|
Despite their proximity to Istanbul, the shores and hinterland of the Sea of Marmara are relatively neglected by foreign travellers. This is not altogether surprising: here Turkey is, at first glance anyway, at its least exotic. But this may well be your first view of the country and the area is not entirely without charm or interest. The border town of Edirne , at the end of the Roman and Byzantine Via Egnatia, later the medieval route to the Ottoman parts of Europe, was once the Ottoman capital and is home to some of the finest early Ottoman architecture. To the east the quaint country town of Iznik was briefly the Byzantine capital and boats extensive ruins, while nearby Bursa - on many routes towards the Aegean coast - was the first Ottoman capital and aside from many fine buildings has an exquisite city centre. Many visitors also stop off at the extensive World War I battlefields and cemeteries of the Gelibolu peninsula (Gallipoli), using either the north Marmara port of Gelibolu as a base, or, more commonly, Canakkale - from where it's also easy to visit the ruins of ancient Troy a little further south.
Your Tip for Around the Sea of Marmara
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Around the Sea of Marmara - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Around the Sea of Marmara - visit the main Around the Sea of Marmara forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Around the Sea of Marmara webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
