Türkiye in November is a wonderful thing, pals. So don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, okay!? I spent one day in Marmaris during autumn, and had a whale of a time exploring the resort city in its off-season lull. Here’s my complete photo diary from a day docked at Marmaris cruise port, along with a few pointers for the curious explorers among you.
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I’ve had a bit of a thing for the out-of-season seaside resort ever since I moved to Eastbourne as a teenager. Something about the town’s bipolar personality as it swung back and forth between summer and winter truly captivated me, and one of my first photography projects back in college was focused on the town during the chilly (ie, depressing) months of the year. Skip forward many many years, and visiting holiday destinations while there aren’t many others on holiday is my speciality, folks!
I sailed into Marmaris cruise port in November, and loved wandering the streets of the town (which I’ll admit, I wouldn’t have appreciated had I arrived at the height of holiday season.) It’s clear that Marmaris is a hugely popular destination for European tourists during the summer; there were traces of its summer personality around every corner, from the deserted bars with signs written in English, to the souvenir stalls clinging onto their final customers of the year.
Unlike most of my cruise ship posts, this isn’t an in-depth guide to Marmaris cruise port- because so far, I’ve only been once! What a fraud I would be, if I claimed to be the all-knowing oracle of this particular port. I will, however, give a lowdown on what we ate and where we went during our day in port, just in case you’re searching for some inspiration of your own.
Where is Marmaris cruise port?
Sailing into Marmaris cruise port was an unexpectedly beautiful occasion. Don’t get me wrong, I’m well aware that Türkiye is a spectacular country, but the sail-in itself is an experience. Rocky, pine-topped islands speckle the sea, and the natural harbour is a wide, sweeping arc framed with a mountainous backdrop. From the main cruise pier, it’s possible to walk straight out of the port (past the many bunny rabbits hopping around on the grass), through the marina and in to the centre of town within 15 minutes.
The port can currently hold 2 ships at a time, although unfortunately there are plans for expansion. Here’s its exact location on Google Maps. The ferry port- for ferries between Rhodes and Marmaris- is right next to the cruise port.
A very brief introduction to Marmaris
Named after the marble which was historically traded from its shores, these days Marmaris is more famous as the home of package holidays for Brits and Germans abroad than anything else. In fact, this pretty spot on the Turkish Riviera welcomes more package holidaymakers than anywhere else in Türkiye.
At first glance, the town appears to be fairly contemporary, especially when you sail into its port and walk through the glossy marina. Most of the buildings seem to be from the 1960s and 70s; concrete, angular, and not particularly exciting to look at. And yet, Marmaris has a rich and complex history which stretches further back than the Ancient Greek times, through Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule.
So what happened to all the beautiful old buildings? It’s a sad, sad situation: the reason there’s seemingly so little of Marmaris’ ancient past left, is the 1958 earthquake that decimated almost the entire old town. The sudden destruction of the town’s historic architecture also made it very easy for tourism to grow speedily during the 1970s and 80s. New buildings could be constructed without needing to take into account any historic preservation.
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How we spent a day in Marmaris cruise port
Fear not, my friends. The earthquake didn’t destroy everything, and we started the day with a walk through the remains of Marmaris old town, which is mere minutes on foot from the port. It’s teeny-tiny, especially if you’ve just come from the grandiose old town of Antalya, where I’d just spent a few days, but it’s also extremely pretty.
The temperature was still balmy, but leaves were beginning to turn golden, pomegranates lay like jewel-filled sandbags beneath their trees, and the last grapes of summer were shrivelling on their vines. In November’s silent alleyways, our only company as we walked were the many cats, who seem to outnumber humans at least threefold in Türkiye. To explore the prettiest part of the old town, you just need to keep heading uphill, and one of the most rewarding parts of the climb is when you reach the top and spy the views across the red rooftops and minarets towards the mountains, or out across the harbour to the sea.
For food, we stuck to the Turkish classics. Makes sense, right? I’d already discovered the delights of Turkish food in Antalya, so I was eager to continue my culinary journey in Marmaris.
I can 100% recommend Köftehor, which is a casual family-run restaurant with outdoor seating and wonderfully friendly staff. Everything we ate here was delicious: sumptuous köfta kebabs and warm pita breads with fresh-as-a-daisy salad, followed by mouthwatering baklava and strong Turkish coffee. (If it’s not strong, it’s not Turkish, okay?)
Then, it was off to the Grand Bazaar, otherwise known as Topkepi Bazaar. The market is entirely covered and entirely modern, and it actually reminded me of parts of the Muttrah Souk in Oman; at both markets I’d naively expected a more traditional vibe than the reality. The Grand Bazaar is expansive, and you’ll find just as many designer knock-offs and phone case shops (in fact, probably more), than handmade carpets or artisanal products. It’s still absolutely worth a visit, though.
And I’ll tell you why, pals. Because here is where you can pick up a box or two of freshly made lokum. You might know it as Turkish Delight, but this is quite different to the pink, cubed, variety that I know from England. Fresh rolled lokum is an absolute taste sensation, and as soon as we sampled a few different flavours- pistachio, almond, vanilla- we were sold. Consisting of a sweet, chewy sheet, wrapped around an equally gelatinous filling, and normally coated in crushed nuts or sugar, I don’t think I have ever tasted anything so instantly incredible.
If you’re walking through the Grand Bazaar and a shopkeeper offers you a taste, you absolutely have to say yes. Good lord.
Lokum-gorging over with, we rounded off the day with a visit to Marmaris Castle, which is back close to the cruise pier. The original fortress was built during the 1000s, but it was rebuilt by the Ottomans during the 16th century. Unfortunately, the rebuild wasn’t grand enough for the Sultan’s liking and he ordered the architect to be hanged, which is rather a harsh punishment for what’s actually a very lovely building.
There’s an archaeological museum housed within the castle walls, and some brilliant views to check out from the top of the ramparts. There’s a small charge which has to be paid in cash, which was the equivalent of about €6.50 per person- and personally pals, I think that’s very reasonable indeed!
Is Marmaris worth visiting?
Back in the day, my view of certain holiday resorts was, frankly, on the snobby side. Why would I want to visit another country only to be surrounded by English people searching for a sports bar and a fry up?
I’m happy to say that having visited many of the classic holiday destinations of Europe- Paphos, Lanzarote, Mallorca, Tenerife– my snobbish views have calmed down. Whether Marmaris is worth visiting depends on what you want from a destination, but it is popular for a reason. Bar Street may not be the place for me, but the town is great, the surrounding nature is stunning, and the beaches nearby are exquisite. I’d definitely advise sticking to shoulder season if you’re anything like me, and don’t avoid the town just because of its Brits-abroad reputation.
And: don’t skip the lokum. It’s the tastiest treat I had all year.
Brits Abroad at Torremolinos, Spain
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