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Map of
TURKEY
The town of
Marmaris is located at the meeting place of the Aegean and
Mediterranean seas, on the world's largest natural harbour,
surrounded by pine-clad hills.
Situated in southwest Turkey, in the province of Mugla, Marmaris is
one of Turkey's biggest tourist resorts. To the north lies the Gulf
of Gokova, to the south the Mediterranean. On the west is Datca
peninsula and to the east Koycegiz lake; all year round Marmaris is
surrounded by blue and green. The hills running in to the sea and
the beautiful bays make Marmaris very special.
The old part of town is a residential area around the castle. The
old houses, all under preservation order and the narrow streets
leading to them are a delight to explore: there are some classic
examples of Mugla architecture on display. Marmaris later began to
spread out around the castle hill and along the shore, but the
growth of tourism resulted in housing being prohibited along the
shoreline and planning permission granted only to tourist hotels.
Marmaris is a year-round home for many foreigners, a large number of
whom have yachts in the modern 700-berth marina. The population
rises from 15 000 in winter to around 75 000 in summer due to
available hotel accommodation.
Marmaris is 60 kilometres away from the provincial capital Mugla,
and the mountainous landscape of the surrounding countryside shows
that forestry plays an important part in the area's economy. The
town boundaries enclose and area of 86 000 hectares, 65 000 of which
are forested. The beauty of Marmaris stems from this just as much as
from the natural harbour.
Turkey’s Aegean Coast
Exploring Spectacular Wonders
The Aegean coast of Turkey, from Marmaris in the south to the
opening of the Dardanelles at Canakkale, offers spectacular
natural and man-made wonders and an easy introduction to the
fascinating culture of modern Turkey. To make it even better,
western Turkey is remarkably inexpensive.
Those coming from the Middle East can cross into Turkey’s
southern border from Syria. From Israel, take the bus through
Syria or boat to Rhodes, one of several Greek islands--
including Kos, Samos, and Lesbos--that offer access by ferry.
Greek Cyprus, however, prohibits direct travel to Turkey.
For the first-time traveler to the region, Bodrum, reached from
Kos, is an ideal starting point. Roam the crusaders’ Castle of
St. Peter, with its comprehensive underwater archaeology museum,
and the tomb of King Mausolus, one of the seven wonders of the
ancient world.
Pansiyons, family-owned guest houses, range from inexpensive to
ridiculously cheap. My wife and I have enjoyed clean and
comfortable rooms for as little as $10 a night, and even cheaper
rooms are widely available. In Bodrum, we stay at spacious and
friendly Yenilmez Pansiyon on a back street two blocks off the
West Bay.
Large, comfortable Greyhound-style buses connect all cities and
most smaller towns. Off the main bus routes, a minibus
(sometimes called a “dolmus” in guidebooks, though not by Turks)
will take you to almost any town or village on the map. If you
want to go somewhere really remote, merely ask around and
private cars instantly become taxis.
Long-distance travel on larger buses will cost only about $1-$2
per hour. Minibus charges begin at about 50 cents and rarely
cost more than $3-$4. Private cars will cost whatever you
bargain for; be sure to settle the fare before riding.
Many Turks speak English and will often approach you to chat.
Drivers and passengers alike will do anything to assist you. We
have been walked to hotels and helped in innumerable ways over
and over again. On our first trip, we learned to trust the
kindness of Turks and cross the country free from worry.
If you have a week, you could add Pamukkale and Ephesus to your
itinerary and return to Greece by ferry to Samos. Both Pamukkale
and Ephesus are easy to reach on main bus routes. Five hours
from Bodrum, Pamukkale’s cascading travertine pools and
remarkably preserved Roman baths attract hordes of Turkish
tourists. I strongly recommend a side trip to little-visited
Roman city of Aphrodisias.
Every traveler to Turkey will want to make the pilgrimage to
Ephesus--another half-day bus ride north from Pamukkale--for its
magnificent paved streets, well-preserved theater, and Biblical
associations. Make your base the genuinely Turkish town of
Selcuk, where you can splurge (for a couple of dollars extra) by
staying in a hotel overlooking a Roman aqueduct and dining on
the scrumptious national cuisine with Turks instead of tourists.
Staying in Selcuk also means that you can walk to Ephesus along
a shaded path past the lone standing column at the Temple of
Artemis.
Follow a string of ancient sights all the way from Bodrum north
to Canakkale, at the mouth of the Dardanelles. Take a minibus to
Didyma and its huge temple to Apollo, once second only to
Delphi. Then travel by minibus or hired taxis along the coast to
the isolated, ruined cities of Miletus and Priene. Past Ephesus,
make the lovely port of Ayvalik an overnight stay and explore
its ruggedly scenic peninsula. From Ayvalik, visit nearby
Pergamum. The isolated, magnificent citadel of Troy commands a
sweeping view of the coast and evokes the spirit of Homer’s
great epic. You can visit Troy as a long side trip from Ayvalik.
Or go on to Canakkale for the night and explore the World War I
battleground of Gallipoli across the Dardanelles the following
day.
To continue your journey, take the six-hour bus ride to Istanbul
or return to Ayvalik for the ferry crossing to Lesbos.
Marmaris
Alanya
Aegean Coast
Istanbul
Turkish Riviera
Western Turkey |
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