Azamara Quest: Marmaris, Turkey

Marmaris, Turkey port review: Turkish Riviera, there is such a thing.

Marmaris, Turkey
Panoramic view of stunning Marmaris, Turkey from the castle.

Azamara Quest called on Marmaris, Turkey, a beautiful port on the Turkish Mediterranean that is said to be the region that served as the location of the courtship between Antony and Cleopatra. For those cruise passengers wanting to pay homage to Cleopatra  Azamara Club Cruises offered a Land Discoveries tour to Sedir Island, which was quite popular from the buzz I heard from passengers choosing this exploration.

Smaller Ships, Better Parking

Azamara Quest right at home in the marina with all the yachts.
Azamara Quest right at home in the marina with all the yachts.

So far, in my experience sailing for the first time on Azamara Quest the ship has never had a bad parking place. Because the staff on the ship has been so friendly and attentive, I will be honest; I don’t have a sense of urgency that I need to get up and off the ship.  Instead, I been leveraging the fact that Azamara stays in port most times until around 8:00 pm if they are not overnighting in town, which means that I sleep in and then set out on to explore or I have opted for a small group tour that takes passengers off the beaten path.

 Marmaris
View of the coastline of Marmaris, Muğla Province, southwest Turkey, Mediterranean.
 Marmaris
Sculpture of two fishermen bringing in their catch.
 Marmaris
Marmaris souvineers

Marmaris is a pedestrian friendly city. Although their are ample cabs outside the cruise terminal, I walked around the marina to look at the yachts. At the end of the marina, I found the bazaar, which had everything a tourist could want: fake designer handbags, jewelry, leather goods, t-shirts, shoes, local crafts, and an assortment of local souvenirs like keychains. I enjoyed getting cozy at a seaside cafe (there are many) where I could study the landscape of the surrounding area.

Marmaris Castle

Marmaris Castle
Marmaris Castle

 

Marmaris Castle
Marmaris Castle

Getting there is half the battle. You can see the Turkish flag flying high from the top of the castle. Walking up a steep climb to reach the castle is worth the effort. The views from the top are breathtaking. You will see almost 270-degrees around and the view of the water is spectacular. Besides the view, there is a nice collection of antiquities to observe.

 

If you are going to Marmaris, Turkey, I found this website very helpful: click here.

 

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