South Eastern Turkey Tour (Mardin/Hassankeyf)

This tour of Eastern Turkey starts with an early morning flight from Istanbul to Diyarbakir. We will have breakfast in Diyarbakir. Before travelling  by touring car to Hasankeyf, in the province of Batman. Exploring the Roman, Arab and Selcuk remnants along the Tigris river and a visit to the present village. Lunch in one of the cosy restaurants on terraces high up on the steep south bank of the Tigris . Afterwards we travel by bus to Midyat in the province of Mardin. Mardin is well known for its Syrian Orthodox and Muslim Arab inhabitants, formerly inhabitants of the Ottoman Empire (that had no border as present between Syria and Turkey). The towns of the province of Mardin, where Syrian Orthodox  people once were an important part of the population, are all characterized by buildings with sophisticated carved stonework equaled in Turkey only in some towns of Cappadocia (link to  Cappadocia).     

Walk through the historic streets and alleys of Midyat. Many Syrian Orthodox people here still are highly skilled goldsmiths. Their speciallity is villigrain jewelry, some of it being real pieces of art. 

In the evening we travel by bus to Mardin, where we enjoy dinner and local live music in a traditional restaurant. Local food is very diverse and spicy, local dances and music are typical for the Syrian-Turkish area with vivid songs, some in Arab language, are mixed with slower ballads and dances.

The next days are for exploring the city of Mardin with its labyrinth of narrow streets, its historical buildings and stunning scenery over the Mesopotamian plains into Syria. Here we will have plenty of encounters with the friendly people living in the crisscross of alleys, courtyards and wards.

Mardin is the best preserved city in eastern Turkey. Built on steep slopes with a castle atop a hill, it looks like a fantastic medieval stronghold. Its typical stone-carved houses along alleys with long tunnels (abbara) that stretch underneath houses and old city walls intensify the image even more. As well as being a fascinating setting, Mardin is also famous for the Syriac, i.e. Syrian Orthodox heritage. South and east of Mardin lies the Tur Abdin, the Holy Land in Syriac language. Here, a lot of churches and monasteries, some dating back more than a thousand years ago, are still used by dwindling groups of priests, monks and believers.

On day two and three there will be excursions to Deir al Safaran, one of the oldest monasteries in the region and former Seat of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch, and to other churches in Mardin. Furthermore excursions to the Archeological Museum, to Islamic theological highschools like the Kasimiye and Radviye Medresse, to beautiful mosques like the Ulucami and Latifiye Camii, and to houses that are examples of competent restoration and now mostly function as restaurants or hotels. There also will be ‘moments without program' in which there are possibilities for shopping and roaming the winding backstreets for which Mardin is so famous. Try to search for the fascinating and colourful Tellallar Çarşısı, i.e. the Sponge Market, and for the Manufacturers Bazar. Here copper and blacksmiths, carpenters and woodcarvers, tailors and retailers have their workshops. Inhabitants of Mardin and visitors from the villages, many in their traditional dresses, walk around the bazars busy bargaining and giving the scene very bustling appearance. 

This tour ends with a late evening flight  from Diyarbakir to Istanbul.