5 Days in Marmaris with Jet2holidays: My Turkey Itinerary

Marmaris is known as a classic sunshine holiday destination, with warm weather, beachside resorts, relaxed dinners and plenty of time by the pool. But when Jet2 Holidays invited me to visit for five days, the trip showed me that there is so much more to Marmaris if you venture beyond the hotel.

Over five days, I explored ancient ruins, traditional villages, Marmaris Old Town, Cleopatra Island, the harbour, a boat tour with Gulet and even a kitesurfing experience. I loved the mix of old and new towns, boat trips, local food and Turkish hospitality. The itinerary was full, but it never felt rushed, balancing relaxation and exploration in a way that made Marmaris really surprise me.

Disclosure: This trip was gifted by Jet2holidays as part of a content collaboration. As always, all thoughts and recommendations are my own. Some links in this Japan itinerary are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend hotels, tours and experiences I used myself or would genuinely consider booking.

Quick Summary: My Marmaris Trip at a Glance

Day 1: Arriving in Marmaris

We landed quite late into Dalaman Airport. I like an afternoon flight as you don’t have to be up at the crack of dawn, you land still feeling rested, and after settling in your room wake up the next morning, relaxed and raring to go. 

The great thing about package holidays is they remove the thing I hate the most. Working out how to get from the airport to the hotel. I love that there’s a coach waiting to pick you up and drop you off, leaving me to plan the parts I really enjoy.

Day 2: Ancient Ruins, Honey House, Villages and Dinner at Hidayet’s Place

We had a minibus scheduled to pick us up at 10am, so after filling up at the extensive breakfast buffet, I climbed into the minibus with my camera gear. 

Amos Ancient City

Rather than a beach club or pool day, our first stop would be Amos Ancient City. This was a Carian settlement that is known for its well preserved Hellenistic Theatre. It involved a short, and fairly easy hike to get to the top, although there were a few steep patches. 

The view was stunning, all the way up you have a view of the deep blue waters in the bay below.  I loved that we started the trip with some history, it always feels like the perfect way to really engross yourself in a destination’s culture.

As you reach the top it’s hard to imagine anyone being able to focus on a play with such a stunning backdrop. The seats are carved into the mountain’s summit, and the range serves as a backdrop to the play’s stage. We should make more venues like that, that work with nature rather than covering it.

Marmaris Honey House and Lunch

Our next stop would be to learn about Turkey’s history of honey farming. This would be at the Marmaris Honey House, a building created for the sole purpose of educating tourists about honey farming. 

Turkey produces 92% of the world’s Pine Honey. I had never heard of pine honey before, but the same we were given was delicious. I loved how the building embraced the honey theme, with each room shaped like a honeycomb. We learnt about how harvesting honey has changed over the years, and the uses of it too. With honey and even the bees themselves being used in beauty treatments.

My family is big on local produce, which makes it much easier to shop for them. So I’m glad I got a tin of pine honey to bring home. But all that food was getting me hungry, so I couldn’t wait for lunch. Luckily that was just around the corner, we would be eating at Sahin Cafe. 

We had already ordered well in advance, and arrived just in time to see our savoury Bazlamas (Turkish flatbread) being prepared. The food was light and delicious, and just what I needed on a hot afternoon.

Turgut and Selimiye Village Tour

I love to finish any good lunch with a coffee, but we wouldn’t be having one at the Cafe. Instead we ventured into a tour of the villages, with our first stop being Bayir Village to visit its wishing tree. 

This tree is over 2,500 years old, and has become a symbol for a long and happy life. It is believed that the tree will grant you the same if you pray as you walk around it. The tree sits in a courtyard, its leaves helping to keep us cool in the sun.

This was where we had our coffee, most of us opting for a traditional turkish one. Although we were given berry juice to accompany it. One thing I love when going to a village is the colour of the houses. The little pops of blue on the balconies that sit above shops, this was a great place to slow down and relax.

Dinner at Hidayet’s Place

Our next stop had an activity and dinner all in one. We would be heading to Hidayet’s Place, a beautiful hotel and restaurant by the sea. Instead of eating right away, we instead boarded a boat to relax and enjoy the fews with a few drinks. Enjoying the views from our little boat.

When we returned a few hours later, we had a table set for us on the deck. Allowing us to enjoy a beautiful meal with a view of the sunset. It’s so quiet and serene, with no other sounds beyond the chat of our group and waves lapping at the shore. We had so many courses of Turkish food, all sourced from local ingredients. It was the perfect way to end the day.

Day 3: Gulet Boat Trip, Marmaris Castle and Dinner at Dede Harbour

Gulet Boat Company Tour

Day 3 started with a trip to Marmaris harbour, where we were to be picked up and spend the day on a boat trip. This ended up being my favourite activity of the trip, despite concerns about the weather. 

We boarded and were greeted by the crew, and quickly made ourselves comfortable on the loungers. The weather was a little stormy, but the water still felt smooth. So they gave us blankets to keep warm whilst travelling. Very quickly the weather turned for the better though, with the sun coming out and temperature rising. Perfect for when we docked, as we wanted to go for a swim. But beforehand we would be having lunch. I chose the fish, which was prepared for us by our on-board chef, along with fresh salads. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon, relaxing, chilling and having the occasional swim along the Mediterranean coast. The crew took us to some beautiful, but remote spots. Meaning we could enjoy ourselves without being disturbed. There were no party boats making loud noises in the distance, just peace and relaxation. I did have a mishap when I accidentally crashed my drone into the water (I’m so glad it was insured). The staff were brilliant though, and the captain even managed to fish it out whilst I was changing into my swimsuit preparing to dive. Which was a relief because there was no way I would have managed to get it out myself. 

