Villa Doruk is situated in the ancient settlement town of Konacik, five kilometres north of the international tourist town of Bodrum, where the Greek Aegean meets the Turkish Mediterranean Sea. The villa is a forty-one kilometre, fifty-minute drive from Bodrum International Airport; get there by taxi or frequent, reliable local public transport. The villa is just over three kilometres from the citrus-scented resort of Bitez itself, with its many cafes, bars and restaurants, and local shops and supermarkets stocked with everything you will need to cater for a happy holiday. There is a supermarket and restaurant within walking distance for immediate supplies.
The town of Bitez plays host to a weekly market every Thursday, selling home-grown fruit and vegetables, freshly caught fish, locally pressed olive oils, honey from the farmer hives, and souvenirs to remind you of your stay, it’s all very bazaar. Every Sunday, there is a flea market, where you can find Turkish bric-a-brac to take home and visit the old Greek orthodox church with its famous dolphin mosaic. Start your holiday with a scrub and clean at the nearby Bitez Hamman, the best way to prepare for a super tan. The bay of Bitez has a beautiful half-moon sandy beach with a mountain backdrop, pre-book sun loungers and shady brollies, sample the water sports and windsurfing, relax in a hand-woven hammock, and refresh in one of the many cafes and bars. If it is fun and frolics in the sun you are looking for, go five kilometres south to Gumbet, a lively cosmopolitan resort with buzzing bars, cafes, restaurants, shops, beaches, pubs, and nightclubs. Some seriously good beach clubs populate the peninsula, the oldest is Sarnic, where you can bathe, swim and surf, or you may fancy the buzzing Buddha Bar and Beach Club with its international live music concept and evening entertainment. Try Xuma in Yalikavak with its Chill Out Festival and no young children policy for some adult beach club vibes. Push the boat out and hire a yacht with your own captain for a lazy day at sea, sunbathing, swimming, and snorkelling, or set sail on a shared one departing every morning from the harbour.
Further afield, just twenty minutes' drive away, is the town of the original fishing village of Yalikavak, which now offers a range of family fun activities. In this impressive marina, you can marvel at some seriously amazing super yachts and spend all your lira in the marble shopping mall to rival Milan, selling all of your favourite designers and brands with your own personal shopper as an optional extra.
Go east, and in twenty minutes, you’re in the cosmopolitan town of Bodrum, with the impressive St Peter’s fortress, an Underwater Archaeology Museum, and a Maritime Museum, not to mention the great shopping and fabulous food. If you love the nightlife, go to Gumbet, the next village along, with lots of live music, busy bars, and dancing until dawn. Adventure further afield to see some real Turkish delights. Well worth the journey is a trip to immerse yourself in history at the world-famous UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ephesus and the amazing library still standing. Lose yourself in the cotton clouds of the incredible geological magic of Pammukale, and bathe in the life-enhancing Cleopatra’s bath. And if you feel like going intercontinental, go Greek and nip on the ferry that takes you from Bodrum to Kos and all its ancient sites in only half an hour.
