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Bodrum /
Ortakent
Families enjoy the village of Ortakent, inland of the sandy coasts on the south of Turkey.
Found on the western part of Bodrum region, the village sits on fertile plains that enticed the growth of citrus gardens, whose groves wind its way down the foothills and small roads that eventually extend down to the sea coast.
One of the oldest settlements on the peninsula, Ortakent is famous all across the country for the attractive 17th Century Tower Houses that can only be found in its soil within the city limits. With the characteristics of an ancient village frozen in time, Ortakent’s tower houses were built by the locals to defend themselves from dangers coming from the sea.
In fact, the Mustafa Pasa tower house from the 15th Century BC, features cannon embrasures along the roof and walls around 60-cm thick, clearly having the defense of the homeowners in mind in its grand design from history.
This major mandarin producer and generous supplier of water to Bodrum, has famous beaches of Ortakent Beach next to the town of Bitez that offer spectacular seascapes and even beach camel rides.
A little further on from the town of Ortakent, is Yahsi which offers breathtaking vistas as well as a charming road which descends unto the vast expanse of sandy beachfront where a boatyards mingle with the tourist shops, hotels and restaurants that dot the shoreline.
A visit to Ortakent is not complete without charting a traditional wooden boat for a night cruise on the seas, under the watchful eye of the full moon. From this placid seascape, visitors can see the play of light from the modern resorts, hotels and cafes that line the beachfront as one faces the shore from open waters. A picture postcard memory of the evenings at Ortakent right on the seas.