After a full day on the water, we started to head back. If you fancy doing a boat tour yourself in Marmaris, I could not recommend GuletPoint any higher. You can actually book multi-day stays on the boat, and sleep in their luxurious rooms below deck instead of a hotel. A trip I’ll definitely be considering in the future with friends. 

Marmaris Castle Tour

Coming back into port, instead of walking back along the harbour, we went through the Old Town. Climbing up the beautiful streets to Marmaris Castle. 

The castle is only small, but situated with a perfect view of the marina. No longer needed to defend Marmaris from invaders, the castle has now been converted into a museum.There’s a lot of history to explore, but I love in particular the lush garden that now inhabits the middle. After the museum, we took a stroll through the Old Town Streets, it was only brief though as we would be returning on our final day when we had free time. But I loved the flower-adorned side streets and colourful balconies.

Dinner at Dede in the Harbour

Our dinner tonight would be Dede, a beautiful restaurant that sits right on the harbour. One of my favourite things to do when I travel is try to find perfect tables. Ones with great food, and iconic views. Here at Dede I found it, a beautiful private table on a small balcony. Although it wouldn’t sit all of us, and we sat downstairs, I’m glad I found it.

A harbour is always my favourite spot for food when travelling. Especially after a hot day, the cool breeze that comes from the ocean feels refreshing. We were there as the sun began to set and the lights slowly switched on. Even though the restaurant was busy, it was easy to forget there was anyone else but our table.

Turkiye has some of my favourite cuisine, and again tonight’s restaurant was astounding. Each course offered new foods for me to try, although of course I couldn’t resist a steak after it was recommended to me. It definitely lived up to expectations, each course was perfectly cooked, with our guide recommending starters each better than the last. 

Day 4: Jeep Safari, Cleopatra Island, Kitesurfing and Dinner at Nuum

Jeep Safari to Cleopatra Pier

The next morning our regular minibus was gone, replaced by two jeeps. We would be reunited later, but for now we would be doing a Jeep Safari. The next few hours we explored the landscapes of Marmaris. 

It was everything I wanted from a Jeep Safari. Bumpy, scenic, adventurous, and above all fun. I have a soft spot in my heart for a jeep, so the cool breeze in my hair as I tried to get snaps on the ride was idyllic.

We made regular stops at various viewpoints, each one showing Marmaris in a stunning but different way. When the time came for us to move on, our guide signalled it by playing a different traditional Turkish instrument.

Cleopatra Island

We arrived at the pier and said goodbye to the jeeps. Our next vehicle would be a ferry to take us to Cleopatra Island. The island is small, but steeped in history. You can easily walk and explore the ruins within an hour. Across the island is a wooden pathway with no steps, making it really accessible.

If you prefer to swim though, that’s always an option. The beach has a few rules though to be aware of. You cannot step on the sand, instead you have to take a signposted route that takes you around, through showers and straight into the sea. That’s because for conservation the sand is protected here. 

We stopped and had a drink at the cafe here before heading back to the ferry. Lunch would be served on the boat, before we were docked for a quick swim. We got a little bit of rain as we swam, but the water stayed calm and it made the swim even better.

Kitesurf Experience

We had one more experience before our day would be done. Over the last few years, the kitesurfing scene in Turkey has been growing, and today we would be getting a taste of that. 

Kitesurfing courses have been growing in popularity, where you can learn the basics of kitesurfing. Learning to kitesurf is difficult, and unfortunately we wouldn’t have the time to get out on the water. But we would learn all about the process of preparing a kite.

Dinner at Nuup

That evening we had a dinner reservation at Nuup. It had started to rain quite heavily in the time it took us to return to the hotel and freshen up. But that added to the experience of the restaurant for me. We had eaten in the mountains, in a harbour, and now we would be eating in a forest. 

The rain turned the leaves a vibrant green, just making the whole building even more beautiful. We didn’t even mind standing outside a little longer to look at the mother peacock and her peafowl.

What followed was one of the top culinary experiences of my lifetime. I ordered the steak, (I know I had one the night before, but if I didn’t have one here I knew I would always regret it) and a chocolate cake for dessert. Their cocktail menu was well selected, to the point I couldn’t decide what to try. The staff were more than happy to select for me, and they chose well.

It was a bit more lively than the other restaurants we visited, with a live DJ and guitarist. But that’s one of the reasons why I loved it. The energy was high all evening, the food was fantastic and service was unrivalled. I could not stop raving about this place when I returned home.

Day 5: Free Time to Explore Marmaris Old Town

The Old Town

After several days of organised activities, having free time on the final day was exactly what I needed. We started a little late with lunch, before walking back down to the harbour and Marmaris Old Town.

It felt good being able to explore at our pace. If you enjoy shopping, there are plenty of places to browse around the bazaar. But for me the highlight was Books & Coffee, a cost little coffee shop with shelves of books and a relaxed atmosphere. The owner was incredibly friendly, and when he saw me taking photos, he offered me a full tour and even took me up to the rooftop so I could get some shots over the harbour.

Is Marmaris Worth Visiting?

That final meal did bring an end to my time in Marmaris, and the key question after every trip is would I go back? And the answer is absolutely. It’s the perfect spot for cheap holidays. Your trip doesn’t have to be as busy as mine, you can choose to relax and enjoy the resort a little more too. But if you do want to be adventurous and explore more, you have so many opportunities here.

What surprised me most was how easy it was to explore the different sides of Marmaris. You can be exploring Amos Ancient City one day, and the next exploring the landscapes by Jeep.

Best Things I Did in Marmaris

1. Gulet boat tour
2. Cleopatra Island
3. Marmaris Castle
4. Amos Ancient City
5. Exploring Selimiye
6. Kitesurf experience
7. Dinner around the harbour