Beautiful views overlooking Marmaris, and onward accommodation booked
For quite a few days, the weather forecast had been calling for a 100% chance of rain on Wednesday afternoon in Marmaris, Turkey. They kept on changing the projected start time of the rain, varying it between 3:00pm and 5:00pm. But either way, they were 100% sure it was coming.
And they were right. But it started a bit early at about 2:30pm. Fortunately we had already completed our 10 km (6.2 mile) hike in the hills behind Marmaris, and were just finishing doing a quick grocery shop when it started coming down.
When we set out at 11:00am (yes, a bit later than we planned!) it was a gorgeous blue sky day. Almost hard to believe that it was going to cloud over in a few hours. We stopped at a highway overlook heading into the city that has a gorgeous view...
(Don't forget, you can click on each photo to make it full screen.)
Beautiful day in Marmaris, Turkey.
They have built around Marmaris as much as they can.
Most of the hotels and resorts take up the waterfront and downtown,
so employees and workers have to live on the outskirts.
We made our way to the far end of town and found a parking spot close to the trail. Again, it's not so much a trail as it is just a dirt road. We set off walking a circular route heading into the hills behind Marmaris.
Starting to get a view.
Nice day for sailing!
It was a bit of a climb to get to the highest point!
And when we reached the top, I knew there was going to be a magnificent view. I videoed the approach for you so that you can enjoy it too (without doing any of the hard work that we did to get up there!). Turn up the volume...
That is the steep path we had to come down from that viewpoint!
A view of some of the resorts.
Heading back into the city.
We walked through part of the city to get to the waterfront and beach area. The town of Marmaris is another popular spot for British tourists on holiday during the summer. As I've said a couple of times, the summer tourist season here is over by the end of October. What we can't understand is why more British people don't come to this area over the winter. It's not as hot, but the temperatures are far better than what you would find anywhere in the UK. And the prices are far cheaper during the winter. And yet everything shuts down here because the people don't come. We find it very odd.
By 2:00pm the clouds were moving in.
Hardly anybody around.
We went and did some grocery shopping and it was starting to spit by the time we got back in the car. It rained quite heavily at times on the ride back to the cottage, and on and off for the rest of the evening.
I spent the evening researching our onward travels. We've booked an apartment in the city of Denizli (pop 600,000) for 7 nights. The city itself doesn't have a lot to offer, but there are a lot of day trips to surrounding areas that we can do. We ended up booking in the city itself because of the variety of accommodation available that suits us, and the pricing of that accommodation. We could have got something cheap at 70 lira ($11 CAD, $8.30 USD) per night but we are splurging and have booked a penthouse apartment for 140 lira ($22 CAD, $16.60 USD) per night! It's in a good neighborhood and our hosts (he, an engineer, and his wife, a dentist) live in the same building.
Today it was supposed to be raining most of the day, but currently the sun is shining. We are going out for a walk!
We walked 10 kms (6.2 miles) yesterday.
Total distance walked in Turkey 109 kms (67 miles).
We also didn't know much about Turkey before arriving here because it was such a last minute trip but we sure are learning more about it now. It really has surpassed our exceptions, it is really an amazing country and we are totally enjoying our trip here. We look forward to showing you more of what this country has to offer. Maybe one day we can inspire you to make a trip here. :-)
Think with the British tourists, hotels not open so people don't go and hotels not open because people aren't coming, bit of vicious circle. When we were with you in Portugal there was quite a lot of hotels closed up for winter. But good deal on your apartment.
You are probably right, although there will always be some hotels open just not the resort ones probably. I guess there isn't much attraction in the winter because you can't really go swimming and lying out in the sun like you would in the "fall".
I think I remember some of the hotels closed up in Portugal but it still had a fair amount of tourists there, when we were there. The weather there and here still beats the weather in the UK in the winter. And it is so much cheaper! :-)
Like Helen said the dog is chasing its tail making it a vicious circle with Hotels and tourists. Sounds like you've found another great place to stay and explore. Be Safe and Enjoy!
Yes, that does seem to be the case. Still there are hotels open, I would pick the weather here over the weather in the UK for the winter.
We are looking forward to moving on and a change of scenery, not that we are tired of the scenery here and we still have more to explore in this area. It will just be nice to see a different part of Turkey.
Knowing nothing about Turkey, your posts force me to look up all these places to see where they are! I love the very old ruins. Most interesting!
ReplyDeleteWe also didn't know much about Turkey before arriving here because it was such a last minute trip but we sure are learning more about it now. It really has surpassed our exceptions, it is really an amazing country and we are totally enjoying our trip here. We look forward to showing you more of what this country has to offer. Maybe one day we can inspire you to make a trip here. :-)
DeleteThink with the British tourists, hotels not open so people don't go and hotels not open because people aren't coming, bit of vicious circle. When we were with you in Portugal there was quite a lot of hotels closed up for winter. But good deal on your apartment.
ReplyDeleteYou are probably right, although there will always be some hotels open just not the resort ones probably. I guess there isn't much attraction in the winter because you can't really go swimming and lying out in the sun like you would in the "fall".
DeleteI think I remember some of the hotels closed up in Portugal but it still had a fair amount of tourists there, when we were there. The weather there and here still beats the weather in the UK in the winter. And it is so much cheaper! :-)
Like Helen said the dog is chasing its tail making it a vicious circle with Hotels and tourists.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've found another great place to stay and explore.
Be Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
Yes, that does seem to be the case. Still there are hotels open, I would pick the weather here over the weather in the UK for the winter.
DeleteWe are looking forward to moving on and a change of scenery, not that we are tired of the scenery here and we still have more to explore in this area. It will just be nice to see a different part of Turkey.