GAP Tour

History Culture

Province: Diyarbakır, Mardin, Şanlıurfa

Country: Turkey

Region: Southeastern Anatolia Region

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GAP Tour Programme

Breakfast in Diyarbakır

Accompanied by our guide, we see Urfa Gate, Mardin Gate and Goat Bastion within the city walls, with explanations along the way, followed by a visit to the Ten-Eyed Bridge in the Tigris Valley. (It is said that during Hıdırellez celebrations, local people used to write their wishes on pieces of cloth and throw them into the Tigris from this bridge.) After learning about the history of the valley and taking memorable photographs in front of the Ten-Eyed Bridge, we visit Mor Thoma Church, which was built by converting one of the five Harem-i Sharifs of Islam.

City Walls

After visiting Ulu Mosque, we change our route toward Şanlıurfa.

Ulu Mosque

A wonderful place offering the opportunity to photograph a city whose life lies beneath the lake and a minaret remaining above the water. We are in Halfeti. Our Halfeti visit takes us to an area partially submerged by Birecik Dam, the fourth dam from north to south on the Euphrates River.

Şanlıurfa Halfeti

During the boat tour, after visiting Rumkale, historic cave houses and the village of Savaşan, where you can see structures beneath the water, we return to Halfeti.

One-hour boat tour on Birecik Dam Lake

We travel to Göbeklitepe, a mysterious world where history was rewritten. The site, located near Örencik Neighborhood, 18 kilometers from the city center in Şanlıurfa’s central Haliliye district, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 1, 2018. It was discovered thanks to a farmer who took a carved stone to a museum after finding it while plowing his field with a wooden plow in 1963, and was later identified during surface studies by researchers from the universities of Istanbul and Chicago. Excavations at Göbekli Tepe have continued for more than 50 years. Jointly conducted by the German Archaeological Institute and the Şanlıurfa Museum since 1995, the excavations revealed Neolithic T-shaped standing stones measuring 3–6 meters in height and weighing 40–60 tons, decorated with wild-animal figures.

GÖBEKLİTEPE

After settling into our hotel, we attend the Sıra Night, one of the first things associated with the East. (Optional extra)

Departure for Şanlıurfa

After an open-buffet breakfast at the hotel, we leave our hotel at 08:00 and depart for Harran.

Breakfast

Here, we visit Harran Mound, standing 22 meters high in the center of Harran; the Mosque of al-Firdaus (Paradise Mosque), built by Umayyad caliph Marwan II and featuring a wooden dome; the first Islamic madrasa established in Anatolia (Harran University), located in its courtyard; the Inner Castle; the historic city walls; and the houses with conical domes. We then arrive at the Balıklıgöl area. Halil-ur-Rahman and Rızvaniye Mosques, Balıklı Göl, Ayn-el Zeliha Lake and the مقام of Prophet Abraham are among the places we will see and visit. You can enjoy a generous tasting at a venue where local products are offered. Those who wish may shop for regional products. After completing our Şanlıurfa tour, we depart for Mardin Province.

Harran

Mardin, where religions and languages meet and many different cultures and beliefs—from Syriac people to Arabs—come together, fascinates visitors with its stonework and urban texture. Upon reaching Mardin Province, our first stops will be the ancient city of Dara and Beyaz Su. You will take magnificent photographs to treasure in your memories and refresh yourself at Beyaz Su.

Mardin

We visit Mor Gabriel Monastery. We continue our tour by visiting the Midyat Guest House, where the television series Sıla was filmed and which has hosted many other series. We provide free time in the bazaar among the historic Midyat houses, where you can purchase silver and filigree. You will have the opportunity to experience the local lifestyle among the Midyat houses and breathe in the atmosphere. After our Midyat tour, we depart for Mardin Center, our accommodation city. Dinner will be served at our accommodation hotel, after which you can spend your time as you wish.

Midyat

In Old Mardin, we will begin our tour at Kasımiye Madrasa. The small pool in the madrasa courtyard brings coolness to the structure, while you will be captivated once again when our guide explains the fountain known as Selsebil. After lunch, we begin walking toward Ulu Mosque. Following our walk through the narrow stone streets and between the bazaars, we visit Ulu Mosque, also known as Camii Kebir, Mardin’s largest mosque. After listening to the explanation of its minaret, which is said to be recited like a poem, we continue our walk beneath the abbaras passing under the houses, where municipal cleaning services are carried out by donkeys. After seeing the madrasa and Şehidiye PTT building, we enjoy tea and coffee overlooking the Mesopotamian Plain. We complete our journey and return to our beautiful city of Trabzon. We bid a bittersweet farewell to our valued guests, hoping to welcome you on another cultural tour.