Guide of Marmaris

Marmaris in Turkey is on the southwest coast between the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This location has made it hive of activity in the past, hosting various civilizations and populations.

Places to visit

In ancient times Physkos was an important port city that was ruled by both the Roman and Byzantium Empires, it then ended up under the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. This city is set amongst a number of bays along the coast that act as a natural harbour, as a starting point for visits to the ancient cities nearby. In the city centre you can visit the Fortress, which owes its present structure to the Ottomans, today it is home to the city's archaeological museum, which is full of glass, metal, ceramics and amphorae found in the area. Also linked to the Ottoman period, it is worth visiting the covered Bedesten market and Kemerli Köprü, Taşhan, Hafize Sultan Kervansarayı.

Sports

The city offers lots of water sports, including diving, especially in the Bay Aquarium, the Cave Baca and the bay area reef. There are also rafting and trekking tours to the Dalaman River available, as well as a jeep safari tour. The city of Marmaris is known for some local Turkish delicacies such as stuffing sura doldurması, which is rice seasoned with raisins and pistachios and is used as a stuffing for meat dishes cooked during some religious festivals.

Beaches

The most beautiful beach that Marmaris offers is Sedir Adası on Cleopatra Island, a small island accessible by boat. The sand is made of seashells, which according to rumour were brought here on board ships from the Red Sea under the request of Cleopatra. This area is highly protected and it is forbidden to take any sand as a souvenir!