Introducing Turgutreis

Once a sponge-diving centre, Turgurtreis has turned its sights on tourism, particularly longer-term villa and apartment rentals, and it offers 5km of sandy beaches, a dozen tiny islets and some logistical advantages. As the peninsula's largest town after Bodrum, Turgutreis has more services, shops, ferry and dolmuş links than its neighbours – and more concrete; the Saturday market resembles dusty middle Anatolia more than an Aegean retreat. Indeed, the waterfront statue of a pregnant woman holding an olive branch is meant to represent the health, peacefulness and diversity of Anatolia. It is one of the peninsula's more workaday places, and for short stays the prettier neighbouring villages are a better option.

In 1972 the village, then called Karatoprak, was renamed after Ottoman Admiral Turgut Reis, who was born here in 1485 and led many maritime battles before dying in the 1565 siege of Malta.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/turgutreis#ixzz3rZtpRloa