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Marmaris is a popular resort destination in the Aegean Region of Turkey. The city has a beautiful natural setting and makes a great base for some fantastic day trips.
Getting to Marmaris
You can reach Marmaris by bus from several cities and towns in the region or fly in.
Airports Near Marmaris
Marmaris is served by Dalaman Airport (Dalaman Havalimanı), which is about 90 minutes from the city. Seasonal and charter flights from all over Europe fly into the airport. Domestically, there are frequent flights from both airports in Istanbul as well as flights to Ankara. Havaş and Muttaş both run a shuttle between the airport and the Marmaris Bus Terminal (Marmaris Otogarı). Both cost 165₺ (as of February 2024).
Some people also choose to fly into Milas-Bodrum Airport, which is about an hour and 45 minutes away. There’s no public transportation from this airport, so you’ll have to take a taxi or rent a car.
Marmaris Bus Terminal
The Marmaris Bus Terminal serves major cities such as Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Ankara, and Istanbul, but from the latter two it’s better to fly.
Getting in from Bodrum is a little trickier. There used to be direct buses from the Bodrum Bus Terminal but they were unavailable during my last trip between the two cities in June 2022. First, we had to get a Muğla Kent Kart to board a minibus at the Bodrum Bus Terminal. A friendly driver helped me fill up the card with the correct amount of money needed to complete the first part of the journey.
Next, the minibus stopped outside the city of Muğla where we filled up our cards and changed minibuses to get to Marmaris. It was competitive getting onto the second minibus as it seemed everyone wanted to go to Marmaris, so there was lots of pushing and shoving. My advice is to get up to the door and get in as soon as you can or you’ll be waiting for the next one!
Where to Stay in Marmaris
There are plenty of decent places to stay in Marmaris, with many hotels along the long stretch of beach running to the southwest of the city center. The more upscale places are further away from the city while the budget options seemed to be closer. Overall, Marmaris is a much more budget-friendly option than Bodrum.
Marmaris Beach Hotel
We stayed three nights at the Marmaris Beach Hotel. It has its own small private beach area right across from the seaside promenade in front of the hotel.
The hotel contains a small pool near the lobby, and serves a decent breakfast. It has a great location near some decent restaurants and nightlife and is a 20-minute walk from the city center.
The hotel was a bit pricier than some of the other budget options but it was clean, comfortable, and the air conditioning was excellent. My only complaint would be the noise from the nearby bars and clubs that would vibrate through the room well into the night.
The best part about the room, however, was the incredible view overlooking the bay. It was a great way both to wake up in the morning and to wind down an eventful day.
Where to Eat in Marmaris
Marmaris has a good variety of restaurants to choose from. Many are located along the seaside promenade in the hotel zone while others frequented by locals sit further inland.
Can Pizza
For our first lunch in Marmaris, we stopped at Can Pizza, which sits about a block inland near the city center. Along with pizza, they also serve pide and kebab dishes. It’s owned by a gruff but friendly man who once served as a sailor. He’s quick to point out his hand with six fingers, which in his own words make him a perfect lover. His son speaks incredible English and does a fantastic job waiting tables.
I had a delicious Adana kebab plate served with fries and salad while the rest of my group had pide. Overall, the food was great and we enjoyed the hospitality and chats with the owner.
Yunus
For one dinner and one lunch, we ate at Yunus along the seaside. It’s a modern and somewhat upscale place with an international menu.
For lunch, I had a tomato soup and halloumi salad, which were both excellent. The next evening for dinner, I had a vegetable soup and burger. The burger was nothing to write home about.
My only complaint about Yunus is the treatment I got as a foreigner. The table next to us was full of Turkish people and they had a fantastic spread of traditional Turkish food that obviously wasn’t on the menu. I asked for a Turkish menu (in Turkish, mind you) and what the next table was having, and the waiter answered back smugly in English “we don’t have a Turkish menu”. This is something I’ve experienced a few times in the past in other touristy areas, where the Turkish menu has lower prices and different offerings than the typical tourist menu.
Antepli Çıtırım
On our final evening in Marmaris, we visited Antepli Çıtırım. It’s an authentic Turkish restaurant recommended by a local. It was filled with locals, so we knew it would be good going in.
