|
Once a sleepy fishing village, Marmaris has
grown into one of the largest resorts on the Aegean coast, if
not the whole of Turkey. Little of its history remains, as the town is now a
modern development with tourism at its heart. The population swells
to 200,000 in the summer, with most
hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and shops catering to low-cost
package holidays, although there are facilities for all budgets.
The bustling market district in the centre of
town is always crowded with tourists.
Marmaris is also renowned for
the expanse of green,
pine-covered hills which surround the town. There are many beaches
around the bay, with ancient
sites and seaside villages
nearby for day trips. The
yacht harbour is the newest and largest in Turkey,
with sleek boats crowding its modern marina, and
is the busiest charter port, especially for trips along the Turquoise
Coast.
 The climate, beaches and facilities of the town,
together with its
convenient location, provide an attractive package for visitors. There are easy connections to
nearby Dalaman airport,
ferries to Rhodes and it is on the road to Datca and Fethiye.
 History
It is thought that that Marmaris
was first settled in 3400 BC, with the arrival of a tribe to the
region, whose leader was called Kar. The area was then called Karla
after him.
Suleyman the Magnificent assembled a force of 200,000 in 1522,
to beseige the base
of the Knights of St John’s in
Rhodes (Rodos). Soon afterwards, he contributed
to the city's defences by
rebuilding the tiny castle overlooking the town. Lord
Nelson and his entire fleet sheltered in the harbour in 1798, en
route to Egypt to defeat Napoleon’s armada at the Battle of Aboukir.
Climate
Summers are extremely hot and dry, with daytime
temperatures reaching up to 35°C, and winters are warm and
wet, with temperatures dropping to 5°C at night.
How to Get
By Road
Marmaris is well connected to most places in Turkey by bus, with
many more services in summer. There are buses every hour to the
closer resorts of Bodrum (3 hours), Fethiye (3 hours), Izmir (5
hours) and Datca (90 mins). Long distance direct services include
Antalya (7 hours), Istanbul (13 hours) and Ankara (10 hours). The
bus station is 2 km north of the city, and the dolmus
(minibus) stop, for more local journeys, is near Ulusal Egemenlik Bulvari.
Bus station Tel: (90 252) 412 3037.
By Air
The nearest airport is Dalaman, from which there are many
international charter flights, especially from Europe. It is
100km away and takes 2 hours by bus, there are regular bus services
between 07.30 – 22.00.
Dalaman Airport Tel: (90 252) 792 5291.
By Boat
Hydrofoils leave daily for Rhodes at 09.15 in the summer. There are
motorboats three times a week in the summer
and Greek ferries,
some of which can carry cars.
 Where to
Visit
Marmaris Castle
Thought to have been constructed by the Ionians, this small castle
on a hill was repaired during the time of Alexander the Great. It
was extended and
renovated again by Suleyman the Magnificent
in 1522.
After a 10 year
restoration
project, the castle
was opened as a museum in 1991. It has seven galleries
holding a collection of
archaeological, historical, ethnographic and nautical exhibits. There
are wonderful panoramic views of the city day and
night.
Taşhan and Kemerli Bridge
The bridge, 10km along the Mugla road in the Iskelebasi region, was
constructed by Suleyman the Magnificent and has arched bridges
built of stone and brick.
ANCIENT CITIES
Physkos
The ruins at Physkos, an important harbour
city of the ancient Caria region, can be found
on the Asar hill, north of Marmaris. The old city walls dating back to the Hellenistic period
are still fairly intact.
Loryma (Bozukkale)
The ruins at Loryma, once part of the Foundation
of Rhodes, are on the southwest of the Bozburun
peninsula, 40km from Marmaris. The most
impressive structure in the settlement area is the well-preserved
fortification at the entrance
of the bay at Burunbasi. Nine rectangular towers, made from smooth
rock-cut masonry, were built at the edge of Rhodes (Rodos) island.
Today, only the balcony tower at the northern end can still be
seen.
Amos
The ancient ruins of Amos are accessible from the Asarcik hill,
northwest of Kumlubuk bay. Amos dates back to the Hellenistic
period, and a hillside amphitheatre, a temple and
statue pedestals remain. Surrounded by ramparts dating back to the same
time, this amphitheatre is in good condition, with its seating
area, side walls and stage with three chambers. Excavations in 1948
by Prof. Bean revealed four inscriptions, which mentioned three
rental contracts, thought to date back to around 200BC. There is a
minibus running from Turunc to Kumlubuku which passes through Amos.
 Cedrae
(Cleopatra or City Islands)
Cleopatra Island took its name from the
story that Cleopatra and Mark Anthony
swam with the locals in a small bay on the northwest
shore of the island. The sands of
the bay were said to have been
transferred from Northern Africa
via ships by Anthony – which may be true as this type of sand is
only seen in Egypt.
