If you’re spending your holidays in Rhodes and want to add another country to your trip, Marmaris is one of the easiest places to visit.
Turkey is just across the water, and the ferry journey from Rhodes takes around one hour.
We decided to visit Marmaris as a day trip from Rhodes, and although five hours in the city went by incredibly quickly, it was definitely enough to get a first taste of the city.Here is everything you need to know before taking a day trip from Rhodes to Marmaris, including ferry tickets, passport control, transportation, what to see, what to avoid and, most importantly, what I would do differently next time.
Colorful corners of Marmaris
Little details in the Old Town
Rhodes to Marmaris Ferry: Tickets & Cost
First of all, we paid €70 per person for a return ticket from Rhodes to Marmaris. I booked our tickets through a local travel agency in Rhodes, although booking with the spead boat Sea Dreams can sometimes be much cheaper.
If you’re planning the trip in advance, I would definitely compare the ferry price before booking through an agency.
Our ferry departed from the Tourist Port of Rhodes at 10:00 in the morning.
We were asked to arrive approximately one hour before departure, mainly because there are a few things you need to do before boarding.
First, we collected our tickets from Sea Dreams and then went through passport control.
Despite being told to arrive so early, the actual process was surprisingly quick and easy. In our case, passport control took less than ten minutes.
However, don’t forget that although Marmaris is only around an hour away from Rhodes by ferry, you are travelling from Greece to Turkey, which means leaving the European Union. You therefore go through normal passport controls when leaving Greece and again when returning.Give yourself enough time even if the port doesn’t look particularly busy.
Exploring Marmaris Grand Bazaar
Traditional Turkish carpets
Returning from Marmaris to Rhodes
Our return ferry departed Marmaris at 17:10, and we were told to be back at the port at approximately 16:30 for passport control and boarding.This is something worth considering when planning your day.
A 10:00 departure from Rhodes sounds like you have an entire day in Turkey, but once you include the ferry journey, passport control and the requirement to return to the port early, you actually have only a few hours to explore Marmaris.
And trust me, they disappear FAST.
How to Get from Marmaris Port to the Centre
Once you arrive in Marmaris, you have a few options.
The centre is roughly a 20-minute walk from the port, so if you don’t mind walking, you can easily skip transportation altogether.
We were travelling with my parents, who couldn’t comfortably walk that distance in the summer heat, so we decided to take a taxi.
For the approximately five-minute journey from the port to the centre, we eventually paid €7 after negotiating the price.
And yes… negotiating is important.The original prices we were given were higher, despite the journey being extremely short.On our way back, taxi drivers initially asked for around €10 for the trip to the port. After some bargaining, we agreed on €8.
So if you’re taking a taxi, always ask for the price before getting inside.
One Thing I Would Avoid at Marmaris Port
When you arrive, you may see buses or people offering transportation into Marmaris.
Personally, I would skip these if your priority is seeing as much of the city as possible.
Some organised transfers can include stops at shops such as jewellery stores and other businesses. These stops can take away valuable sightseeing time and on a day trip where you only have around five hours, every hour matters.
Unless you specifically want that type of shopping experience, either walk into town or take a taxi directly where you want to go.
First Impressions of Marmaris
Marmaris genuinely surprised me.
It has the feeling of a Mediterranean holiday destination, with a beautiful marina, narrow streets, white buildings, shops, cafés and plenty of tourists wandering around.
Our first stop was the area around Marmaris Castle.
We didn’t actually enter the castle because we had such limited time, but I absolutely loved walking through the little streets surrounding it.
The whitewashed alleys, small shops and little details around the old town made this one of my favourite parts of Marmaris.
If you’re only visiting for a few hours, I don’t think you necessarily need to enter every attraction. Sometimes simply wandering around is the best way to experience a place, especially when your ferry is already counting down the hours for you!
Wandering through Marmaris Old Town
Marmaris Castle
Shopping at the Grand Bazaar
Of course, we also visited the Grand Bazaar.
You’ll find everything here: clothes, bags, shoes, jewellery, Turkish sweets, baklava, souvenirs and plenty of imitation designer products.
My favourite purchases were easily the Turkish delights.
Almost every shop selling sweets will invite you to try different flavours, so technically you could probably survive half the afternoon purely on free Turkish delight samples.
And yes, we ended up buying plenty.
They were delicious.
When it comes to clothes, bags and other products, though, I would be more careful.
The initial prices inside the Grand Bazaar can be surprisingly high because bargaining is expected. If you’re good at negotiating, you might find something worthwhile, but don’t automatically assume everything is cheap simply because you’re shopping in Turkey.
