Southern Marmara’s biggest port Population: 110,000
Old name: Panormus
One of the best ways to get to the Northern Aegean quickly and painlessly is to hop a fast-ferry from Yenikapı in İstanbul to Bandırma. A town which has turned its back resolutely on the past, Bandırma offers little to distract new arrivals beyond a few reasonable cafes and restaurants and a cinema whose showings are not always timed to suit ferry passengers. For a place so busy it has a sad lack of decent hotels; indeed, some feature the sort of low quality offerings typical of the 1970s that elsewhere have long since been upgraded. Avoid staying here if you possibly can.
Transport info
For the times of the ferries and reservations go to www.ido.com.tr.
Unfortunately the bus station is nowhere near the ferry terminal; you will have to catch a bus (or taxi) from outside the terminal to get you there. Dolmuşes to Erdek, a much nicer place to spend the night at least in summer, can be picked up here.
Day trip destinations
