Halicarnassus

Ancient Halicarnassus lies beneath modern Bodrum, so you visit it as a handful of stops around town rather than one site. The main one is the site of the Mausoleum, counted among the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. What you see here is where the monument stood rather than the monument itself: the foundation pit cut into the rock, the stairway down to the burial chamber, and fragments of huge columns and friezes. A model and drawings in the covered display hall help you picture the building. Its best sculpture is in the British Museum in London.

After the Mausoleum, head up the slope to the ancient theatre beside the ring road; from its seats you see Bodrum bay and the castle in one view. The Myndos Gate, part of the old city walls, is on the west side of town, with a surviving tower and the ditch in front. Two to three hours covers all three. You can add the Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Bodrum Castle the same day.

You can walk between the stops, but the streets are hilly and very hot in summer; climb to the theatre in the morning or late afternoon. The Mausoleum site is small, so expect an excavated ground plan rather than standing architecture. Check the hours on the museum page.