Marmara (region)

[[file:Istanbul Province banner Fishing boats - Fishing boats docked at Rumeli Kavağı on the Bosphorus, close to the mouth of the Black Sea|Halal Explorer to Marmara Region}} The Marmara Region in northwestern Türkiye is the nation's bridge and connection to Europe, with Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, at its heart.

An Introduction to the regions of Marmara (region)

Meriç Köprüsü ve Meriç Nehri - Ottoman bridge spanning Maritsa River in Edirne

{{Regionlist |region1name = Istanbul |region1color=#fdf989 |region1items= |region1description= Istanbul 41.018, 28.970 , capital of three empires, is the grand metropolis connecting Europe and Asia.

|region2name = Eastern Thrace |region2color=#cdafda |region2items= |region2description=This is the European part of Türkiye west of Istanbul. Tekirdağ on the Marmara coast is famous for its local meatballs and raki. Edirne (Adrianople) close to the Bulgarian border is a former Ottoman capital with lots to see. The long peninsula south leads to Gallipoli, site of the 1915 ANZAC landings, and now dotted with World War I memorials. Ferries sail to Gokceada, a mountainous island with semi-abandoned Greek villages.

|region3name = Eastern Marmara |region3color=#f9a4a6 |region3items= |region3description=Istanbul's industrial sprawl goes all the way out to Izmit. The prospect improves to the south: lakeside Iznik was ancient Nicaea, scene of the first and seventh ecumenical councils of Christianity. Yalova on the coast is set among verdant mountains dotted with thermal springs and waterfalls.

|region4name = Southern Marmara |region4color=#bccdee |region4items= |region4description= Çanakkale on the banks of the Dardanelles is the base for visiting ancient Troy (Turkey) | Troy and the pleasant island of Bozcaada. It's also the route to ancient Pergamon further south, and an alternative route to Gallipoli. Set within Türkiye's "inland sea" and the Marmara Islands range from cramped resorts to remote getaways. Balikesir inland is basically just a transport hub. Highlight of this area is Bursa, a former Ottoman capital with lots of early imperial history, and with the nearby national park and winter sports resort of Mount Uludağ. Routes east loop back through Iznik to Istanbul.

Marmara (region) Halal Explorer

The region is named after the sea it surrounds: the Sea of Marmara, connected to the Aegean Sea by the Straits Dardanelles, and to the Black Sea by the Bosporus. The Sea of Marmara is considered the geographical border between Europe and Asia: the coastline to the north of the sea is European, while its southern and eastern coasts are in Asia. In addition to the Sea of Marmara and the region has coastlines on the Black Sea to the northeast and the Aegean Sea to the southwest.

The Eastern Thrace|northwestern/European part of the region is one of few wide lowlands in the nation, with the occasional gently sloping hill, except southwestern and northeastern coasts which are dominated by hilly areas. Southern Marmara|South and Eastern Marmara|east parts of the region is more mountainous, or hilly at least. While the Marmara Region is the second smallest Turkish region in size (with only Southeastern Anatolia being smaller), it is only a bit smaller than Ireland|Ireland or the Netherlands and Belgium combined.

This region is Turkey’s most populous and most heavily industrialized part, with the residential and industrial suburbs and exurbs of Istanbul going on for hundreds of kilometers towards any direction the geography permits, although you can still find primordial forests hardly seen by human eyes here and there.

Travellers often overlook Marmara Region except for Istanbul and a few sites in the southwest and southeast of the region, but there is not really a reason why they should—in addition to quite friendly and open local residents, fairly good transportation links throughout and temperate climate which make travelling in the region a breeze, you will certainly find something to catch your glimpse in any part of this region, where empires have made their debut and have seen their fall, and where dense urban areas and farmlands interact with untouched wilderness beautifully.

Local Language in Marmara (region)

While it is feasible to come upon a village founded by immigrants from the Balkans in the early 1900s where old people speak the Pomak dialect of Bulgarian phrasebook|Bulgarian or some other Balkan language in the region, Turkish is by far the most common and the most useful language, as is in most of Türkiye.

Travel to Marmara (region)

Fly to Marmara (region)

Istanbul Atatürk Airport|Atatürk International Airport (IST) in Istanbul/Western Suburbs|western Istanbul is the main gateway for the city and the region, and the nation. The other international airport in the region is Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), situated in Istanbul/Asian Side|eastern Istanbul, largely preferred by low-cost airlines. The other relatively important regional airports are near Çorlu (TEQ), Bursa (YEI) and Çanakkale (CKZ).

Muslim Friendly Rail Holidays in Marmara (region)

There are trains to

• Istanbul from Bulgaria, Greece, and a number of other Balkans|Balkan countries via Edirne.
• Istanbul from various Central Anatolia|central and Eastern Anatolia|eastern

Turkey locations via Izmit and Eskişehir, and from Tehran, Iran.

• Bandirma on the southern coast of Marmara from Izmir.

Travel on a Bus in Marmara (region)

All cities and many towns in Türkiye has direct daily bus services to Istanbul. Many cities neighboring Balkans|Balkan countries also has bus links to the city. Bursa, by virtue of being a big city, is also served from a large number of cities and towns throughout Türkiye.

By car

The Marmara Region is well linked to neighboring regions and countries by a motorway and highway network.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Marmara (region)

There is a weekly ferry service to Istanbul from Izmir during summer months.

How to get around in Marmara (region)

StateRoadD650Bilecik - The highway D-650 through the gorge of the Sakarya River, ancient Sangarius

Fly to Marmara (region)

While there are more than one airport in the region, given the region's relative small size and the relative short distance between the airports make transportation by plane practically imfeasible. The only feasible (and, operating) air service totally within the region is between Istanbul and Çanakkale.

Travel on a Bus in Marmara (region)

There is an extensive bus network between towns and cities of the region, and any town with a considerable population (over 10,000), has a direct bus service to Istanbul.

Muslim Friendly Rail Holidays in Marmara (region)

As in the rest of Türkiye and the train network in the region consists of linear lines rather than a spider web-like system. The lines with passenger services are between Istanbul and Edirne (via Corlu and a number of other towns on the way), continuing on to Bulgaria and Greece; Istanbul and Bozüyük (via Izmit, Adapazarı, Osmaneli, Bilecik, and a number of other towns on the way), continuing on to Eskişehir/Ankara in Central Anatolia; and between Bandirma and Balikesir, continuing on to Aegean Turkey|Aegean Region.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Marmara (region)

There is an extensive network of ferry and fast ferry lines connecting northern and southern coast of the Sea of Marmara, cutting travel duration dramatically. Most fast ferry lines fan out of Istanbul towards towns and cities on the Southern Marmara|southern coast, while conventional ferries can be found between almost any town on the northern and southern coasts (such as Tekirdağ -Gemlik line, which traverses almost the whole sea northwest to southeast).

What to see in Marmara (region)

As both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were centred here and the Marmara Region has quite a lot of imperial monuments from each. While the Byzantine monuments are mostly in Istanbul with a number of intact artifacts in historically important, but nowadays provincial towns such as Iznik|İznik, Tirilye and Vize. The Ottoman monuments, on the other hand, while can be found almost anywhere in the region, are best seen in Bursa, Edirne, and Istanbul—the three consecutive capitals of the empire.

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