Now nearly a metropolis, what was once just a tourist center with sleepy fishing towns dispersed along the peninsula, Bodrum continues to stand out as Türkiye’s most popular vacation destination known for harboring the best food, beaches and entertainment along Türkiye’s southern coast. For holiday goers there is not only a wide variety of spectacular restaurants and beaches but on the sidelines of any vacation, there are also a number of performing arts festivals and culinary events that take place season wide.

Give 'Tasting Bodrum' a try

"Tasting Bodrum" is a three-day gastronomical event that started in Bodrum on Friday. The main program takes place at Arasta, in Bitez’s Aktur, where the gift stands are set up on the sidelines as seminars, talks and cooking demonstrations take place in the center stage. The theme of this event is a breakaway from the previously held Tasting Alaçatı, which centered around the theme of Bodrum’s cuisine spanning from its traditional and global influences.

Each day, there is a long line-up of talks, which are free to attend and will be presented by many of the region’s culinary experts. For example, following the 2 p.m. opening of the event, at 3 p.m. there is a talk on the evolution of Bodrum’s cuisine from the 1800s that will feature some of Bodrum’s first vendors. At 3:45 p.m., there is a talk by Joanna Aliye Noonan Kutup, who is the daughter of the legendary writer Cevat Şakir, who is otherwise known as the Halikarnas Balıkçısı on his "gusto" for Bodrum. The line-up of events on opening day continues with a cooking demonstration of squash blossom mücver and çaykama börek. Every night, the day's events will conclude with a DJ performance from 6:30 p.m. by Bodrum FM.

The weekend continues with a great line-up on Saturday, with stands opening at 1 p.m., followed by a talk on maritime and boating cuisine delivered by the director of the Bodrum Naval Museum. The chef from Ginger Gümüşlük to give a demonstration of making sushi with fish from Bodrum, followed by a cooking course on Turkish wedding cuisine with a tasting. The second day of events will be rounded up with a talk by chef Pelin Dumanlı of Foodrum discussing the global evolution of Bodrum’s multicultural culinary traditions.

On Sunday, one of Türkiye’s most well-known holistic practitioners, Ender Saraçoğlu on the healing properties of Aegean cuisine, will be interpreted by the chef of Arşipel. At 2 p.m., Zehra Denizaslanı, member of Slow Food Yavaş Gari Bodrum, will be preparing the Cretan dish sübyeli pilav (rice with cuttlefish). At 3 p.m. wellness chef Pelin Bozkurt will be onboard preparing healthy snacks from local Bodrum products. At 4 p.m., chef Aydın Demir will present his take on modern Bodrum cuisine and the event will close with another DJ performance.

All of the events taking place at Arasta are free to attend and open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., but Tasting Bodrum also consists of another component, which is highlighting some of the most well-established restaurants and cafes here in Bodrum. As a result, a number of well-known restaurants in Bodrum such as Maça Kızı, Körfez and Maride Cafe have prepared special menus and items showcasing the event’s theme.

Picnics & gatherings at ruins

Later this month, Ruins Bodrum will be hosting a full-day event entitled "Picnics & Gatherings" that will have a long line-up of well-known DJs while arts and crafts workshops and sports activities take place on the sidelines. The event will be held on June 29 and is a great opportunity to escape the holiday crowds and check out Ruins Bodrum, which is an exclusive beach club in Yalıkavak.

Ruins Bodrum will also be hosting this year’s Chill-Out Festival, which won’t take place here in Bodrum until July 30. This highly anticipated electronic and wellness festival which takes place in Istanbul and Bodrum yearly, will also be heading to Urla and Urla Sahnesi this year on June 24.

7th International Bodrum Jazz Festival

From June 17 to June 25, a variety of venues will be hosting both Masterclasses and master performers by international and Türkiye’s leading Jazz Musicians. The locations include the Dibeklihan Culture and Arts Center and the Erkan Oğur School of Music and showings by Sibel Köse, Neşet Ruacan, and a performance by Ayhan Sicimoğlu and his Latin All-Stars at Metreküp.

Concerts at Bodrum’s amphitheater

One of the most exhilarating experiences in summer in Bodrum is to attend one of the grand concerts performed at Bodrum’s ancient amphitheater. Sitting outdoors and under the stars in this location with a commandeering view of the town and castle is truly a special experience. Couple that with a concert by one of Türkiye’s leading performers and it’s a guaranteed night to remember. Performances including the likes of Cem Adrian, Sertab Erener, Duman and much, much more kick off this year on June 28 and will run through to October.

Ballet Festival

A recent comment by a fellow expat saying that she always plans a trip back home after the annual Ballet Festival in Bodrum got me to realize how truly a spectacular event series this somewhat overlooked festival actually is. This is because not only do international ballet and opera troupes come to perform in Bodrum, but the performances are held on a stage in the Bodrum castle itself! This year’s International Bodrum Ballet Festival will run from Aug. 5 to 18.

About Bayram... dates to note!

The country’s longest religious and national holiday Qurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha, will officially begin on Wednesday, June 28, and will run until Saturday, July 1. But the thing is, not only will Tuesday, June 27, which is referred to as "arife," meaning the eve of the holiday, be operating on a half-day schedule, but many professionals may take the opportunity to combine the weekend before and after the holiday to take an extended vacation. For visitors, this means that starting as early as Friday, June 23, and up until Monday, July 3, you can expect to see an increase in incomers to vacation destinations as this is set to be the busiest time of the year. So make any plans for holidays and events accordingly and as early as possible.