Didim (Turkey) is a town located in the south-west of the country in the province of Aydin and washed by the waters of the Aegean Sea. The object occupies a small area of 402 km², and the number of its inhabitants is just over 77 thousand people. Didim is a rather old city, because the first mention of it is dated to the 6th century BC For a long time it was a small village, but from the end of the 20th century it began to be equipped with Turkish authorities, and was transformed into a resort.
Today, Didim is a modern city in Turkey, which harmoniously combines unique natural landscapes, historical sights and tourist infrastructure. It would be wrong to call Didim super-popular among vacationers, but the place has long been heard by many travelers. Usually tourists come here, tired of the crowded resorts of Antalya and its environs, and they really find a peaceful atmosphere surrounded by the beauties of nature. And cultural objects of the city help them to diversify the serene days.
sights
In the photo of Didim you can often see several antique buildings that have survived to this day in good condition. They are the main attractions of the city, and their visit should be one of the main points of your trip.
The ancient Greek city, the formation of which began more than two millennia ago, is spread on a hill near the coast of the Aegean Sea. Today, you can see many old buildings that can take travelers dozens of centuries ago. The most noteworthy is the ancient amphitheater, erected in the 4th century BC. Once the construction was ready to accommodate up to 25 thousand spectators. The ruins of a Byzantine castle, huge stone baths and internal corridors of the city are also preserved here.
In some places, the ruins of the city walls remained, which served as the main defense of Miletus. Not far from the dilapidated colonnades of the ancient temple lies the Sacred Road, which once connected the ancient Miletus and the Temple of Apollo. There is also a museum on the territory of the historical complex, where you can see a collection of coins from different eras.
- Address: Balat Mahallesi, 09290 Didim / Aydin, Turkey.
- Opening hours: The attraction is open daily from 08:30 to 19:00.
- The cost of visiting: 10 TL – for adults, for children – free of charge.
The main attraction of Didim in Turkey is considered to be the temple of Apollo, which is the oldest temple in Asia (built in 8 BC). According to popular legend, it was here that the sun god Apollo was born, as well as Medusa Gorgon. The sanctuary operated until the 4th century, but after the area was repeatedly subjected to powerful earthquakes, as a result of which the building was almost destroyed. And although only ruins survived to this day, the scale and grandeur of the sights still amaze the minds of travelers.
Of the 122 columns, only 3 dilapidated monoliths remain here. In the historical complex you can also look at the ruins of the altar and walls, fragments of fountains and statues. Unfortunately, most of the valuable artifacts of the sights were removed from the territory of Turkey by European archaeologists who excavated here in the 18-19 centuries.
- Address: Hisar Mahallesi, Atatürk BLV Özgürlük Cad., 09270 Didim / Aydin, Turkey.
- Opening hours: The attraction is open daily from 08:00 to 19:00.
- Entrance fee: 10 TL.
Altinkum Beach
In addition to the attractions, the city of Didim in Turkey is famous for its picturesque beaches. The most famous is the town of Altinkum, located 3 km south of the central urban areas. The coastline here stretches for 600 m, and the coast itself is dotted with soft golden sand. Entering the sea is quite comfortable, the area is characterized by shallow water, which is great for families with children. The beach itself is free, but visitors can rent sunbeds for a fee. There are changing rooms and toilets.
The infrastructure of Altinkum pleases with the presence of a huge number of cafes and bars lined up along the coast. At night, many venues have club music parties. On the beach there is the opportunity to ride a jet ski, as well as surf. But the place has a clear drawback: crowds of vacationers gather here (mostly locals), which makes it very dirty and the coast loses its attractiveness. It is most reasonable to visit the beach in the early morning when there are not so many visitors.
Accommodation
If you were fascinated by the photo of Didim in Turkey, and you are thinking of visiting its attractions, then you will need information about the conditions of accommodation in the resort. The choice of hotels compared to other Turkish cities is scarce, but among the presented hotels you will find both budget and luxury options. It is most convenient to stay in the center of Didim, from where you can quickly reach both the central beach and the Temple of Apollo.
The most economical will be the settlement in apart hotels and guest houses, where daily accommodation in a double room will cost an average of 100-150 TL. Many establishments include breakfast in the price. It is noteworthy that the resort has very few star hotels. There are a couple of 3 * hotels where you can rent a double room for 200 TL per day. There are five-star all-inclusive hotels in Didim. To stay in this option, for example, in May will cost 340 TL for two per night.
It is worth remembering that Didim in Turkey is a relatively young resort, and the construction of new hotels here is in full swing. Also keep in mind that hotel workers speak only English, and they only know a couple of words on duty in Russian.
Weather and climate
The Didim resort in Turkey is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, which means that from May to October the weather is ideal for tourism in the city. The hottest and sunniest months here are July, August and September. At this time, the air temperature during the day ranges from 29-32 ° C, and precipitation does not fall at all. The water in the sea warms up to 25 ° C, so swimming is very comfortable.
May, June and October are also good for a vacation at the resort: this period is especially suitable for visiting attractions. It is rather warm in the afternoon, but not hot, and in the evening it is cool, and occasionally it rains. The sea is still not completely warmed up, but is quite suitable for swimming (23 ° C). The coldest and inclement period is the period from December to February, when the thermometer drops to 13 ° C and there are continuous downpours. Exact meteorological data for the resort you can study in the table below.
| Month | Daytime average temperature | Average temperature at night | Sea water temperature | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.2 ° C | 9.9 ° C | 16.9 ° C | sixteen | nine |
| February | 14.7 ° C | 11.2 ° C | 16.2 ° C | 14 | 7 |
| March | 16.3 ° C | 12.2 ° C | 16.2 ° C | nineteen | 5 |
| April | 19.7 ° C | 14.8 ° C | 17.4 ° C | 24 | 2 |
| May | 23.6 ° C | 18.2 ° C | 20.3 ° C | 27 | one |
| June | 28.2 ° C | 21.6 ° C | 23.4 ° C | 28 | one |
| July | 31.7 ° C | 23.4 ° C | 24.8 ° C | 31 | 0 |
| August | 32 ° C | 23.8 ° C | 25.8 ° C | 31 | 0 |
| September | 28.8 ° C | 21.9 ° C | 24.7 ° C | 29th | one |
| October | 23.8 ° C | 18.4 ° C | 22.3 ° C | 27 | 3 |
| November | 19.4 ° C | 15.3 ° C | 20.2 ° C | 22 | 4 |
| December | 15.2 ° C | 11.7 ° C | 18.3 ° C | eighteen | 7 |
Transport connection
There is no air harbor in Didim itself in Turkey, and the resort can be reached from several cities. The nearest airport to it is Bodrum Milas, located 83 km southeast. It is easy to get from Bodrum by a pre-ordered transfer, which will cost about 300 TL. You can’t get to Didim by public transport from here, as there are currently no direct bus routes to this destination.
You can get to the resort from Izmir Airport. The city is located 160 km north of Didim, and buses leave in its direction from its central bus station daily. Transport departs several times a day with a frequency of 2-3 hours. Ticket price is 35 TL, travel time is 2 hours.
As an alternative, some tourists choose the Dalaman airport, which is located 215 km southeast of Didim. Transport to the place we need leaves from the city bus terminal (Dalaman Otobüs Terminali) every 1-2 hours. The fare is 40 TL, the journey takes about 3.5 hours.
Output
If you have already rested several times on the Mediterranean coast, and you would like variety, then go to Didim, Turkey. A young unspoiled resort will envelop you with tranquility and serenity, sights will be immersed in ancient times, and the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea will refresh with their soft waves.