The ruins of buildings surrounded by ramparts on the east of Saray
island are the remains of Cedrae, dating from the Roman and Hellenistic periods,
and the small amphitheatre is in good condition. The Christian
Basilica was constructed over the foundations
of the Apollo Temple, from the Doric
era. There is an Agora on the west of Saray with
inscriptions suggesting that athletics festivals devoted to Apollo
were held in the area. There are Necropolis ruins at Kucuk
Island, as well as column reliefs.
Hydas
Rampart ruins dating back to the Hellenistic era, lie in Hydas,
35km from Marmaris along the Erine-Bybassios road. There are
also several
tombs around a watchtower 3 km from Hydas. The ancient region of
Hydas was founded in Selimiye bay (Kamisli Bay) north of the
Bozburun peninsula.
Erine
The ruins of Erine, 3km from Hisaronu village, 20km
southwest of Marmaris, date back to the Hellenistic and Roman
periods.
Castabus (Pazarlık)
Near the village of Hisarlik are the ancient ruins of Pazarlik, a
holy site which can be reached from Mount Eren, an hour’s climb
from the Hisaronu plains. The temple is
on a purpose-built platform dating back to 4th century BC.
Saranda (Söğüt)
Near the village of Sogut, 45 km of Marmaris, Saranda
was a continuous settlement
throughout Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine
times, the remains of
the latter can clearly be seen today.
 MAUSOLEUMS
and MOSQUES
Sarıana Mausoleum
This mausoleum, in the district of Sariana,
provides a bird's eye view of
the city. It was here that Kanuni visited Fatma Ana (Sariana)
who was famous for her predictions, to ask her
advice before the siege of Rhodes. Thousands
of Ottoman soldiers left on their mission
after a nourishing breakfast of milk from Sariana's cow.
İbrahim Ağa Mosque
Constructed in the Kemeralti district by Ibrahim Aga
in 1789 , its
most striking architectural feature is the huge dome.
BEACHES and PROMENADES
Cennet Island
The peninsular island of Cennet, a 30 minute boat journey, is
covered with forest and has accommodation and restaurants. It is a
popular stop for cruise and tour boats throughout the season, as
it is
suitable for swimming.
Fosforlu Cavern
This cavern, with its natural phosphorescence,
is a popular stopping point for sailing tours
continuing to Turunc and Kumlubuk,
with clean, green waters ideal
for swimming.
Mineral Springs
Famed for its drinking water, thought to be good for
the digestive system, the Sultaniye Kaplicalari thermal springs and
mud baths lie 10km from the province, near Dalyan. It is a
popular area, with a beach and facilities for tourists, and can be
reached via boat or road from Koycegiz or Dalyan.
Turunç
Once a tiny farming and fishing village, Turunc has developed since
the late 1980s into an upmarket tourist resort, with hotels, villas
and restaurants. The village, on the east coast of the Hisaronu
peninsula, is 21km from Marmaris and accessible by road and sea.
The main attraction for Turkish and
foreign tourists is its stunning location, with
its 500m sandy beach
with a backdrop of pine-covered cliffs.
Kumlubük
The village, 6km by road from Turunc, is also accessible by boat
from Marmaris and boasts a large beach which is one of the best in
the area. The water is clean, and there are good facilities nearby.
Çiftlik
The bay of Ciftlik is accessible via a two hour boat journey from
Icmeler. This once-isolated village and beach is now being
developed for tourism, with a holiday village and hotels. It is
especially favoured by sailors as a good spot for their yachts, and
its waterside restaurants are increasingly popular. The village is
also a favourite with jeep safari tourists.
Turgut (Waterfall)
The 10-metre high waterfall is 35km from Marmaris and accessible
from Turgut village via a 15-minute trek.
Bozburun
Best known for its yacht harbour, boat-building and
repairs, the village of Bozburun has a stunning setting and is also
famous for pine and thyme honey. Its isolated location and peaceful
atmosphere attracts people escaping city life, and is
especially popular with Turkish tourists. There are buses from Marmaris, 50km away, which makes a pleasant day trip, and there are
many interesting walks in the surrounding countryside. Although
there are no proper beaches, it is possible to swim off the rocks.
There is a revered 1000-year old tree, one of the oldest in the
country. The village gets more crowded during the International
Bozburun Gullet Festival, 26 – 28 October.
Günnücek
The Gunluk Forest, full of rare species of plants, is 2km from Marmaris. Sigla oil, which is collected from the trees, is used in
the pharmaceutical and perfume industry. The area is a natural
promenade, with shallow waters.
YACHTING
A natural harbour, Marmaris Bay has three marinas with 1100
capacity, and nine yacht yards with 1200 capacity. Various
festivals are organised with the aim of developing
yacht tourism in the region, and the town is the focal point
for the Blue Voyages. The main
activities are the International Yacht Festival during the second
week of May, and the week-long International Marmaris Yacht Races
at the end of October.
|
