Marmaris holidays

Turkish cuisine is often ranked alongside French and Chinese as the best in the world, with destinations like Marmaris championing what makes it so great – hearty, flavoursome dishes featuring high quality, local produce. Although grilled meats and seafood dominate many menus, vegetarians are well catered for with meze (appetizers). There’s also plenty of local cheese to enjoy as well as desserts and sweets like helva and baklava. When it comes to drink, traditional Turkish coffee is still widely available, while tea remains the national drink. Alcohol varies from local beer to aperitifs such as raki.

Marmaris might not have the biggest beach around, but its got an abundance of amenities nearby and the view is spectacular. For a longer and less crowded alternative, consider Icmeler beach, which also has watersport facilities including pedalos, banana boats, powerboats and parasailing. It’s well worth taking a trip offshore to Cleopatra Island too, where the bright white sand and virtually translucent waters will take your breath away. Legend says that Mark Anthony imported the sand for Cleopatra as part of her wedding present.

It’s safe to say that Marmaris boasts a vast array of historical and cultural activities alongside family-friendly fun and more relaxing pursuits. You could easily spend mornings on the beach, afternoons at a nearby relic or ruins before heading back to your hotel for some delectable local cuisine.

Take a boat trip along the coast: Seeing as Marmaris is at the heart of the Turquoise Coast, taking a boat trip to outlying islands, phosphorus caves and deserted beaches makes perfect sense. Either relax on the deck in-between destinations or enjoy a spot of snorkelling, where you’re bound to see an abundance of marine life.

Enjoy a Turkish bath: There won’t be a better time to take a hammam, the Turkish bath, than on a holiday to Marmaris. You’ll sweat out toxins in a steamy room before enjoying an invigorating exfoliation to remove dead cells and leave your skin feeling silky smooth. It will then be perfectly primed for another session of sunbathing.

Explore the region’s history: Ancient cities are scattered all over the place, with Knidos located along the Datca Peninsula and Kaunos back towards Dalaman. Head inland for the regional capital of Mugla and its superb Ottoman houses. If you’re prepared to travel further, Hierapolis and the ‘frozen’ waterfall of Pamukkale is around four hours away.