Marmara Island, Turkey | Private Tour Guide, Places To See, How To Go

Private Tour Guide In Marmara Island

marmara and avsa island private guide and tour

private tour and guide in marmara island, prokonnesos

Yusuf Sipahi

Licenced Guide (51), ENGLISH, SPANISH. ISTANBUL / TURKEY

My Credentials
Marmara Island
TOUR 1
TOUR 2
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Hello! If you are planing a visit to Marmara Island for more than “sea and sun” you are in the right place. I am the only official guide living in the island and would be happy to accompany you during your stay. I have a few different kind of tours that you may find the details on this page and in case I may prepare some tailor made daily programs as well. On the other hand, you may also send me message on anything regarding the island that you wander; transportation, prices, where to stay, hotel choices, places to eat, beaches etc.

If you like to learn more about me here are some additional information;

I was born and grew up in Marmara Island, studied linguistic, tourism and tour guiding. I’ve been performing as an outgoing tour leader and tour guide in various countries including Turkey since 1994. During Covid-19 period I preferred to stay in the island, believing that this is a golden opportunity to organize some private tours for the people who like to discover our beautiful island.

My Guiding Regions; my inbound destinations; Istanbul, Marmara Island, Kzykos, Edirne, Troya, Pergamon, Ephesus, Bodrum, Pamukkale, Antalya, Ankara, Konya, Cappadocia etc. My outbound destinations; Scandinavian and Baltic countries, Germany, Spain, Portugal, French Riviera, Malta, Tunis, Morocco, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Dubai, Oman, Miami and Caribbean Islands.
Licence Number; 011037 / IRO (Istanbul Chamber Of Tourist Guides).

Languages; English (Fluent), Spanish (Conversational), Turkish (Native), Arabic (Beginner).

Educational Background & Career; Istanbul University Literature Faculity (Oriental Languages Department), Istanbul Univ. Tourism And Hotel Management, Kapadokya Univ. Tourist Guiding Dept. Working in operation departments of travel agencies and tour leading /guiding in various countries since 1994.

My Services; i can arrange transfers and private vehicle, buy priority tickets and I am allowed to explain in the museums.

My Special Interests; mountain trekking (mountaineering with a licence for 6 years), gastronomy and cooking, flora and gardening, collecting vintage audiophile equipments.

island of marmara, prokonnesos

Marmara Island

Marmara Island (Marmara Adası in Turkish) is the second biggest island in size in Turkey and located in the south of Marmara Sea. The island is well known with its tranquality, natural and floral diversity. If you are visiting Istanbul you may spare two days in the island for swimming, sunbathing to see this different and beautiful island. Marmara Island is the closest Mediterranean and Aegean climate to Istanbul. It is one of the two islands in the world with the least moisture due to its granite and marble formations.

Interestingly this small island has a characteristic of two different climate regimes; Mediterranean climate on the southern and Black Sea climate on the northern coasts. Additionally some transitional lands between gives more diversity. This special character gives a unique floral richnes to the island as having the highest plant diversity in such a small piece of land, in Turkey and European continent.

As it comes to marble, we own the most ancient and famous marble quarries in the world and the name “marble, marmol, marmor etc” comes from “Marmara”. And a semi-legendary personality, famous Greek poet “Aristeas” (7 BC) was also born in Prokonnesos which is the ancient name of Marmara.

The island has 117 km2 mountanious land area, 6.000 inhabitants, 5 villages and one central small town “Marmara”. And of course Marmara Island is not only the mountains, plants and marble quarries. We also have a lot to tell regarding the history, clean waters, fresh fish, nice sandy and pebble beaches, less tourists, nice, cheap and clean hotels, restaurants and moreover friendly and open minded locals.

How to go to Marmara Island

All above, we must warn you to not to confuse Marmara Island with the Princes Islands near to Istanbul. Marmara Island is around 72 sea miles away from Istanbul and belong to Balikesir Province. This is a totally different land and culture from Istanbul but still easy to reach with the help of frequent sea buses in the season.

