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Windmills of Bodrum

My walk around the Turkish city of Bodrum included a visit to the windmill complex, located a short distance from the city center. I must admit, the landmark left me with mixed feelings. Despite the stunning photos of the place available online, the actual windmills are rather disappointing to see. Here's a more detailed account of my experience.

On the way to the windmills
On the way to the windmills

The buildings are located away from the center
The buildings are located away from the center

The buildings are of varying degrees of preservation
The buildings are of varying degrees of preservation

How to Get There

I arrived in Bodrum by bus from Antalya and walked to the windmills. It was the first place I planned to visit. The walk from the eastern part of the city harbor to the windmills took about 30 minutes. Along the way, I encountered countless yachts of all kinds.

The windmills are not part of any museum complex in the city, so you can visit them for free at any time of the day.

The entrance to most of the windmills is closed
The entrance to most of the windmills is closed

Inside one of the buildings
Inside one of the buildings

I arrived here early in the morning
I arrived here early in the morning

Walk to the Windmills

The windmills are visible from a distance: they are located on a high hill above the city. Travel websites mention that the windmills were built in the 18th century and were in use until the 1970s.

I would say that the Bodrum windmills are among the least interesting landmarks I have seen while traveling through Turkish cities. There are seven structures here, in varying states of preservation, but none of them have their sails intact, so the buildings could easily be mistaken for towers or round-shaped houses.

The landmark is visible from afar: the windmills are located on a high hill above the city
The landmark is visible from afar: the windmills are located on a high hill above the city

The buildings of the windmills are quite a sad sight
The buildings of the windmills are quite a sad sight

There are photos of this windmill with installed blades on the internet
There are photos of this windmill with installed blades on the internet

Some of the windmill buildings have no roofs, while others have collapsed walls. We can peer inside some of the structures, and it’s no surprise that all you’ll find is garbage. To make matters worse, a strange local man crossed my path on the way up, offering to sell illegal substances. It seems that he recommends indulging in some form of stimulant before visiting the attractions.

The dilapidated condition of the windmills is probably due to their distance from the city center and other tourist sites. Despite my disappointment with the visit, there is a big plus to the walk: the view from the hill over the bays and the coastal part of Bodrum is simply mesmerizing.

During my walk, there were almost no people here
During my walk, there were almost no people here

Travel websites mention that the windmill buildings were constructed in the 18th century and were in use until the 1970s
Travel websites mention that the windmill buildings were constructed in the 18th century and were in use until the 1970s

View of the Aegean Sea
View of the Aegean Sea

Overall, I would recommend a visit to the windmills if you have plenty of free time or if, like me, you find yourself in Bodrum early in the morning when other museums and attractions are closed.

Bay
Bay

Bodrum
Bodrum

Last panoramic photo of the windmills
Last panoramic photo of the windmills

I took a few photos near the windmills and continued on. My next stop on my Bodrum walk was the ancient theater of the city, which I will describe in my next article.

Have a nice trip!

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