Among the tree-lined mountains and the quaint little white houses, an ancient history lives and breathes in Bodrum. The city stands on the site of the Ancient Greek city of Halicarnassus, which was home to the Tomb of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. However, the city's most impressive building which has survived to this day is the medieval Bodrum Castle. Here you'll find the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, one of the city's major cultural and artistic venues. There are many ways to enjoy Bodrum - you can escape to its secret little villages or enjoy the extravagance of its many five-star hotels, relax on the beaches where the green of the forest meets the clear blue waters of the Aegean, or revel in the city's bustling nightlife. However you choose to spend your time here, just remember the words of the Fisherman of Halicarnassus, the Turkish writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı:
"You'll see Bodrum stretch in front of you as you come down the hill,
But don't think you'll be leaving as you came,
Those before you who thought the same,
All left their hearts in Bodrum before they went."