Guest Post based on Sue’s original article

Last year, Sue visited the Bodrum Peninsula. She wrote about it on her Suemtravels blog, and she’s graciously agreed to share her daily adventures with us.

During her stay she visited historical sights and some of the towns and villages in the area, and her articles provide some great inspiration for getting off the beaten path and discovering the surrounding sights.

Gümüşlük Seaside Village

Monday afternoon I jumped on a Gümüşlük (pronounced goo-moosh-look) dolmuş to go exploring.

The word dolmuş means “filled” and all seats were taken with several standing in the aisle. It was an eclectic group of tourists and locals. Gümüşlük is 25 miles from Bodrum at the westernmost tip of the Peninsula. The coastal scenery along the way is spectacular!

Known as a “peaceful, charming fisherman’s cove and seaside village,“ Gümüşlük is one of the oldest settlements on the Bodrum peninsula. It’s the former site of the ancient Carian city Myndos that slid into the sea during an earthquake.

Rabbit Island

The only thing that hampered my exploration of the area was a lack of proper shoes. Jumping on the dolmus was a spur-of-the-moment idea and I was wearing sandals – not good for walking sandy, rocky beaches or climbing hills.

I managed to get around and walked several miles but not without complaints from my feet.

The remains of Myndos’ post-earthquake harbor are scattered at the base of the headlands to the north and west of the village. The ancient remains attract snorkelers and scuba divers. Beginning in 2006, archaeological excavations uncovered walls and mosaics. A famous site is where Brutus and Cassius escaped in 44 B.C. after murdering Julius Caesar.

Gümüslük Beach

Rabbit Island guards the entrance to Gümüşlük cove. “It’s connected to the mainland by way of a sunken ancient city wall. From the beach near Gümüşlük town center visitors can wade over the top of the wall to Rabbit Island and enjoy panoramic views of Gümüşlük cove and beach.”

Gümüşlük is a Turkish conservation area. Unlike nearby villages of Türkbükü and Turgutreis which are giving way to tourist developments, Gümüşlük has a remote, quiet atmosphere. In the evening you can choose your favorite spot along the sea front for admiring spectacular sunsets and watching the fishing boats return to harbor. There’s a sandy beach at the far end of the village and a natural hot water rock pool.

Gümüşlük Harbour

During summer visitors sit around a camp fire, enjoy live music, play backgammon, or do nothing at all and relax in the fantastic atmosphere.

For the past 9 years Gümüşlük has hosted the Gümüşlük International Classical Music Festival, and you can find out more information on this website and at http://gumuslukfestival.org.