Southeastern Anatolia Region: what to see and do
Southeastern Anatolia covers 59,176 square kilometres of Turkey.
Göbekli Tepe tours and history
Göbekli Tepe lies close to Örencik village in Şanlıurfa Province. People used the site from about 9600 BCE until about 8000 BCE. Its stone pillars have the form of a T and reach heights of up to 5.5 metres. An archaeological survey recorded the site in 1963. UNESCO added Göbekli Tepe to its World Heritage List in 2018. The tour of Mount Nemrut and Göbekli Tepe from Istanbul lasts 2 days and includes flights from Istanbul to Adıyaman and from Şanlıurfa to Istanbul, a licensed professional guide throughout, breakfast, lunches at a local restaurant and with regional kebabs, and all ground transport between sites.
Mardin, monasteries and Dara
Above Mardin, the Zinciriye Madrasa once functioned as an observatory because of its elevated position. Deyrulzafaran Monastery housed the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate for a period of 640 years. Religious services at the monastery continue to use Aramaic. Mor Gabriel Monastery dates to AD 397 and stands on the Tur Abdin plateau near the ancient town of Midyat. The late antique and medieval churches and monasteries of Midyat and the Tur Abdin plateau have been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2021. Dara lies in Oğuz Village, 30 km to the southeast of Mardin. Emperor Anastasius I founded Dara as a garrison city around 505.
Southeastern Turkey: rivers and dams
The Euphrates begins in Turkey before continuing through Syria and Iraq. Its course measures approximately 2,800 km. The source of the Tigris is in eastern Turkey, in the Taurus Mountains. The Southeastern Anatolia Project comprises 22 dams.
Gaziantep and regional food
UNESCO recognised Gaziantep as a City of Gastronomy in 2015. Antep baklava holds a European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), registered in 2013. The city is a centre for Turkish pistachio cultivation. Its Emine Göğüş Gastronomy Museum presents the culinary heritage of Gaziantep. Objects from the Zeugma Archaeological Site are displayed at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep. The guided Turkish cuisine tour in Southeast Turkey lasts 3 days and includes all ground transport between cities, guided visits to the listed sites, dinners at certified local restaurants and lunches featuring regional dishes.
Şanlıurfa and Harran
Şanlıurfa has roughly 12,000 years of history, with traces of different faiths, cultures and civilisations. Harran lies about 44 km southeast of Urfa. Its ancient remains include walls, gates and a citadel. Mortar for Harran's domed houses combined terracotta, rose oil, straw and egg whites.
Mount Nemrut and Diyarbakır
Mount Nemrut's ruins are in the Kahta District of Adıyaman. The statues stand on a mountain with an elevation of 2,150 metres. Built from limestone and sandstone blocks, the statues measure between 8 and 10 metres in height. The Mount Nemrut tour with flights from Istanbul lasts 2 days and includes return flights between Istanbul and Adıyaman, a licensed professional guide throughout, all ground transport between sites and guided visits to Karakuş Tumulus, Severan Bridge, Arsameia and Mount Nemrut. UNESCO inscribed the Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape on its World Heritage List in 2015. Diyarbakır's old city is encircled by 5.8 km of black basalt walls.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Göbekli Tepe?
Göbekli Tepe lies close to Örencik village in Şanlıurfa Province.
When did Göbekli Tepe receive World Heritage status?
UNESCO added Göbekli Tepe to its World Heritage List in 2018.
Where is Dara in relation to Mardin?
Dara lies in Oğuz Village, 30 km to the southeast of Mardin.
What does the cuisine tour include?
The guided Turkish cuisine tour lasts 3 days and includes all ground transport between cities, guided visits to the listed sites, dinners at certified local restaurants and lunches featuring regional dishes.
What are the Mount Nemrut statues made from?
Built from limestone and sandstone blocks, the statues measure between 8 and 10 metres in height.
