Southeastern Anatolia

An ancient cradle of civilization on the upper Euphrates and Tigris, with Göbekli Tepe, the stone city of Mardin, and Gaziantep's baklava and mosaic museum.

Southeastern Anatolia lies in the geographical region of Upper Mesopotamia. Travelers usually link the three cities of Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin, and may extend the trip to Mount Nemrut, Harran, and Halfeti on the Euphrates. Highlights: in Gaziantep, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum (home of the "Gypsy Girl"), the old bazaar and pistachio sweets, in a city that is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy; in Şanlıurfa, the Pool of Abraham with its sacred carp, Göbekli Tepe, around 11,000 years old, and Karahan Tepe, and the beehive mud-brick houses of Harran; in Mardin, the honey-colored stone old town built into the hillside, views over the Mesopotamian plain, and nearby Deyrulzafaran Monastery of the Syriac Orthodox Church and Midyat. A common route is to fly into Gaziantep and out of Mardin, spending 1–2 days in each city for 5–7 days in total, plus 1 night for a pre-dawn climb of Mount Nemrut to see sunrise over the statues of the gods. All three cities have airports with flights to Istanbul and Ankara, intercity buses take 2–3 hours per leg, and renting a car is also possible. The region was affected by the 2023 earthquakes, and some monuments, such as Gaziantep Castle, are still being restored. It lies near the Syrian border, so check your government's travel advisories before departure; dress conservatively, and during Ramadan daytime restaurant hours may be limited.

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Itineraries