Rent a car and make an Excursion
Where to rent a car or motor bike. Where to go - all the information is here.
Kos
A daytrip to the island of Kos is definitely worth considering as a supplement to the holiday on the main land. Starting the day breathing in the fresh air at sea and later exploring the culture and architecture of Kos it doesnt get much better.
Because of the short distance Bodrum and Kos have a shared history from ancient times to the end of the Ottoman Empire. During the two world wars Kos was under the government of Italy. This can be seen in the architecture of the many buildings from this time.
One of the most famous people of Kos is Hippocrates (460-380 BC). Though little is known about his life he is believed by many to be the Father of Medicine. Nowadays his name is mainly known from the Hippocratic Oath traditionally taken by physicians pertaining to the ethical practice of medicine.
When visiting dont forget to taste the national Greek drinks such as ouzo, retzina and metaxa brandy and fill the stomach with the wonderful Greek cuisine. After an active day you might fall a sleep with a well deserved smile on your lips on the relaxing trip back to the Bodrum peninsula.
Labranda the City of Zeus
Labranda was a Carian city. Set into a steep hillside in an area that supplied Mylasa with its water. The city was a holy area of Zeus and his temple and a religious centre which was connected by a sacred road. This road was used for releigious processions 13km long from the Carian city of Mylasa (Milas).
Labranda became a sanctuary to Zeus. The temple of Zeus is the most important relic of this ancient site and was used for the place of pilgrimage.
Labranda was also known to have a sacred pool of fish adorned with earrings and necklaces. These fish were thought capable of making YES or NO prophecies by accepting or refusing food offered to them after question.
Abandoned around AD 1000, Labranda never grew any larger than a village, leaving todays ruins with an intimate atmosphere. Labranda is well worth the bumpy ride to get there and to be escorted around by the Turkish caretaker.
A beautiful place to go to, well worth seeking out.
Iasos
Built in the 5th Century B.C. by the pelopolonnesians from Argos these Ruins are surrounded by the sea on its three sides. The village was chosen for its protected harbour.
Iasos was originally built on a hill at the tip of the peninsular. Today a sleepy village is set amongst the tumbled ruins of an ancient city.
Outside the city walls once busy in its days the fish market performed its daily tasks. It now houses the museum which holds the villages most interesting ruin, a monumental Roman tomb.
The hill above the port is covered with ruins, including a walled acropolis fortress, agora, gymnasium, a basilica, a roman temple of Artemis Astias (AD190) and numerous other buildings.
The present village only dates from 1929. Before that, it was a Greek farm. Today it is famous for its olive groves and cheap and abundant fish, like in ancient days.
Euromos
Situated 10km from Milas, possibly once connected to this city, lies the ruins of Euromos (meaning STRONG) also known as 'Cyramos' or 'Hyramos' in the 5th century B.C.
Set in a forest of Olive trees the ruined city of Euromos is proud to have the ruined Greek Temple of Zeus. The temple dates back to the 2nd century AD and is believed to have been built by the emperor Hadrian. It has 6 columns on architrave and 9 columns on the sides. The three columns on the north side and the one at the south-western corner do not have the grooved shape like the other columns, probably because the decoration work was never completed.
Most of the columns facing north and west have panels with a memorial inscription.
Located about a mile south of the village of Selimiye, the temple area has no services, although there may be a villager selling cold drinks in the summer months.
This is actually a much larger archeological site than just the temple. The hillside to the east is littered with ruins, and if you spend an hour hiking around you can find a theater an agora and massive defence walls.