Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Turkey – Gaziantep – Sanliurfa – Nemrut Dagi – Mardin
100% customisable for you
Your eight-day ancient Anatolian adventure starts today. Head to the airport, whizz through security and indulge in a few pre-flight nibbles in the lounge before boarding your four-hour flight.
When you land in Gaziantep, collect your rental car and head to your hotel in the city’s historic centre. Peckish after your travels? You’re in luck. Gaziantep’s cuisine is famous across Turkey, renowned for its yuvarlama (a meat-and-chickpea stew) and baklava (a layered pastry dessert). With one savoury and one sweet, you may as well try both.
If you find yourself raring to go after you’ve settled in and unpacked, we can also arrange for you to explore the city with a local guide. But if you’re all tuckered out, don’t worry. The entirety of tomorrow is dedicated to Gaziantep, so you’ll have plenty of time to get to know this glorious city.
Today, discover Gaziantep with a private guide, tracing the city’s Hellenistic past, when it was known by the Greek name, Antioch of Taurus. Starting in the city centre, explore Gaziantep Castle – thought to have been constructed by the Romans – whose marvellous Medieval walls still ooze power today. Next, visit the Boyaci and Alauddevle mosques, which are both rich in history and brimming with amazing architecture.
Besides its religious zeal, Gaziantep is also a delight for shoppers. Head to the Zincirli Bedesten bazaar for all manner of tasty treats, and Bakircilar Carsisi for brilliant brassware. And then there is the Zeugma Mosaics Museum, home to (you guessed it) mosaics. In fact, it houses the largest set of Hellenistic and Roman mosaics in the world – so it more than earns its name.
After getting to grips with (some of) Gaziantep’s history, visit the Yesemek Quarry, a stone’s throw southwest of the city. The Hittites (a powerful Indo-European civilisation that ruled Anatolia in the Bronze Age) extracted basalt here and carved it on site, leaving a goldmine of information about their ancient bas-relief craftsmanship. Lucky us.
Wave goodbye to Gaziantep this morning as you hop in the car for the first road trip of your Anatolian adventure. The drive to Sanliurfa is just under two hours, giving you plenty of time to enjoy your driving playlists or hit play on an audiobook. Refresh on the history of upper Mesopotamia, anyone?
Sanliurfa (or Urfa to its friends) is your base for the next two nights. So why not become acquainted? This evening, opt for a leisurely stroll around the town. Make sure you go as far as Balikligol, a pool where, according to Jewish and Islamic legend, King Nimrod threw Abraham into a fire. Thankfully for Abraham, it’s said that the fire and wood intended to consume him transformed into water and carp to reward his monotheistic faith (phew). Nearby, the picturesque shopping alleys of Kapali Carsi await, while the Gumruk Hani caravanserai (an inn providing lodging for travellers, merchants and – as its name suggests – caravans) bursts with tea, cards and dominoes.
Ready to journey back in time? Today is all about the ancient world. Hop back in the car for the short 30-minute drive to Gobekli Tepe (which, charmingly, means ‘pot-belly hill’), a major archaeological site dating back to the early Neolithic period. This jumble of monuments, distinguished by a series of stone pillars carved in the shape of a T, is the world’s oldest known religious complex – older than both the Egyptian Pyramids and Stonehenge. Pieces from Gobleki Tepe can also be found in the Sanliurfa Museum, along with artefacts from the Chalcolithic, Assyrian, Babylonian and Hittite periods. Another notable relic here is Urfa Man, the oldest known life-size anthropomorphic statue, standing at a respectable five feet nine inches. There is also the Orpheus Mosaic, which depicts its namesake front and centre, playing a musical instrument.
Once you’ve had your fill of (really) ancient history, move forward in time to (slightly less) ancient history with a visit to the Urfa Citadel, an ancient fortress spanning multiple civilisations, from the Romans to the Mamluks. Then, surge forward to the Ottoman era during an exploration of the Rizvaniye Mosque, which connects to the Balikligol – a lovely full-circle moment to round out your day. Throughout, you’ll be in the company of a private guide, ensuring you get the most out of your travels (and priming you to be a valuable asset in general knowledge quizzes).
This evening, celebrate your newfound knowledge and indulge in some famous Urfa kebabs. The meat is spiced with a mild local chilli pepper and poppy seeds, so there’s no risk of huffing and puffing your way through this one.
Today, set off on the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Nemrut Dagi (meaning Mount Nemrut), where a truly spectacular sight awaits. You’ll stay just one night here, in a comfortable hotel with magnificent mountain views, so waste no time in soaking up the sights.
Crowning one of the highest peaks of this mountain range is the burial mound of the Armenian king of Commagene, Antiochus I. Ruling in the first century BC, this not-so-modest monarch took his divinization seriously, erecting a necropolis for himself and ensuring it became a place of worship – even having a kind of instruction manual engraved in the stone. On two terraces, colossal statues of the main gods and Antiochus himself (of course) were erected. The king also made sure his presence alongside these divine entities was justified, adding an entire altar to confirm his (supposed) ancestral links. Today, the statues have been partly restored, but the heads still remain on the ground, so you can stand face to face with these regal relics.
Driving playlists and audiobooks at the ready once more, because today is the longest trip of the lot: a three-and-a-half-hour jaunt to Mardin. In need of switching it up? We’ve got our own carefully curated Sounds of Europe playlist to keep you company.
Once you reach Mardin, check in to a historic hotel in the old town. This will be your base for the next two nights, so unpack, settle in and peek out of the window. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a view of either the central citadel or mighty Mesopotamia itself.
Today, embark on a tour of Mardin’s old town with a private guide. Nestled between a rocky ridge and the Mesopotamian lowlands, this jumble of stone buildings is punctuated by the spikes of many minarets. In the 12th century, Mardin was an important centre of Islamic architecture, a legacy which has been preserved in the north wall, the wooden minbar of the great mosque and the Emineddin Kulliyesi. Skipping forward a century, there is also the Sultan Isa Madrasah, a historic landmark commissioned by (no surprise here) Sultan Isa.
After wandering the city, head to the Mor Behnam Church, a fine example of Syriac architecture. Founded in the sixth century, this charming church houses the relics of Saint Behnam – an Assyrian prince martyred two centuries earlier with 40 other neophytes. To the east of Mardin, you’ll find Saint Gabriel, the oldest Syriac monastery in continuous activity (founded in the fourth century), whose serene beauty hides a tormented history.
Still itching to explore? Visit Dara, which (somewhat confusingly) is actually Oguz. Completely abandoned in the 13th century, Dara was a significant site in the sixth century, when the Byzantines and Sassanids were brutally clashing for dominance. Despite being subsumed by a modern city, the impressive remains of Dara still lie on the edges today.
Sadly, your ancient Anatolian adventure ends today. Hop back in the car (and into the present) to drive to Mardin Airport. While you wait for your indirect flight back to the UK, peruse the shops, tuck into some nibbles in the lounge and prepare to regale friends and family with your expertise on Turkey’s bygone eras.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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