The easiest way get to the island (from April to October) is to take one of the IDO sea buses from Istanbul (Yenikapi or Bostanci piers). The journey takes 2.5 hours from Yenikapi and 3 hours from Bostanci. But I recommend you to be sure that the sea bus do not stop in Avcilar as a third pier. There are three more options to arrive to the island (through Tekirdağ, Barbaros and Erdek) but not practic and fast as IDO option.

Places to see and what to do in Marmara Island?

Actually there are enough places to see for such a modest island and many things to do if you are a fond of sea and nature. Trekking, hiking, swimming, sailing, fishing, windsurfing (you should have your own equipment), island tour by the land, island tour by the sea are the main activities that you may try. And, if you are interested to join in my private tours open the next tabs on this page, for more details. The tours are customizable.

Any organized tours in the island?

Unfortunately you wont’t find any tours or packages for Marmara Island since the island is still a destination out of popular tourist routes. But if you like I can recommend you some accomodation alternatives and offer daily tour programs that you will find on this page. Or in case of required I can organize a tailor made program.

PRIVATE TOURS IN MARMARA ISLAND – 1

STAY IN TOUCH WITH NATURE” Trekking, Flora And Fauna In Marmara Island” (6 hours)

Description Of The Tour

According to botanists Marmara Island is the richest land in this size (117 km2) in terms of botanical diversity in Turkey and European continent. If you are fond of plants, in the island you will feel like in heaven. This tour starts from a certain point around 4 kms away from the center. For the first 2 hours we will walk on comfortable dirt road and some uneven paths while we enjoy the beautiful green and blue sceneries. During the walking you will witness the floral richnes and learn interesting points and stories regarding the plants in the island. This also will be an amazing experience for the ones who like to take pictures in the nature. You will also have opportunity to pick and taste sage tea, thyme, wild figs, wild olives etc depending on the season. If we are lucky you may see the wild rabbits as well. In the midway, if you like we may give a break in a natural deserted beach and return from another direction to see and enjoy different plants and natural views.

marmara island private trekking and nature tours — Arum flowers are seen in June

Notes

Difficulty level; moderate
Language of the tour; English or Turkish
Swimming season in Marmara Island is roughly from June to October.
You will see more blooming plants from April to the first half of June. Spring and autumn are more convenient for collecting wild vegetable and herbs. Green olives are picked roughly between 15 September and 15 October, and black olives are between 15-October and December.
It is recommended to wear suitable shoes
Bring with you; swimwear, suncream, drinking water, some food and raincoat according to weather conditions.
Prices; please ask for it mentioning your number of person, dates etc.

marmara island walking tours — Olive orchards and bloomings in May

marmara island sage tea and flora — Wild sage tea “adaçayi or island tea” the name comes from the Marmara Island

marmara island botanic tour — Wild figs in September

discovering the nature and flora of marmara island — Southern slopes filled with olive orchards

marmara island, flora in Turkey — Wild olives

marmara island private guide and tour

prokonnesos / marmara island tur and excursions, avsa island

PRIVATE TOURS IN MARMARA ISLAND – 2

8000 YEARS IN MARMARA ISLAND “History, Villages, Customs and People” (8 hours)

Description Of The Tour

This tour starts from the center of the island and includes the villages like Cinarli, Gundogdu, Topagac, Asmali and Saraylar. Each village has a different story, geography, socio-economic character and far from each other.

Places to see; during the tour we will visit the five villages and the central town, two small museums, one church, modern sculptures made by the marble from the island, some beautiful old traditional houses, thousand years old plane trees, drinking the “healing water”, mountains, fertile lowlands, the first marble factory of Turkey etc.

On the last stage of the tour, if we will have enough time, we will drive through the summit of the island (710 meters) to photograph the stunning view of Marmara Sea and the surrounding islands. Here you may also have the opportunity to see a desolated NATO base and possibly some members of rare families of wild horses left in Turkey.

marmara island prokonnesos museum