Marmaris Guidebook

A prominent artist in the resort town of Marmaris produces hand-made dolls that have gained worldwide renown. The dolls, each of which are produced individually and carry a unique ID card, attract great interest from overseas, especially Russia, the United States and the UK.

Muğla dolls take it to global stage Hand-made porcelain dolls produced by an artist in the popular resort town of Marmaris, featuring characteristics of the local traditional dress, have made their way onto shortlists of collectors from around the world.

The dolls are adorned with shoes, socks and duplicate jewels, making them a collector’s favorite. Şiir Dürüst, the producer of the dolls, now gets orders on the Internet. “More than 160 dolls, each one uniquely produced, are now in 140 different collections in various countries,” Dürüst said.

Dürüst started making hand-made dolls three years ago with the support of Temel Koçaklar, the Muğla governor at the time. “Doll collecting is the third most popular collection in the world after coin collections and stamp collections,” Dürüst said. “Sunay Akın, Turkey’s top doll collector, has also included Muğla dolls in his collection.”

After receiving reports of pollution, deputies from the Parliament’s Environmental Commission investigated fish farms in Muğla’s Güllük and Güvercinlik bays in Turkey’s Aegean region. Following the investigation, it was decided that the farms should be moved to a new location and that the ones who did not abide would be punished, said Mehmet Şahin, head of the Muğla Environment and Forest Directorate.

As a result, 29 of 133 fish farms were ordered to be shut down, as their time to move expired yesterday. Those 29 fish farms will also be penalized for the pollution if they continue operation.
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DATÇA -Hoping to make this year a memorable one for Muğla, local businessmen declare their agenda. The yacht tourism and regulations to avoid surplus of businesses are the top subjects of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry

While Muğla is gearing up for a stronger economy, the businessmen in the Western city are coming up with new plans.

The last session of the Muğla Chamber of Commerce and Industry or MUTSO, which has taken place in Datça, focused on making the new year a profitable and productive year for the city. The projects the chamber had undertaken over the last 3.5 years was outlined in the meeting, which was opened by a speech from Hilmi Giresun, chairman of the chamber. Construction of the new MUTSO building was a part of the chamber agenda.
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With its climate, natural wonders and a historical past that goes back thousands of years, the province of Muğla attracts the attention of everyone who goes there or even hears about it.

And on these autumn days, when tourists want to enjoy not only natural wonders and the sea, but also an interesting journey back in time, many of them head to Muğla’s districts of Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Datça, as well as the towns of Ölüdeniz and Dalyan. Tourists can experience the pleasures of the sea and the natural beauty of Muğla while also exploring some of the incredible structures left over from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods here, as well as some ancient ruins around Muğla which are even older.
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A new project in Marmaris has been undertaken to provide art lovers with an opportunity to meet local artists and experience the local culture.

The “Culture and Art Tourism” has been developed by the Kalimerhaba International Friendship Cooperation and Promotion Association and a number of travel agencies.

Theatre actress Selma Sonat said a week-long holiday package to the Muğla tourist resort of Marmaris has been prepared as part of the project.

“People who want an art and culture holiday, can stay at three-star hotels and participate in workshops with artists,” the actress explained. “We plan to have exhibitions each month of artworks produced in the workshops. We will also have ‘conversations’ on art related topics each night, and organize nature and culture tours to villages near Marmaris.”

The project aims to provide artists with a chance to get away from the stress and noise of cities, according to Selma Sonat.

“We believe artists who come to Marmaris on holiday can contribute to the community too,” she stated. “Well-known artists will volunteer to come to Marmaris, to take part in this important project and to purify themselves from city life.”