Mardin Göbeklitepe Halfeti Tour

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we begin a wonderful day.

Midyat & Mor Gabriel Monastery & Yazidi Village Visit

Our first destination in the morning will be Midyat. Our Midyat tour includes exploring the streets of Midyat, the State Guesthouse, and the market famous for its filigree craftsmanship. After touring Midyat, we will visit the historic and enchanting Deyr-ul Umur (Mor Gabriel) Monastery, located nearby. We will see the Great Mosaic Church, Theodora Dome, Virgin Mary Church, and House of Saints. Following this lovely visit, we will tour a nearby Yazidi Village, focusing in particular on the village’s graves. Depending on availability, we will visit either Cave Village or Güven Village. Afterwards, we will have lunch at a local restaurant offering regional flavors.

Nusaybin & Mor Evgin Monastery or Mor Yakup Church

After lunch, we arrive in Nusaybin. In this district, located right beside the Syrian border, we’ll visit Mor Evgin Monastery, one of the region’s most important monasteries. Situated at the foothills of Mount Bagok, this unique 1,700-year-old monument awaits us. (If the monastery cannot be visited for a special reason, Mor Yakup Church in the center of Nusaybin will be toured instead.)

Dara Ruins

Afterwards, we will depart via Nusaybin for the Dara Ruins. This fascinating ancient site, one of the few surviving examples in Southeastern Anatolia, is named after Persian King Darius. Here, we will trace the footprints of the region’s civilizations. After seeing the Necropolis, Stone Quarry, Cisterns, and City Walls, we will return to our hotel.

After breakfast, we leave the hotel and head to Karahan Tepe, which has sparked great interest and curiosity in everyone due to recent excavations, following a journey of about 2–2.5 hours. 

Karahan Tepe - Soğmatar Ruins

We see the artifacts located in the excavation area and take photographs. Afterwards, we arrive at the Soğmatar Ruins. During our visits to Pognon Cave and Sacred Hill, we see the reliefs of the gods Shamas and Sin, as well as inscriptions in Syriac or Aramaic. Continuing our tour enchanted by the mystical lands at the northern edge of the Fertile Crescent, which have witnessed 2,500 years of history, we leave Soğmatar and proceed to lunch. After the meal, we go to Göbeklitepe.

Göbeklitepe

Near Örencik village lies Göbeklitepe, known as the zero point of history and regarded as the world’s oldest temple, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With a history of nearly 12,000 years, it is recognized as one of the earliest settlement centers. Following this unique open-air museum visit, we travel to Şanlıurfa.

Şanlıurfa City Tour

After Harran, we begin our tour of the sacred city of Şanlıurfa. On our tour of the ancient city of Urfa, we visit many holy sites. In a fascinating atmosphere, we first visit the famous Balıklı Lake, where, according to legend, the fire turned into water and the wood into fish when the Prophet Abraham was cast into the flames; we also visit Aynzeliha Lake, where King Nimrod’s daughter Aynzeliha is said to have jumped after witnessing Abraham being thrown into the fire, and the Halil-ür Rahman Mosque next to it. If you wish, you can feed the fish in the lake. Next, we stop by the cave believed to be where the Prophet Abraham was born and raised, the Prophet Abraham’s Station, the Şanlıurfa Castle where he is said to have been thrown into the fire, and the Rızvaniye Mosque. We also visit the historic "Gümrük Han," referred to in Evliya Çelebi’s famous travelogue as “Yetmiş Hanı,” dating back to the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Guests who wish can taste the region’s distinctively strong Mırra coffee and Menengiç coffee.

Sıra Gecesi

After some free time for shopping, we settle into our hotel. After a brief rest, we head out again for dinner and to experience Şanlıurfa’s famous “Sıra Gecesi,” an essential part of Urfa nights. 

After breakfast, we visit the Şanlıurfa Museum and the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, where you'll witness the history of humanity. The Zebra mosaic in the museum is well worth seeing. After finishing our museum tours, we set off for Gaziantep.

Halfeti Boat Tour & Rumkale Village & Savaşan Village

On the way, our first stop is Halfeti. In Halfeti, famous for its black roses submerged under the waters of the Birecik Dam, we take a boat tour. During our Halfeti boat trip, we'll visit Rumkale, built on a hill where the Merzimen Stream meets the Euphrates River—celebrated in folk songs—as well as Savaşan Village. We guarantee that our photographer travelers will be ready to capture these breathtaking views.

Gaziantep & Zeugma Museum & Copper Bazaar

Afterward, we arrive in Gaziantep. Here, we first visit the Zeugma Museum and Gaziantep Archaeological Museum. In the Zeugma Museum, you're not only treated to hundreds of mosaics but also get the chance to see the iconic "Gypsy Girl" mosaic, a symbol of the city. After the museum visits, we'll wander through the Copper Bazaar to witness the art of copper craftsmanship up close. You can chat with copper masters and purchase authentic copper souvenirs for your loved ones. If time allows before your transfer to the airport, we may take a coffee break at the famous Tahmis Coffeehouse. With delicious flavors in our stomachs and cities of civilizations in our minds and hearts, we set off to be at the airport around 19:30. We fly to Istanbul Airport on Turkish Airlines flight TK2235, departing at 20:40, and say goodbye until we meet again on another BUKLATUR trip.