Marmara Island

Marmara Island (Turkish: Marmara Adası) is a Turkish island in the Sea of Marmara. With an area of 126.1 km² (48.7 sq mi), it is the largest island in the Sea of Marmara and the second-largest island of Turkey - after Gökçeada (formerly Turkish: İmroz; Greek: Ίμβρος Imvros). It is the center of Marmara District in Balıkesir Province. Ships and ferries provide transportation from Istanbul, and motorboats from Tekirdağ and Erdek. Marmara Island has a lot of historical artifacts. The town of Marmara on the island's south-western coast takes its name from the quarried marble (Ancient Greek: μάρμαρος, romanized: marmaros) for which the town is famous and which gives the island, the sea and the whole region their names.

Marmara Island is notable for its diverse natural and cultural attributes. Located near Istanbul, it features clean waters, pebble and sandy beaches, and ideal trekking routes. The island experiences two distinct climate régimes: Mediterranean on the south and Black Sea on the north side. It is renowned for having the highest mountain peak in the Marmara Sea and is home to Turkey's richest concentration of flora for its land size. Marmara Island is also unique in its support of wild-horse populations and is renowned for its ancient marble quarries. Additionally, it is the birthplace of the enigmatic ancient poet Aristeas (c. 7th century BC) and is known for producing Turkey's most exquisitely flavored sage tea. The island is the only one in Turkey to offer a combination of high mountains, lowlands suitable for agriculture, streams, waterfalls, olive-cultivation, tourism, and mining.