Don’t Spend All Your Shopping Time in the Bazaar
This is something I wish more day-trip visitors knew.
If you walk further into Marmaris rather than staying exclusively around the Grand Bazaar and tourist streets, you’ll find normal Turkish shops, supermarkets and beauty stores, where prices can be much better.
We noticed particularly good prices on everyday products, cosmetics and some clothing.
So if shopping is one of the reasons you’re visiting Turkey, leave yourself some time to explore outside the most touristy part of Marmaris.
The Grand Bazaar is fun for the experience, souvenirs and bargaining.
For actual bargains? I would look elsewhere too.
Exploring beyond the Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar is perfect for souvenirs and bargaining
What About Customs When Returning to Rhodes?
Remember that you’re returning to Greece from a country outside the European Union, so customs rules apply.
This is particularly important if you’re planning to buy expensive jewellery, large quantities of products or other high-value items.
I would always check the latest Greek/EU customs allowances before travelling rather than relying on what a shopkeeper or another tourist tells you.
Also be particularly careful with counterfeit designer products. Something being openly sold in a tourist market doesn’t automatically mean there are no restrictions when bringing it back into the EU.
Eating in Marmaris
This is one area where I would plan better next time.
We stopped for a classic shawarma/döner-style meal in central Marmaris and found it surprisingly expensive for what it was. We basically paid 65 euros for just 4 of them.
The centre is extremely touristy, and prices reflect that.
If you’re travelling on a budget, I would research a couple of restaurants before arriving instead of simply sitting at whichever restaurant you happen to pass when you’re hungry.
Another option is to bring a small snack or sandwich with you.
You’re realistically in Marmaris for only around five hours, so you don’t necessarily need to sacrifice a big part of your sightseeing time to a long lunch.
Although, considering how many Turkish delight samples you’ll be offered inside the bazaar, hunger might not be your biggest problem.
A Small Warning If You’re Sensitive to Strong Flavours
Turkish cuisine is incredibly popular, but personally I struggle with some of the stronger lamb buttery and fatty flavours used in all dishes.
I noticed the same thing during my trip to Istanbul.
Obviously this is completely personal and plenty of people LOVE Turkish food but if you’re sensitive to strong lamb flavours like I am, it’s something worth keeping in mind when choosing what to order.
The sweets, on the other hand?
Zero complaints from me.
My absolute favourite! Turkish delight the Loukoumia is one thing I can never resist , soft, sweet and seriously delicious. Definitely worth trying while you’re here.
You’ll also find an incredible variety of spices, teas, dried herbs and colourful local products perfect for browsing or picking up something to take home.
Walk Along the Marmaris Marina
Before heading back to Rhodes, we walked along the marina and waterfront.
This was another part of Marmaris I really enjoyed.
The only thing I regretted was not being able to see it later in the evening.
During the middle of the day, especially in summer, Marmaris can be extremely hot. I could easily imagine the waterfront becoming much more atmospheric around sunset, when the temperature drops and more people come out for dinner and drinks.
And this brings me to the biggest thing I would change about our trip.
The charming lighthouse along Marmaris waterfront
Strolling through Marmaris Marina and its yachts
Should You Stay Overnight in Marmaris?
If your Rhodes itinerary allows it, I would seriously consider spending one night in Marmaris instead of doing only a day trip.
The day trip is absolutely possible and we did it and enjoyed it.
But between arriving, getting into town, exploring the castle area, visiting the bazaar, eating, walking around the marina and returning early for passport control, the day feels rushed.
With one night, you could explore during the afternoon, enjoy Marmaris after sunset, have dinner without constantly checking the time and return to Rhodes the following day.
For me, that would be the ideal way to experience it.
If you don’t have the extra day, though, the day trip is still completely worth doing.
Is a Day Trip from Rhodes to Marmaris Worth It?
Yes — especially if you’ve never visited Turkey before.
You’re essentially able to wake up in Greece, take a one-hour ferry, spend the afternoon exploring a completely different country and be back in Rhodes that evening.
That’s pretty special.
Just remember that the advertised ferry schedule doesn’t equal five or six completely free sightseeing hours.
Passport control and getting to and from the port reduce your actual time in Marmaris considerably.
For a day trip, I would prioritise:
- Walking around Marmaris
- Old Town and the castle streets.
- Visiting the Grand Bazaar
- Trying and buying Turkish delights
- Exploring some of the normal shops outside the bazaar
- Walking along the marina
- Having a coffee by the water before returning to the por
And don’t over-plan it.
Marmaris is compact enough that part of the experience is simply wandering around, getting slightly lost in the streets and seeing what you find.
Would I go again?
Absolutely.
But next time, I’m staying for the night.
