Marmara

Introduction

Geography

Provinces/Cities

Eastern Thrace

European part of the region.

Anatolia

Asian part of the region.

The following provinces straddle both continents:

Çanakkale Province

• Canakkale, the provincial capital

İstanbul Province

• İstanbul, the provincial capital and also the largest city in Turkey.

Sights and Activities

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

Istanbul is the main gateway to Marmara. There are two international airports serving Istanbul. They are both served by taxi and public transport. Most hotels will provide a transfer service for approximately €20. This is expensive when compared to public transport but for two people it is similar to the taxi fare. Consider the hotel transfer if you arrive late at night or are with more people.

The Atatürk International Airport (IST) is located on the European side of Istanbul, 25 kilometres northwest of Sultanahmet. It is one of the busier airports in Europe and in the top 25 regarding international passengers. Most of the main airlines for international destinations arrive and depart from Ataturk International.

To/from the airport:

• Rail: Light rail service exists between Aksaray and Atatürk International Airport. The line goes through some major parts of the European side of the city; including the intercity bus terminal. The LRT takes the passengers to Aksaray in 30–35 minutes. The approximate cost is €0.75 one-way. It is very easy to reach the Sultanahmet area (centre of historic Istanbul) by public transport (combination of Metro and Tram) and it should not cost you more than 3 YTL. Exit the airport and follow the metro signs to the Havalimai (Airport) metro station. Buy the tokens (tickets) and board a train going towards Aksaray. Get out at Zeytinburnu, the 6th stop and look for the tram platform on the opposite side. Board the tram going towards Eminonu and/or Kabatas and get down at Sultanahmet (16th stop) or any other stop as per your requirement. The approximate time taken for both the legs of the journey is 1 hour.
• Airport Shuttle: The shuttle services are operated by Havas, which is one of the major ground handling companies within Turkey. The busses run half-hourly to Bakırköy, Yenikapı, Aksaray, Taksim Square, hourly to Kozyatağı (on the Anatolian side), two-hourly to Etiler-Akmerkez. Also, there is a fast ferry terminal in Bakırköy which connects the terminal to Bostancı and Kadıköy. Havaş buses run between the airport and the fast ferry terminal according to the departures and arrivals of the ferries.
• Bus: Municipality buses also run to Taksim, Etiler and Kozyatağı. This is a slower but much cheaper alternative than Havaş.[7]
• Car: The airport is accessible through the coastal road, D-100 international road and TEM (Trans-European Motorway). If you are short of time or have a lot of luggage, taxi or transfer is your best option.

The smaller Asian side airport, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), is further out of town. Some 50 kilometres or so from Sultanahmet (on the European side) this is where many of the domestic airlines and budget airlines arrive and depart.

Both of the airports have shuttles, Havas, to Taksim, Kadikoy, and Levent, which cost 10 YTL for a single journey. However Sabiha Gokcen has a local bus E-10) which gets you to Kadikoy for YTL 2.60. A 30-minute ferry ride will then get you to the European side: Eminonu. Look for a tram and take the one going left for YTL 1.40 2 stops to Sultanahmet (display with state the stop you will be at) to get your (cheap) accommodation if this is where you are headed. Street name signs are not common in Istanbul.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Drink

Sleep