Marmaris

Starting point of Turkey's "Blue Cruise", with pine-fringed bays, a castle old town and Bar Street; head west to the Bozburun and Datça peninsulas and sunset at Knidos, or north to Sedir Island and Akyaka.

Marmaris is in Muğla Province in southwestern Turkey, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. This small town on a deep-water bay ringed by pine-covered hills is one of Turkey's most popular seaside resorts and the traditional starting point for "Blue Cruise" voyages around the coves aboard wooden gulets. The town stretches along the bay: the old town centres on the Ottoman castle on the hill, surrounded by cobbled lanes, a covered bazaar and the famous Bar Street; Netsel Marina lies to the east, while to the west Uzunyalı beach runs all the way to the resort of İçmeler. South of the bay are quiet coves such as Turunç and Kumlubük and the ancient city of Amos, and boats run to Paradise Island and the Phosphorescent Cave on the Nimara Peninsula. Further west is the rugged Bozburun Peninsula (Selimiye, the fishing village of Bozburun, the Kızkumu sandbar) and beyond it the Datça Peninsula, at whose tip the ancient city of Knidos is famous for its sunsets. To the north, in the Gulf of Gökova, lies Sedir Island with its legendary "Cleopatra's sand", as well as the slow town of Akyaka and the crystal-clear Azmak River. Note: the Dalyan river rock tombs and turtle beach, and the Greek island of Rhodes across the water, are also popular day trips, but are covered under Fethiye and Rhodes respectively. The best season is May–Oct; Jul–Aug is hot and crowded, while spring and autumn are best for hiking and boat trips; most resorts close in winter. Getting there: Dalaman Airport is about 1.5 hours by road and Milas–Bodrum Airport about 2.5 hours; minibuses (dolmuş) and water taxis serve the town and nearby villages. Plan on 4–6 days.

Top sights

• Sedir Island (Cleopatra Island) – A small island in Gökova Bay where, legend says, Antony brought fine sand from Egypt for Cleopatra to make a beach. There are also the ruin…
• Datça – A narrow peninsula town reaching into the Aegean, known for harbor restaurants, almonds, and honey. Its clean air makes it one of Turkey's…
• Marmaris Castle & Museum – A castle built in 1522 by Suleiman the Magnificent during his campaign against Rhodes. It houses an archaeological museum, and its walls of…
• Netsel Marina – A large yacht marina beside the old town, crowded with luxury yachts and traditional wooden gulets. Restaurants, cafés and boutiques line t…
• Marmaris Grand Bazaar – A covered market street between the old town and the seafront, selling Turkish delight, spices, leather goods, lamps and textiles. Bargaini…
• Marmaris Bar Street – A narrow street in the old town lined with dozens of bars and nightclubs, where lights, lasers and music run until dawn in summer. It is so…
• Marmaris Beach (Uzunyalı) – A sandy-pebble beach stretching several kilometres along the seafront, with sun loungers, water sports and a promenade. You can walk all th…
• İçmeler – A holiday village about 8 km west of Marmaris, with a pine-ringed bay, fine sand beaches and shallow, clear water. A good choice for family…
• Turunç – A tranquil bay town at the foot of the mountains on the south side of Marmaris Bay. Reachable only over the hills or by boat, its emerald w…
• Kumlubük Bay – A long, curved bay south of Turunç, with calm water shading from blue to green. Beach clubs along the shore offer sun loungers and seafood…
• Amos Ancient City – A hilltop ruin of an ancient Greek Carian city, with a seaside theatre overlooking Kumlubük and Turunç bays. A great spot for sunset.
• Çiftlik Bay – A broad bay about 15 km south of Marmaris, with clear water, wide sandy beaches and a small island just offshore. A favorite for boat trips…
• Paradise Island (Nimara) & Phosphorus Cave – The Nimara Peninsula at the mouth of Marmaris Bay, with pine forest, clear coves and a sea-eroded Phosphorus Cave. A must-stop on bay boat…
• Akyaka – A 'slow city' at the head of Gökova Bay, with white-walled timber houses, a pine-backed beach and a kitesurfing base. The atmosphere is fre…
• Azmak River – A spring-fed river beside Akyaka with exceptionally clear water. Take a small boat to see aquatic plants and fish, and eat at riverside res…
• Selimiye – A traditional fishing village in a bay on the Bozburun Peninsula, with white stone houses and seafood restaurants along the waterfront. It'…
• Bozburun – A boatbuilding and sponge-fishing harbor at the southern tip of the peninsula, where traditional gulet wooden sailboats are built by hand…
• Kızkumu (Maiden's Sand) – A natural shallow sandbar about 600 meters long that reaches into the sea in Orhaniye Bay. You can 'walk' out over the water to the middle…
• Eski Datça (Old Datça) – An old stone village north of Datça town, with stone houses draped in bougainvillea, cobbled lanes and a poet's former home. It has a stron…
• Knidos – An ancient Greek city at the tip of the Datça Peninsula, with twin harbors, a theatre and the Aphrodite temple ruins overlooking two seas…
• Palamutbükü – A long pebble bay on the south coast of the Datça Peninsula with brilliant, clear blue water. Small restaurants and guesthouses line the sh…

Where to eat

• Dede Restaurant – A family restaurant founded in 1973, below the castle on the yacht harbor, with consistently praised seafood and meze.
• Cihan Ocakbaşı – A charcoal grill on the road to İçmeler, loved by tourists and locals alike, with prices reasonable for the area.
• Nil Balık – A fish restaurant on the yacht harbor, open year-round, known for salt-crusted sea bass and dozens of cold meze.
• Memed Pideci – A casual pide and lahmacun shop in town where you order and eat on the spot, a go-to for an inexpensive meal.
• Pineapple Restaurant – A long-running restaurant at Netsel Marina with a second-floor terrace overlooking the yachts, open from breakfast thro…