queen of Spades in Turkish, while they were playing cards in Bodrum. Since then, the name has stood for her and all the places she created - from the modest guesthouse in the 70s to the very first beach club in Bodrum. There you could then meet characters such as Mick Jagger, Aretha Franklin and Rudolf Nureyev and their entourage. Which led to the legend of the Boheme B&B.
All her inns were frequented by intellectuals and artists, all attracted by her magnetic personality. She remained innovative and changed, combining relaxed beach life with good food and art. All of this paved the way to the now legendary Maçakızı.
Today, her son, Sahir Erozan, proudly carries the flag he received from his mother.
