Bodrum City Tour with Guide: Ancient Theater & Mausoleum

Walk through four centuries of ruins and a castle museum in one morning

A private half-day guided tour of Bodrum starts at the port and takes you to St. Peter's Castle and its Museum of Underwater Archaeology, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Ancient Theater of Halicarnassus, and the Bodrum Bazaar. A professional licensed guide leads the route in an air-conditioned vehicle, with parking included. The tour runs five hours and suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology45m · entry included
2. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus45m · entry included
3. Myndos Gate45m · entry included
4. Bodrum Amphitheater45m · entry included
5. Bodrum Bazaar1h · entry included

Explore Bodrum's historic landmarks

• Start at Bodrum Port
• Visit St. Peter’s Castle and Museum
• Explore Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
• See Myndos Gate remains
• Tour Bodrum Ancient Theatre
• Visit local handicraft workshop
• Free time at Bodrum Bazaar
• Return to Bodrum Port

The experience

The tour opens at the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, housed inside 15th-century St. Peter's Castle. Here you walk through well-preserved exhibits from shipwrecks dating back to the Bronze Age, including artifacts from the famous Uluburun Shipwreck: amphorae, ancient glassware, coins, weapons, and personal belongings of sailors lost at sea. The guide explains how underwater archaeologists uncover and preserve relics from beneath the Aegean.

Next, you visit the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Though earthquakes destroyed much of the original structure and its stones were later used to build Bodrum Castle, the site still shows original foundations, columns, and sculptural fragments. Your guide tells the story of Mausolus, a Persian satrap of Caria, and his wife Artemisia II, who commissioned this monumental tomb in the 4th century BC. The guide describes how the grand structure (rising over 45 meters with tiered platforms and marble reliefs) gave the word "mausoleum" to the world and shaped funerary architecture across civilizations.

The Ancient Theater of Halicarnassus, built during King Mausolus's reign in the 4th century BC, holds around 13,000 seats and still hosts concerts and cultural events. From its terraces you see Bodrum Castle and the Aegean Sea. You also pass the Myndos Gate, part of the defensive walls of ancient Halicarnassus, where King Mausolus commissioned fortifications that resisted Alexander the Great in 334 BC. The tour includes free time in the Bodrum Bazaar to shop or rest before returning to the port.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle with parking fees.
• professional licensed guide speaking English.
• entry to the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology inside St. Peter's Castle.
• guided visits to the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Ancient Theater of Halicarnassus.
• free time in the Bodrum Bazaar to shop or rest.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 85 years) · Child (7 to 17 years) · Infant (2 to 6 years)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Bodrum Tour Port

Is this one for you?Choose this if you're docked in Bodrum and want a private guide to set the pace through scattered ancient sites: the tour starts and ends at the port, so you stay flexible with your ship's schedule.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 17 years); Infant (2 to 6 years).

What's inside the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology?

The museum, housed in St. Peter's Castle, displays shipwreck artifacts from the Bronze Age onward, including pieces from the Uluburun Shipwreck: amphorae, ancient glassware, coins, weapons, and personal items of sailors. The exhibits show how underwater archaeologists recover and preserve relics from the seafloor.

Can I visit the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus on this tour?

Yes. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the tour includes a guided visit to its remains. You'll see original foundations, columns, and sculptural fragments, and your guide explains the history of Mausolus and his wife Artemisia II, who built it in the 4th century BC.

How long is the Ancient Theater and what can I see from it?

The Ancient Theater of Halicarnassus dates to the 4th century BC and seats around 13,000. From its terraces, you have views of Bodrum Castle and the Aegean Sea. The theater still hosts concerts and cultural events today.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, parking fees, and a professional licensed guide who speaks English. Free time in the Bodrum Bazaar is also part of the itinerary. Gratuity to the guide and driver is optional and arranged at checkout.

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour starts and ends at Bodrum Port, with pickup and return included in the booking.