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| MARMARIS |
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Once a sleepy fishing village, Marmaris
has ballooned into one of the largest resorts on the
Aegean coast, if not Turkey. Little of its history
remains, as the town is now a modern development with
tourism at its heart and soul. The population swells to
a massive 200,000 in the summer, with most hotels,
restaurants, nightclubs and shops catering to low-cost
package holidays, |
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although there are facilities for all budgets.
Despite the development which reaches around 10km along the west
of the bay, Marmaris is also well-known for its expanse of
green, present the whole year round thanks to the pine-covered
hills which surround the town. There are many beaches around the
bay, and there are ancient cities and seaside villages close by
for day trips. The yacht harbour is the biggest and newest in
Turkey, and therefore the busiest charter port especially for
trips along the Turquoise Coast.
In addition to the climate, beaches and facilities of the town,
the transportation infrastructure is a definite plus for
attracting visitors. It has easy connections to the nearby
airport Dalaman, ferries to Rhodes, and on the road to Datca and
Fethiye. The harbour has attracted private boats from around the
world, with yacht maintenance and production in the workshops on
the Yalanci Strait. With the climate being comfortable even in
winter, and the nearby impressive mountains and pine forests,
Marmaris is likely to remain a popular and practical holiday
spot for a long time.
History
It is thought that the first settlement in Marmaris, whose
history dates back to 3400 BC, began with the arrival of a tribe
to the region, whose leader was called Kar. The area was then
called Karla after him, and its location around the Aegean and
Mediterranean Seas always made it an appealing region.
Suleyman the Magnificent assembled a force of 200,000 in 1522,
whilst launching the siege of the Knights of St Johns base in
Rhodes (Rodos). Soon afterwards, he made the city more powerful
with the rebuilding of the tiny castle overlooking the town.
Lord Nelson and his entire fleet sheltered in the harbour in
1798, en route to Egypt to defeat Napoleons armada at the
Battle of Aboukir.
Marmaris therefore became a place where different civilisations
reigned over time, and there is architectural and historical
evidence of Egyptian, Asdur, Ion, Dor, Persian, Macedonian,
Syrian, Roman, Byzantium, Seljuk and Ottoman presence.
Climate
Summers are extremely hot and dry, with daytime temperatures
reaching up to 35 degrees, and winters are warm and wet,
plunging to 5 degrees at night. The area is quite typical of a
Mediterranean climate. |
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