Bodrum
Bodrum with 21A Interiors, Esra Kazmirci and UrbanJobs
A designer’s guide to the best galleries, concept stores, restaurants and hotels in Bodrum, selected by 21A Interiors, Esra Kazmirci and UrbanJobs
Bodrum resists a single point of view. The Turkish peninsula unfolds through quiet Aegean villages and polished marinas, contemporary galleries and traditional weaving workshops, long seaside lunches and hotels that have helped define a new language of Mediterranean hospitality.
For this Bodrum design guide, we invited three different voices to share their own edit of the peninsula: interior studio 21A Interiors, Bodrum local Esra Kazmirci, and creative studio UrbanJobs.
Their recommendations move between Bitez, Yalıkavak, Türkbükü, Gümüşlük and the surrounding villages, revealing a destination where design is as likely to be discovered in a hillside gallery or artisan workshop as it is in a celebrated hotel.
From contemporary art and Anatolian craft to the best restaurants and design hotels in Bodrum, these are 15 places worth building a trip around.
september 2026
Words: designeers
Art & Culture
ARThill Gallery
Recommended by UrbanJobs
Set away from Bodrum’s busier coastal addresses, ARThill brings contemporary art into a quieter, more contemplative setting.
The gallery presents work by Turkish and international artists through a changing programme of exhibitions, contributing to the peninsula’s steadily expanding contemporary art scene. Its restrained presentation allows the work to take precedence, making it a worthwhile stop for visitors interested in discovering artists beyond Bodrum’s more commercial galleries.
Dibeklihan Culture and Art Village
Recommended by 21A Interiors
Dibeklihan brings galleries, workshops, cultural programming and local craftsmanship together within a stone-built village setting.
Rather than functioning as a conventional gallery, it offers a slower and more layered encounter with Bodrum’s creative community. Visitors can move between exhibitions, working studios and small shops while observing how contemporary design intersects with regional craft traditions.
It is particularly rewarding for those interested in the relationship between art, making and the cultural identity of the Bodrum peninsula.
Design & Collecting
’74ESCAPE Store and Gallery at Maçakızı
Recommended by Urbanjobs
Located within Maçakızı Hotel, ’74ESCAPE brings together art, furniture, fashion and collectible objects in a setting that reflects the hotel’s own bohemian design sensibility.
The edit changes regularly, encouraging repeat visits and giving the space the character of a constantly evolving cabinet of discoveries. Pieces are selected with a strong sense of individuality rather than organised around a single decorative style.
It is one of the most natural places in Bodrum to discover contemporary design while experiencing the creative world surrounding Maçakızı.
Anadolu Kilim Artisans, Etrim Village
Recommended by Esra Kazmirci
A visit to the weaving workshops of Etrim Village offers a direct encounter with one of Anatolia’s most enduring craft traditions.
Local artisans continue to produce kilims using techniques passed between generations, with each design shaped by regional patterns, materials and knowledge accumulated over time.
The experience provides far more than an opportunity to shop. It allows visitors to understand the labour, symbolism and technical skill behind traditional Turkish textiles, making it one of the most culturally meaningful design experiences near Bodrum.
Paftam, Bitez
Recommended by Esra Kazmirci
Paftam is a carefully curated concept store in Bitez with a distinctive eye for contemporary objects and independent design.
Its selection feels considered rather than crowded, bringing together pieces that share a strong material or visual identity. It is the kind of shop where even a small object can become a memorable reminder of the peninsula.
For design-minded visitors exploring Bitez, Paftam is well worth seeking out.
184 Derekoy
Recommended by Esra Kazmirci
Located in Derekoy, 184 offers a compact but carefully edited selection of design objects, accessories and pieces for the home.
Its village setting gives the store a different atmosphere from Bodrum’s marina boutiques, while the tightly controlled edit reflects a confident and independent point of view.
It is a particularly good destination for visitors looking for something unexpected and less widely available.
Tables Worth Booking
Asmalı Çardak, Yalıkavak
Recommended by Esra Kazmirci
Breakfast is an important part of daily life in Bodrum, and Asmalı Çardak captures its unhurried spirit beautifully.
Set beneath a vine-covered canopy, the restaurant is known for a generous Turkish breakfast served across a table filled with breads, cheeses, olives, preserves, eggs and seasonal produce.
The shaded courtyard is as much part of the experience as the food. Arrive with time to spare, order tea and allow the morning to unfold slowly.
Kitchen by Osman Sezener
Recommended by Esra Kazmirci
Chef Osman Sezener brings a confident contemporary approach to Aegean cooking at EDITION, one of Bodrum’s most celebrated hotels.
The menu draws on regional ingredients and Mediterranean flavours while retaining the clarity and restraint associated with the chef’s work. The hotel’s waterfront setting gives dinner an added sense of occasion without overwhelming the food.
It is one of the peninsula’s strongest choices for visitors looking for a refined dining experience grounded in the flavours of the Aegean.
Gigi
Recommended by 21A Interiors
Set along the private beach of Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum, Gigi brings its signature Italian flair to the Aegean coast.
The menu celebrates the simplicity of Italian cooking, drawing on fresh ingredients and regional flavours from Tuscany to Puglia, with dishes designed for sharing.
With its sea-facing setting, sunlit terraces and Hugo Toro-designed interiors, Gigi is as much about the atmosphere as the food, making it a natural choice for long lunches, sunset Bellinis and relaxed evenings by the water.
Where to Stay
Maçakızı Hotel, Türkbükü
Recommended by 21A Interiors and Esra Kazmirci
Maçakızı has helped shape the international image of Bodrum while retaining a sense of individuality that many newer hotels struggle to reproduce.
Set into the hillside above Türkbükü, its rooms and terraces descend through bougainvillaea, mature planting and shaded paths towards the water. The design is understated and bohemian rather than overtly luxurious, allowing the landscape and atmosphere to take precedence.
Its appeal lies in the feeling that the hotel has evolved organically over time. Maçakızı remains one of the best places to stay in Bodrum for visitors seeking character, privacy and an enduring sense of place.
The Bodrum EDITION
Recommended by Urbanjobs
The Bodrum EDITION represents the peninsula’s more polished and contemporary side.
Its architecture and interiors combine restrained materiality with generous open spaces, terraces and carefully framed views of the Aegean. Pale finishes and minimal detailing give the hotel an international design language while remaining connected to the coastal landscape.
Together with its restaurants and beach setting, the hotel has become an important reference point for contemporary hospitality in Bodrum.
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