Natalie For anyone thinking of moving to Aegean Turkey, deciding on the best place to live in Bodrum is all about personal lifestyle choices. Comprising the main city centre and smaller coastal resorts, the area offers a diverse range of environments including luxury, modern, traditional, and low budget. Don’t underestimate what’s on offer. It is the pinnacle hub of Aegean Turkey, not only for tourism but also for foreign expats, of which large communities live all over the peninsula.
Life in Bodrum and Carefree Living
Bodrum’s undeniable charm and cosmopolitan ambience are just too much of a lure. Both for retired Turks and foreigners who dream of a Turkish lifestyle with copious amounts of sun, sand, and cool summer evenings. If you want to move and live there, you will find a pace of life matching your ideal dream of what living abroad looks like. It is just a case of deciding which small town or village suits you best.
The fast pace of the main city centre might be too much for some who would instead forgo vibrant shopping and nightlife scenes for low key Gundogan, where life couldn’t get much slower if you tried.
Modern trendsetters and sailors will adore upmarket Yalikavak, oozing of Ritz, glitz, and the more elegant side of life. While those seeking a more traditional village lifestyle will feel right at home in old Gokcebel.
Another vital aspect to consider is that life differs vastly from summer to winter. Bodrum is one of Turkey’s top touristic spots and from May to October, population counts double, prompting a more hurried and active lifestyle. Anyone looking to live there all year round should consider this.
For property buyers, our viewing trips include a peninsula tour to show facilities like transport links, shopping, nightlife, eating out, beaches and much more. Contact us to find out more. Otherwise, these following destinations are driving the real estate and expat communities.
Best Place to Live in Bodrum: Popular Resorts
1: Stylish Yalikavak: The Place to Be Seen
Yalikavak has emerged from a small tourism town to become a star performer of Turkey’s real estate market and sailing scene. Palmarina, its jewel in the crown and reason for its international stardom is the country’s leading mega-yacht marina, and Saudi princes or western celebrities often dock there. Nostalgia still shines through in the old part of town, but luxury, millionaire mansions are Yalikavak’s new face, and they are changing shopping, nightlife, and social demographics. (More About Yalikavak.)
2: Gundogan: A Turkish Favourite
Gundogan is unheard of on the mainstream tourism scene yet has been a favourite getaway for decades with many Turks owning summer homes or retiring to the area. The cascading hillside lined with olive and citrus trees gives way to a fantastic sea view, making front facing villas popular among homeowners. Despite its trendy status with holidaying Turks, it keeps a more traditional Turkish lifestyle with a low-key nightlife.
3: New and Old Golturkbuku
Golturkbuku has also gained popularity in recent years as an ideal alternative to Yalikavak. This outskirt region offers residents loads of peace and quiet but should they want to step it up a notch, a more extensive shopping, and nightlife scene is a short drive away in Yalikavak.
Old Golturkbuku sits away from the coastline but thanks to the elevated hillside, most houses have amazing Aegean Sea views. In this district, architectural styles are more traditional with restored stone cottages of which some grace pages of international homemakers’ magazines. Heading closer to the coastline, architectural styles change from conventional to new and modern but still include that fantastic sea view.
Best Places in Bodrum for Budget Property Buyers
You can’t get any more laid back than beautiful Kadikalesi. Although it is quiet in winter, a long sandy beach with copious amounts of room, and a gentle breeze attracting windsurfers dominates summer days.
As a small village, residents don’t have doorstep access to supermarkets or an active nightlife scene, but that’s how they like it. Should they want to a wider range, bustling Yalikavak is just a short ride away.
Another budget destination for those looking for a summer holiday home is Iasos, on the outskirt coastline, near the airport. Fully designed holiday villages include a variety of on-site amenities including swimming pools, gyms, saunas, and restaurants to keep young and old entertained all day, every day.
Otherwise, budget buyers who want a year-round destination would do well to look at Turgutreis. As a firm holiday favourite for Brits for many decades, it has grown into a year-round destination with a large expat community.
Places for a Luxury Lifestyle in Bodrum
For crème de la crème, Bodrum has mastered the art to a tee. It does style and finesses with grace, hence its reputation among international rich and famous people. As already mentioned, Yalikavak’s social scene dominates the peninsula, but a time-honoured favourite is Torba.
Sitting 6 kilometres from the town centre, an upmarket appeal revolves around wooden jetties in summer, and yachts docked into the bay. Turkbuku is also upmarket, and its real estate market features many millionaire villas. Nicknamed the Saint Tropez of Turkey, it is a five star plus lifestyle for anyone looking at the best place to live in Bodrum.
To continue your property search, our Bodrum area guide features more towns and villages and a general area introduction. Otherwise, see our vast range of property for sale in Bodrum and use the bottom right-hand chat messaging feature to speak to a sales representative about any home or the region.
