Marmaris, Turkey
- chebelladonna
- Jul 5, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 1
On our visit to Greece in the spring, we were staying on the island of Rhodes, in the far eastern part of the country. This meant that a day trip to Turkey was possible. Ninety minute ferries run from Rhodes, Greece to Marmaris, Turkey daily. You can travel over in the morning and back in the evening. How could we say no?
We researched the ferries ahead of time, but didn't book tickets until we arrived in Rhodes. We were able to walk into a local travel agency who made the arrangements. Each ticket cost about $125 Canadian.
Waking up early on the morning of the ferry, we stopped at our favourite bakery to pick up breakfast, and coffee for me. There was a large tour group on board moving between Greece and Turkey and they had heaps of luggage which was stowed in all corners of the ship in a chaotic manner, but otherwise the journey was uneventful.
Coming off the ship they tried to herd us into a bus for a day tour, which we declined. And then stepping out of the port, taxis tried to coax us in for a ride, claiming it was a long walk to town. But we knew from a google search ahead of time that town was about a 10 minute walk from the port and we set out on foot.
I didn't have any real expectations of what Marmaris would look like. It was both bigger and more modern than I anticipated. We could see resorts lining the waterfront as far as the eye could see. Near the port there was the main town. As we walked toward the town centre we passed through the day time deserted nightclub street. Pablo and I both commented that we felt similarities with Cancun.
The town had a large marina with lots of beautiful boats, and a promenade lined with restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques. As we wandered around a boutique, one of the sales clerks quietly motioned for me to go to a backroom with her. Therein was a room of incredible fakes, wafting of leather, notably Hermes Birkin bags. It was kind of fascinating and I gave the obligatory oohs and ahhs they were expecting, but quickly moved on.
Then we visited the bazaar which was more my speed. There were lots of clothes which Pablo liked, and antiques which my youngest kiddo liked. As for me ... well the Turkish Delight caught my eye. When I said I wanted to buy some, which came by the kilo, Pablo looked at me and said, "A kilo? Are you going to buy a kilo?" To which I replied, "When will be in Turkey again?" And so I carefully chose an assortment of flavours, and off we went.
From there we walked through narrow alleys in the old town, up toward the Marmaris Castle, which we toured. It served as a military base for the Ottoman Army before its expedition to Rhodes. In 1957 an earthquake destroyed most of the town. Only the castle and it's surrounding buildings survived.
The castle was both compact and exactly what one imagines when thinking about a castle. Square curtain walls that we could wander around, with towers and a centre courtyard. It was well maintained, overlooked the sea and the Turkish flag flew proudly. The day was fine, with bright blue skies and a light breeze. While standing on top of the castle, the call to prayer emanated across the land. It's both melodic and enigmatic. All in all, it was a lovely day. I can see why this would be a great week long holiday destination, especially if you lived in Europe.
We finished the day with more walking, and a leisurely lunch on the promenade. We admired views of the seas, and the mountains beyond with ships passing to and fro. The mountains were layered in the most beautiful blue grey ombre. We ate mostly grilled meat and vegetables. And to kill time, at the end of the meal, I ordered a Turkish tea served in a beautiful tulip shaped glass which I sipped leisurely. It's amber colour glistened in the sun.
The server, was ultra friendly, and connected with Pablo as he had worked on cruise ships all over the world and had been to Mexico many times. During the pandemic he returned home to Turkey, and settled down. At the end of the meal we wished him good luck, and started to walk back to the ferry.
As for the Turkish Delight, it grew on our small crew. Unknown mice quietly picked away at the sweet confections in the kitchen over the coming days. When it was time to go to the airport, I suggested leaving the ramshackle box behind. Pablo had become attached, noting that they were delicious. He offered to carry our new found treat, which he did all the way back to Toronto where we finally parted ways in the airport hotel, before returning home.