Antepli Çıtırım has a menu full of traditional Turkish favorites such as kebabs, pide, güveç, and lahmacun, as well as some specialties from the southeast. I had the çökertme kebab, which is a hearty dish of veal strips sautéed with tomato sauce, tomatoes, and peppers. It’s served on a bed of thin crispy fried potatoes and yogurt. The dish is typically associated with Bodrum. It was very good but not as good as my very first çökertme in Bodrum itself. The rest of the group had kebabs and pide and they loved their meals.
Our group had fallen in love with katmer, which I introduced them to in Istanbul. We ordered a version of katmer here, but it wasn’t as good as we had hoped it would be.
Anatolia Bistro
Anatolia Bistro is at the south end of Kordon Avenue. They have a decent menu and good service. We didn’t eat there but we had a few beers while my group waited for their blue cruise pickup.
Bahadırlıoğlu Baklava
Finally, we popped into Bahadırlıoğlu Baklava, which is a block inland near the hotel zone. It’s been around since 1990 and run by a friendly older man and his wife. They were almost out of their stock for the day, and we were lucky to get some of their specialties to take with us. The baklava and every other dessert we tried were fresh and tasty. I’d love to go back one day to try the börek!
Entertainment in Marmaris
As far as entertainment is concerned, Marmaris caters to all tastes. Options include dance clubs, live music, drag shows, foam parties, karaoke, hookah bars, chill bars, and more. One place I can recommend is La Vita Restaurant at La Beirut Beach Hotel. We went there for the hookah and drinks and had a great experience with the friendly and lively staff.
Blue Cruises from Marmaris
Marmaris is a popular place to board a Turkish gület for a blue cruise, which takes guests along the coast. Short blue cruises last about four days and end in Fethiye, while longer one-week cruises usually return to Marmaris. Check out Farout Cruises, a company I’ve booked some of my guests with, for more info.
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Marmaris Seaside Promenade
We started our exploration of Marmaris by walking towards the city center from the hotel zone. Right along our hotel was a seaside promenade that runs for a couple kilometers along the beach.
Some of the city’s best hotels, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, mostly geared towards foreign tourists, sit along the promenade. Many of the hotels have their own private beaches there as well. From our hotel it was about a 20 minute walk to the city center.
Marmaris Public Beach
At the end of the promenade closest to the city center is the Marmaris Public Beach (Marmaris Halk Plajı). It’s not the nicest or cleanest beach you’ll see in Turkey, but the views are fantastic.
Jinan Park
Just past the beach and across the street is Jinan Park (Jinan Parkı). It’s a small garden with a pagoda and fountain commemorating Marmaris’ sister city, Jinan, China. They became sister cities on October 21, 2011.
Abdi İpekçi Park
A bit further along is Abdi İpekçi Park (Abdi İpekçi Parkı). It’s a lot larger and has a dolphin monument in the center as well as some shaded benches to sit and relax. It’s named for Turkish journalist Abdi İpekçi (1929-1979), who was murdered in Istanbul for his left-leaning and secular political views.
Atatürk Statue
At the roundabout where Atatürk Street and Ulusal Egemenlik Street meet is a small park. In the center is a statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic. His famous quote, “Peace at home, peace in the world”, is written in Turkish and English on the base.
May 19 Youth Square
Quickly heading inland along Ulusal Egemenlik Street is a canal lined with sculptures of fish spitting water. At the end is May 19 Youth Square (19 Mayıs Gençlik Medyanı). It’s a pleasant open space with a large circular fountain in the center and surrounded by restaurants. On the south side of the park is a fountain with a statue of a mermaid holding a butterfly.
Tourist Cruises
Back to the roundabout, the path continues down Kordon Street towards the harbor. It’s lined with ships advertising touristic cruises and diving excursions around Marmaris Bay. Some of the ships have party or pirate themes.
Grand Bazaar
Just across the street from the cruises are a few entrances to the city’s massive Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı). This large covered shopping area caters to both locals and tourists. Inside are plenty of souvenir shops, leather goods, sweets, jewelry, clothing, and much more.
Hafsa Sultan Caravanserai
At the southern end of Kordon Street is the Hafsa Sultan Caravanserai (Hafsa Sultan Kervansarayı). It was commissioned by Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in 1545 for accommodation and trade purposes. It was named after Süleyman’s mother, Hafsa Sultan (1479-1534).
