Have you ever been to a city which is a mixture of Asia, Europe and Middle East? Well, it is possible in southeastern Turkey. Rich cuisines, friendly people, hidden treasures to be discovered; this is the true Southeastern Turkey. Although the region isn’t advertised well, it has much to offer every type of tourists. Especially ‘culture-geeks’ and ‘escapers’ or those who need a city break and unforgettable excursion will enjoy these lands much.
Diyarbakır is one of the most interesting cities in Turkey. It is the true mixture of Asia, Europe and Middle East. I am sure that delicious Kurdish and Turkish cuisine will impress you together with the world’s second longest walls (after Great Walls of China) and typical basalt-made Diyarbakır houses & streets which are ornamented with beautiful motives. The mosques and churches will help you see that intercultural and interfaith dialog gain the right meaning here. You’ll forget about anything when you watch River Tigris and the valley of Tigris. Later, you will have a chance to go back in history and see one of the oldest settlements in the whole world in Çayönü, Ergani town.
Gaziantep is famous for its delicious sweets such as baklava that may cause you get extra weight during your stay. Hosting top quality Gaziantep houses which are converted to boutique hotels, the city has many accommodation options. Get ready to meet warm-hearted local people and try to hear the whispers of antique Zeugma.
Şanlıurfa is one of the best locations for those who are looking forward to seeing interesting places and meeting the people with different social backgrounds. Abraham’s Pond, The Lake Fish and Urfa Citadel attract many tourists but that doesn’t mean you won’t rest in a peaceful atmosphere. The biggest dam of Turkey, Atatürk, is close to Urfa and it has a beautiful setting for nature lovers. Göbeklitepe is for those who are interested in archeology and history. Bee-hive Harran houses and the world’s oldest university in Harran must be seen.
Mardin, settled on the fertile lands of Mesopotamia, is very close to Syria. With its beautifully ornamented streets and houses, Mardin itself is like an open air museum. Diyarbakır’s old buildings are generally black thanks to basalts brought from Karacadağ while Mardin’s ‘color’ is ‘brown’. Mardin is also important for its diverse culture (Syrian, Turkish, Kurdish) and remarkable mosques, churches and monastery in different parts of the city.
Adıyaman is mostly known for the interesting statues dating back to Commagene Kingdom on Nemrut Mountain. It is said that this mountain has got arguably the best viewpoint for the sunrise and sunset. Since it is not as big as Urfa, Antep and Diyarbakır, Adıyaman can be a good option for escapers with the opportunities it presents.
Batman is Turkey’s petrol capital although people’s economic situation is not good compared to what they have. Hasankeyf is the best of the things Batman has. Looking like Cappadocia of southeast, Hasankeyf is a perfect choice for one or two-day excursion. Enjoy the fresh fish of Tigris and forget about anything while watching the beautiful valley of Tigris and mountain ranges.
Şırnak has a very beautiful natural setting especially in some towns but today there may be security problem from time to time. Siirt and Kilis are the other cities in the region. Like other cities, people are extremely friendly and some are even willing to host you.
Click here to see the list of hotels in Southeastern Anatolia
Click here to see the list of hotels in Southeastern Anatolia
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