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Southeastern Anatolia

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to most places along the Syrian border in Southeast Turkey.

Southeastern Anatolia is a unique part of Turkey, with a predominantly Kurdish population that is extremely welcoming to visitors. Sadly, renewed hostilities from 2015 between the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) and Turkish government forces, along with possible effects of the Syrian conflict in territory near the border, have rendered large areas risky for travellers. While the dangers to travellers are statistically small, over 1000 people, including many civilians, died in violence between the PKK and government forces within nine months. Check your government's travel advice before considering travelling here.

The brightest spot in the gloomy picture is that Nemrut Dağı National Park, a highlight of Turkish travel with its haunting 2000-year-old statues, is not, at the time of research, among the areas considered risky.

Should the security situation improve, look forward to exploring historical cities like Mardin or Şanlıurfa, enjoying the beauty of shimmering Lake Van and savouring superb local food in places like Gaziantep.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southeastern Anatolia.

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Göbeklitepe
Around 11km northeast of Urfa, 'Pot Belly Hill' was first excavated in 1994 by a team led by Professor Klaus Schmidt. Their discovery of a ritual complex dated to the pre-pottery Neolithic era (around 10,000 BC) has turned the previously accepted theory that religion followed the evolution of agriculture on its head. The small site, protected by a space-age-style dome, contains a complex of circular buildings containing megalithic T-shaped pillars now thought to be the world's first place of worship. Animal carvings can be seen on the sides of Göbeklitepe's anthropomorphic T-shaped pillars, some of which tower up to 5.5m high. A raised wooden boardwalk leads around the site allowing you to see the pillars below from all sides and study the stylised carvings of foxes and vultures. In 2018, Göbeklitepe was made Turkey's newest Unesco World Heritage site, though don't expect masses of ruins as you'd see in Turkey's much younger classical-era sites. Göbeklitepe's fame comes from its significant role in furthering our understanding of early human history and culture. The visitor centre at the entrance provides a good introduction to the site with a short – and rather dramatic – video presentation on Göbeklitepe's importance. From near the visitor centre, a regular shuttle bus zips to and from the hilltop archaeological site. Geomagnetic surveys and ground-penetrating radar systems have identified another 16 ancient megalithic rings buried nearby, and at present only 5% of the entire site has been excavated, with archaeological work here continuing. A return taxi to Göbeklitepe from Şanlıurfa, including waiting time, is around ₺120.
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Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum
This museum does a stellar job of displaying one of the world's most important mosaic collections, most of which was unearthed at the Roman site of Belkıs-Zeugma and brought to safety before the Birecik Dam flooded much of the site forever. Its most famous exhibit is the 'Gypsy Girl', which gets its own darkened room – dramatically highlighting the small mosaic's beauty. Equally impressive though are the huge floor mosaics, displayed between columns and wall-fresco segments, also brought from the site. In particular, don't miss the 'Eros and Psykhe' mosaic downstairs and 'The Kidnapping of Europe' and 'Woman at Breakfast' mosaics upstairs. After viewing the upstairs floor exhibits, take the exterior walkway across to the second building for more mosaics unearthed from the local region. To walk to the museum, follow the underpass on the left of the railway station, continue under the busy main highway, turn right, and then walk on for about 400m and you'll see the museum on the opposite side of the road. Unfortunately, a fence running along the road's traffic barrier stops you from crossing the road. You need to head another 200m to the tatty pedestrian overpass to cross and then double-back to the museum. A taxi from central Gaziantep should be around ₺18.
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Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum
Şanlıurfa's spectacular archaeology museum is one of the best in Turkey. The region's cultural heritage is displayed across three levels covering a time period that stretches from the Neolithic up to the Ottoman era. The Neolithic halls, exhibiting sculptures and small finds from Göbeklitepe as well as other nearby pre-pottery Neolithic sites, are the highlight. Displays are accompanied by highly detailed information panels that do an excellent job of explaining this area's importance in the earliest years of human history. Come here before visiting Göbeklitepe to aid your understanding of the site. From November to March the museum shuts at 4.30pm.
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Bazaar
Dive into Urfa's bazaar alleys to find stalls selling everything from sheepskins and pigeons to jeans and handmade shoes. It was largely built by Süleyman the Magnificent in the mid-16th century. One of the most interesting areas is the bedesten with its shops selling silk goods, including colourful local scarves, under a vaulted ceiling. An entrance inside the bedesten brings you into the Gümrük Hanı, an old caravanserai with its courtyard now the city's most atmospheric cafe. On the edge of the bazaar district is the old Arasa Hamamı, which the municipality plans to turn into a museum.
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Bazaar
Mardin's rambling commercial hub parallels 1 Caddesi one block down the hill. It's packed with metalworkers, donkey-saddle repairers, woodworkers, stores selling pots and pans, little teahouses and the odd souvenir shop. Donkeys still clop down the cobblestones, vying with motorbikes as the main form of transport within the alley muddle.
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Gölbaşı
Legend claims that the Prophet Abraham (father of the three major monotheistic religions) was confronted by Nimrod, the local Assyrian king, while destroying pagan idols. Nimrod had Abraham immolated on a funeral pyre but God turned the fire into water and the burning coals into fish. Abraham was hurled into the air from where the castle stands, landing safely in a bed of roses. Urfa's picturesque Gölbaşı area of fish-filled pools and rose gardens is a symbolic recreation of this story. Two rectangular pools of water, Balıklı Göl and Ayn-i Zeliha, are filled with supposedly sacred carp, while the area to the east is planted with blooming rose gardens. Local legend has it that anyone catching the carp will go blind. On the northern side of Balıklı Göl is the elegant Rızvaniye Vakfı Cami & Medresesi, with a much-photographed arcaded wall, while at the western end is the Halilur Rahman Cami. This 13th-century building, replacing an earlier Byzantine church, marks the site where Abraham fell to the ground. The two pools are fed by a spring at the base of Damlacık hill, on which the castle is built.
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Bakırcılar Çarşısı
Gaziantep's labyrinthine bazaar stretches between Hamdi Kutler Caddesi and Kundaracılar Çarşısı Sokak. There are a couple of entrances so just dive in and see where you're spat out. The tiny stores are home to metalworkers, shoemakers, spice hawkers and carpenters. The area includes the restored Zincirli Bedesten, with handicraft stores under its vaulted ceiling. To the south, in the Elmacı Pazarı area, is the original Güllüoğulu baklava shop, keeping dentists in business since 1871. A little further south down Şehitler Caddesi you'll spy Tahmis Kahvesi, Gaziantep's most atmospheric kahvehane (coffeehouse).
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Mardin Museum
This superbly restored late-19th-century mansion was once Mardin's Syriac Catholic Patriarchate and sports carved pillars and elegant arcades on the upper floor. Today it houses Mardin's archaeological collection with well-curated exhibits that include finds from the salvage excavations of archaeological sites destroyed by the construction of the Ilısu Dam and a beautifully exhibited collection of idols and cult vessels, many from the Bronze Age site of Girnavaz, in the Beliefs Hall. There is a good cafe on the museum's terrace. East along 1 Caddesi is the beautiful three-arched facade of the ornately carved Şahkulubey Mansion.
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Sultan İsa (Zinciriye) Medresesi
Dating from 1385, this medrese (seminary) complex's highlight is the imposing recessed doorway, but make sure you wander through the pretty courtyards and visit the small mosque with its ornately carved mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca). Arrive before 4pm if you want to head onto the roof to enjoy the cityscape as the guardian often locks it after then.