Tour-7 6-Day Ancient Mesopotamia Discovery: Gaziantep – Göbeklitepe – Şanlıurfa – Mardin

Today focuses on Gaziantep’s architectural and culinary identity, both shaped by centuries of trade, agriculture, and cultural exchange. Begin with visits to restored Ottoman-era mansions, where architectural details and domestic layouts provide insight into traditional urban life, family structure, and craftsmanship. Gaziantep is recognized by UNESCO as a City of Gastronomy, and the day includes a culinary-oriented exploration of the city. Visits may include local markets, spice vendors, specialty producers, and carefully selected restaurants, introducing regional flavors based on pistachios, peppers, grains, and slow-cooked techniques. These culinary traditions reflect Gaziantep’s role as a crossroads between Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and the Levant. The afternoon remains flexible for additional exploration, rest, or personal time.  Accommodation: Gaziantep

Depart Gaziantep by road toward Şanlıurfa, entering a landscape central to early human history and prehistoric innovation. En route, visit selected sites from the Taş Tepeler Project, including Karahan Tepe, one of several newly excavated Neolithic sites in the region. Together with Göbeklitepe, these sites represent some of the earliest known ritual and communal structures ever discovered, reshaping our understanding of social organization in pre-agricultural societies. Continue to Göbeklitepe (UNESCO World Heritage Site), dated to around 9600 BCE. This groundbreaking site challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of religion, monumentality, and settled life, revealing that complex belief systems and large-scale construction predated agriculture. Arrive in Şanlıurfa in the late afternoon. Accommodation: Şanlıurfa

Begin the day with visits to Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum and Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, which provide essential archaeological and historical context for Göbeklitepe and the broader prehistoric, Roman, and Islamic history of Upper Mesopotamia. Continue with a walk through Şanlıurfa Old Town, including Balıklıgöl (Pool of Sacred Fish) and surrounding historic quarters. The area is deeply connected to regional belief traditions and is associated with narratives linked to the Prophet Abraham, reflecting the city’s long-standing spiritual significance. In the afternoon, travel to Harran, famous for its distinctive beehive houses and its historical role as a major center of learning during antiquity and the early Islamic period. Harran’s location and architecture offer insight into adaptation to climate and the intellectual exchanges of the medieval Islamic world. Return to Şanlıurfa in the evening. Accommodation: Şanlıurfa

Depart Şanlıurfa and drive toward Mardin, dramatically positioned on a ridge overlooking the Mesopotamian plain. The changing landscape highlights the geographic transition between Upper Mesopotamia and Anatolia. Upon arrival, visit the Kasımiye Madrasah, an important educational and spiritual complex reflecting Islamic scholarship, symbolism, and architectural refinement. Continue through Mardin Old Town, walking among terraced stone houses, narrow alleys, and historic structures that reveal centuries of coexistence between Muslim, Christian, and other communities. Later, visit Deyr-ul Zaferan Monastery, one of the most important centers of Syriac Christianity, still active today. The monastery provides insight into the region’s Christian heritage and its role within the broader cultural mosaic of Mesopotamia. Accommodation: Mardin

In the morning, drive to Midyat, known for its finely carved stone architecture and strong Syriac Christian heritage. Walk through the old town, visiting traditional houses and learning about local craftsmanship, silverwork, and cultural traditions that have been preserved for generations. After the visit, return to Mardin Airport for your evening flight back to Istanbul. Flight: MQM → IST (TK2679 or similar, approx. 20:05–22:15) Arrival in Istanbul marks the end of the tour.