Five Days in Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin

The route runs west to east through three provincial capitals: Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa (often just "Urfa") and Mardin. All three have airports with flights from Istanbul, so you can fly into Gaziantep and out of Mardin and drive in between. Each drive between cities takes a few hours by road, which is why moving days carry fewer stops. Summers here are very hot; spring and autumn are far easier. In summer, visit open sites early and spend the middle of the day indoors.

Day 1: Gaziantep and Zeugma

Begin at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, which holds floor mosaics and wall paintings lifted from the villas of Zeugma, a Roman city on the Euphrates. The best known piece, the so-called Gypsy Girl, is shown in a separate darkened room. The building came through the 2023 earthquakes undamaged and reopened after a short closure. Allow two to two and a half hours.

In the afternoon drive towards Nizip for the Zeugma site itself. Some of the houses the mosaics came from can be seen in place, while much of the ancient city now lies under the reservoir of the Birecik Dam. The site is exposed, so bring water and a hat.

Day 2: on to Şanlıurfa

Drive to Şanlıurfa in the morning and give the afternoon to the Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum. Finds from Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe are displayed here, and seeing them before the sites makes the excavations far easier to read. In the same park, the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum covers late Roman mosaics preserved where they were found. Three hours covers both. Towards evening, walk around Balıklıgöl, the pools of sacred carp tied to the story of Abraham, and climb to Şanlıurfa Castle for the view over the old town.

Day 3: Göbeklitepe, Karahantepe and Harran

Go to Göbeklitepe (Göbekli Tepe) early. Visitors park at the visitor centre and ride a shuttle up to the site. A protective roof covers the main enclosures, but the walkways and surroundings are in full sun, with almost no shade in summer. Bring a hat, water and sunscreen.

Continue to Karahantepe, a related site where excavation is still under way; facilities are limited, so ask about access before you set out. In the afternoon head south to Harran, known for its beehive-shaped mud-brick houses, the ruined Great Mosque with its standing tower, and the old city walls. Late afternoon is cooler and the light is softer.

Day 4: Mardin

The drive to Mardin takes a few hours. In the afternoon visit the Mardin Museum, housed in the 19th-century former Syriac Catholic Patriarchate in the old town. An hour and a half is enough. Spend the evening in the stepped lanes of the old town; they are steep, so wear comfortable shoes.

Day 5: city museum and Dara

Start at the Sakıp Sabancı Mardin City Museum, set in a former barracks, which covers daily life and crafts in the city. Then drive out along the Nusaybin road to Dara, a Byzantine frontier city with rock-cut tombs, a large cistern and stretches of wall. Allow two hours. If time allows, stop at the Deyrulzafaran Monastery east of Mardin; it is a working Syriac Orthodox monastery, so follow the rules for visitors.

Practical notes

• Some museums close one day a week. Check the hours on each museum page.
• Harran and Dara lie close to the Syrian border; carry your passport.
• Cover shoulders and knees for mosques and monasteries.
• For the north-east, see the Van and Kars route; if you are coming from central Anatolia, the Cappadocia route.