Wizyfam3,

You will see/find Mosque's all over the place in Icmeler, i stay in marmaris and noticed that it is only the Men that visit to pray, however this said on the way back from the shops one day we called and had a peek (not whilst it was pray time) and a turkish chap told us to go in so this did with no problems just make sure you are clothed and take shoes off at the door.
I am unsure if there are specific trips but you may find you can do your own visit no problem.

Cheers

craig

Wizyfam3, I'd suggest visiting the Icmeler Online website - they organise various excursions, one of which does include an organised visit to a mosque, but their staff are very knowledgable and helpful and will be able to advise you on whether you can just drop in unannounced, as it were, to the local mosque in Icmeler too.

Visiting a mosque is certainly suitable for a woman alone, I have done it before. I don't know about in Icmeler but in Bodrum they organise half day village tours which include a trip to a mosque, they are only a few pounds but are quite enjoyable.

When you enter a mosque you need a long skirt or trousers and somehting that covers your shoulders plus a headscarf or somehting like a pashmina to cover your head. You take your shoes off before entering and leave them outside.

When you are in there just behave the same as if you were in a church and you will be fine.

We had a look at the Village Tour and that includes a visit and guide to a mosque. This was from Icmeler but I think most of them include it.

hey,the way i dont this before was to go on the village tour as it meant you see lots of things,one being the mosque. this also meant there was a guide telling you all about it. like someone says just be careful what you are wearing-you should cover your hair with a headscarf and ensure your not showing your shoulders and your legs.......in some mosques they have spare material in case you have forgotten or at least they did when i visited! like someone says you will remove your shoes too.i find it all very interesting i must admit, ive been inside a few with hubby n in laws and i just sat on floor whilst watching them! in some places there is seperate building for women rather than them being upstairs within it......i went with my hubby one friday we were out when i was in turkey in march, it was for males only so i waited outside, i did however peek inside and watch him praying and it was nice to witness after he finished he let me inside with him and showed me how to do the kneeling etc! i also watched with interest the washing ritual, id need to have a bath to do it or id be soaked its nice to learn about all these things and how to do and why its done!xxx

Sorry to go off the subject but,Turkish friends of ours showed us around their house and we had to take our shoes off,why do we have to do this,is it a custom?

Shoes are often not clean? In Middle-Eastern, many Asian and some other cultures this is the norm.
People I know have explained to me that rooms can be multi-functional in their background, and a sitting-room to us, may be a room where people sit at floor level, eat at floor level or sleep. I have been a guest in many houses where a cloth is spread on the floor with cushions around it for everyone to sit and eat. If this is where I ate routinely, I wouldn't want shoes in my house straight off the street either. Not to mention spoiling any good quality rugs I may have. I don't know if other people may have other explanations.

I also have a number of British friends who have a shoes-off policy at home.

A novel and intersting take on the subject here, showing that it's quite a common cultural practice in mnay places!
http://knol.google.com/k/matthew-clarke/shoes-off-at-the-door/3u1h6w03qbmh3/2#

Thinking around the shoes-off arguments in general, I can quite see why footwear would be a no-no in a mosque. A matter of respect.

You are absolutely right Phoebe, that is exactly the reason why Turkish people remove their shoes. Even when they have modern houses it is just tradition to take shoes off.

I always take my shoes off when I get home too - although I don't leave them outside the front door as they do in Turkey, I think living in London it wouldn't be such a good idea