Marmaris is on a wide peninsula , in a bay with three small islands. It is a delightful place on the sea and the coast is full of mostly deserted hidden coves and inlets and all you need to discover them is a boat and the help of a fisherman. There are sandy beaches and the water is translucent and the colour of turquoise so that you can often see the sea bed. Marmaris is crowded especially in the summer, but many Europeans spend the winter here as it is quieter and more secluded than nearby Bodrum.
The growth of tourism in the last few years has transformed Marmaris from a fishing village into a comfortable holiday resort. The streets are wide and lined with trees, and not only palms: here plane trees and eucalyptus hold sway. There are numerous cafes, restaurants and entertainment places on the sea front. There are no ancient ruins at Marmaris although it has been identified as the site of ancient Physcus. There is onşy a castle and a caravanserai to see.
The caravanserai, on the road leading to the castle, was built in stoneby Süleyman the Magnificentin 1545. It was meant to be occupied by ottoman knights.
The castle was built in 1522, also by the sultan Süleyman, as a base from which he could attack the island of Rhodes, the stronghold of the knights of St. John. The bastions afford a splendid view of the sea and of Marmaris.
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