The Hafsa Sultan Caravanserai has two stories on a rectangular plan. There’s one large and seven small rooms as well as a hamam. The lower level was used for storage while the upper level was used for accommodation. A vaulted ceiling topped the building.
The building was in a dilapidated state during my visit and is privately owned. It was being used as a warehouse for local shops, but there have been plans to restore it and open it as a museum (as of April 2023).
Marmaris Harbor
Back to the sea, the pedestrian path continues along the harbor, which is lined with yachts and gülets on one side and fish restaurants on the other side. Chartered blue cruises leave from the harbor.
Marmaris Old Town
The harbor surrounds the old town of Marmaris, which contains the aforementioned castle as well as several historic homes.
Walking through the quiet, narrow lanes of the old town is a pleasant experience. It contains a few restaurants, an art gallery, boutique hotels, and private residences.
Marmaris Castle
Marmaris Castle (Marmaris Kalesi) is the most important historical site in the city. It towers above the harbor. According to ancient Greek historian Herodotus, Marmaris Castle was first built around 3,000 BC to protect the Carian city of Physkos (Φύσκος). In 334 BC, as Alexander the Great conquered the city, the residents burned all their valuables inside the castle before escaping to the hills.
On July 22, 1522, Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent ordered Marmaris Castle to be rebuilt from scratch. He wanted to use it as a military base for his expedition to Rhodes. The blocks used to build the castle are recycled from older buildings dating back to the Hellenistic period.
In 1913, during World War I, the port of Marmaris harbored a German ship that had escaped from French cruisers. Ottoman soldiers refused to surrender the German ship to the French, and the French in turn mined the port. The castle’s security officer, Leyneli Cavit Bey, along with gunnery officer Ömer Efendi, removed 48 mines overnight. Then, in July and August 1914, French ships bombarded the castle destroying a significant section. Ottoman soldiers continued to protect the castle until the French retreated back to their ships.
After World War I, locals repaired Marmaris Castle and inhabited it until 1979. There were 18 houses, one fountain, and a cistern inside. It was later restored and reopened as the Marmaris Museum (see below) in 1991.
Architecture of Marmaris Castle
Marmaris Castle contains seven closed rooms. The barrel-vaulted entrance opens onto an interior courtyard. Stairs on the left and right sides of the courtyard provide access to the walls.
Climbing up to the walls allows for fantastic views of the harbor as well as the city of Marmaris and the entire bay.
Marmaris Museum
The Marmaris Museum (Marmaris Müzesi), which now occupies the castle, is open daily. Admission is 130₺ (as of February 2024). A visit to the museum allows access to the castle walls as well as several exhibition halls containing rare historic artifacts.
Courtyard
First of all, the courtyard is used as a space to exhibit architectural fragments, altars, Ottoman tombstones, jars, and cannons. The courtyard is also decorated with a lovely garden.
Knidos Hall
The tower on the northwest corner is the Knidos Hall (Knidos Salonu), which houses finds from the ancient city of Knidos.
Finds include terracotta Megarian bowls from the 2nd century BC; Patara pottery from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD; oil lamps from the 4th century BC through the 1st century AD; bronze hands from a statue unearthed at the stoa; and Knidos amphorae produced in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.
Marmaris Amphorae
A small section under a vault next to the southwest tower contains the Marmaris Amphorae (Marmaris Amforaları) exhibition. On display are a number of amphorae as well as a chart explaining the origin and style of different types of amphorae of the ancient Mediterranean.
Emecik-Burgaz Hall
In the southwest tower is the Emecik-Burgaz Hall (Emecik-Burgaz Salonu). It contains finds from the Sanctuary of Apollo at the village of Emecik as well as ruins at Burgaz. It’s believed that residents abandoned the site at Burgaz, near the town of Datça, and relocated to the site at Knidos, on the other end of the Datça Peninsula, in the 4th century BC.
Hall of Stone Artifacts
The lower level of the southeast tower houses the Hall of Stone Artifacts (Taş Eserler Salonu). It displays works of stone.
Among the most important artifacts is the frieze from the Temple of Apollo at Knidos as well as a collection of Hellenistic grave stelae.
Marmaris and Around Hall
Finally, in the upper level of the southeast tower is the Marmaris and Around Hall (Marmaris ve Çevresi Salonu). As the name indicates, it displays artifacts found in Marmaris and its environs. Included are works of glass, ceramics, and terracotta figurines.
