Icmeler Holidays 2024/2025
cmeler is a refreshingly relaxed alternative to the nearby hustle and bustle of Marmaris. It’s a traditional village with a fishing history but also offers all of the amenities of a top-class tourist destination, making it perfect for anyone seeking cheap holidays to the Dalaman region. There are also eight Blue Flag beaches nearby to enjoy.
Icmeler Holiday Deals
Tradition mixed with modern amenities
Less than 20 years ago, Icmeler was a humble fishing village nestled on Turkey’s south-eastern coastline. In the intervening decades, the town has piggy-backed on the success of neighbouring Marmaris – a 15-minute drive away – to achieve status as an attractive tourist destination for cheap holidays to Turkey.
It’s now almost unrecognisable from the sleepy hamlet of yesteryear, with fishing boats being replaced by luxury yachts and seafront cottages sitting beside All Inclusive resorts, boutique restaurants and chic cocktail bars.
The town successfully maintains its authenticity and character, despite the large number of holidaymakers who come here each year. The welcoming atmosphere is enhanced by the beauty of its location, with pine-studded hills sloping down to meet crystalline waters, not to mention its abundance of green spaces.
Hit the beach
With three Blue Flag beaches in Icmeler and five more on the road to Marmaris, you’re never far away from a world-class strand. While many of the beaches are shingled or sandy, they’re all well-equipped with sunloungers and parasols – so sunbathers will be in their element.
Offshore, a variety of watersports are on offer including sailing, water-skiing, wakeboarding and scuba diving.
Sample some local Turkish delicacies
With a sophisticated tourism infrastructure firmly in place, visitors to Icmeler will find cuisine to suit any set of taste-buds. But if you come to Turkey without trying the country’s rich and varied gastronomy, you’ll be missing out.
The many Turkish restaurants around Icmeler serve up all manner of local specialities. They include guvec – a clay-pot casserole dish reminiscent of ratatouille and consisting of meat, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, onions, spices and herbs. Alternatively, the country excels at kebab meat, while a nice glass of raki – the local aniseed-laced liqueur – is the best way to wash it all down. And for dessert, there’s Turkish delight, of course.
Indulge in some retail therapy
The bustling market that visits Icmeler every Wednesday is an excellent place to try out your haggling skills. The store-keepers are generally very friendly and entertaining as they try to sell you their wares. Indeed, if you throw yourself into the spirit of things, securing a bargain can be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences.
Expect most goods to be available at roughly half the starting price suggested, though you’ll need all of your bartering know-how to broker a satisfying deal. Some stores do have fixed prices, though these are few and far between.
Take a trip to nearby Marmaris
If you don’t find what you’re looking for at Icmeler market – or your visit doesn’t coincide with market day – you’ll probably be able to track it down at the tented bazaar in Marmaris Old Town. Here, the chatty vendors stock every item imaginable, so it’s easy to spend a full day in the marketplace without even getting round the whole thing.
Of course, even if you’re not a shopaholic, the proximity of Marmaris means it would be a shame not to visit. Prime attractions include Marmaris Castle – constructed roughly 500 years ago by Suleyman the Magnificent – and the picturesque waterfront promenade. What’s more, the nightlife here is a cut above Icmeler and even rivals some of the most popular hotspots in Europe and beyond.
Get your history-buff hat on
Only a couple of decades old, Icmeler has very little in the way of historical attractions. However, it can serve as a fantastic base to explore Turkish heritage.
Day trips can be organised with ease from Icmeler, with plenty of car hire companies available in town. The most popular destinations are the excavated remains of ancient Ephesus, showcasing centuries of differing civilisations, and the stunning white terraces of Pamukkale, which have to be seen to be believed.