Mardin is one of the most impressive corners of Anatolia , a city where history, culture and nature blend. Narrow streets, Mardin offers an eye-catching atmosphere with its stone architecture and colourful bazaars, It also fascinates its visitors with its ancient cities dating back to the Romans.
In this historical city, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, without getting lostin the streets, without seeing the mosques and madrasas, a cup of coffee with a view of the plain and monastery It is almost impossible to leave Mardin without visiting its churches. Mardin’s rich historical and cultural texture brings you together with a different story at every step.
The ideal time to explore Mardin is in spring; This season, whennature comes alive and the streets are filled with colourful flowers, makes the city even more special. However, it should not be limited to the historical city centre; the surrounding Assyrian villages, Midyat, Districts such as Nusaybin and settlements that have survived from ancient times are worth seeing.
You can check our other guides here.
Restaurants:
– Marde Restaurant
– Cercis Murat Konağı
– Doboo Restaurant
Lokanta & Kebap:
– Mecnun Kebap Salonu
– Kebapçı Yusuf Usta
– Öz Yasemin Pide&Lahmacun
– Sultan Sofrası Mahalli Yemekler
– Tülay Lokantası
Kafe&Bar:
Coffeeshops:
Midyat Recommendations:
– Cihan Et Lokantası
– Çağdaş Et Lokantası
– Kafro’s Pizzeria, Kafro Köyü
Places to visit in Old Mardin:
– Kasımiye Medresesi
– Mardin Castle
– Grand Mosque
– Kirklar Church
– Latifiye Mosque
– Zinciriye Medresesi
– Şehidiye Medresesi
– Hatuniye Medresesi
– Mardin Museum
– Sakip Sabanci City Museum
– Church of Virgin Mary
– Mor Shmuni Church
– Mor Hormuzd Chaldean Church
– Mor Mihayel Church
– Kayseriyye Bedesteni
– Bakırcılar Çarşısı
– Revaklı Çarşı
– Şatana Konağı
Places worth seeing around Mardin:
-Dayrülzafaran Monastery ~10 km
-Dara Ancient City ~35 km
-Midyat Historical Centre ~69 km
-Anıtlı (Xax) Village & Virgin Mary Church ~98 km
-Mor Gabriel Monastery ~91 km
-Nusaybin & Mor Yakup Monastery ~61 km
-Zerzevan Castle ~76 km
Mardin is a city full of historical and cultural richness and harbours traces of the past in every corner. Museums, mansions and castles in the city reveal the historical texture and architectural beauties of Mardin. Mardin Museum exhibits the historical artefacts of the region and offers visitors important information about Mardin’s past. Museum card is valid in this museum, open to visitors every day except Monday. You can check the current visit information here.
Sakıp Sabancı City Museum is another venue that is full of art and cultural events. It was transferred to the Ministry of Culture in 2024 and continues its activities under the same name. Mardin Castle, located at the highest point of the city, has a magnificent view and has been of strategic importance throughout its history. Mardin is full of historical mansions such as Şatana Mansion, these mansions are examples of traditional Mardin architecture and introduce visitors to Mardin’s cultural heritage.
Madrasahs of Mardin, It is one of the important buildings exhibiting the religious and educational history of the city. Kasımiye Madrasah, 15. century and was built in the 15th century, It attracts attention with its impressive stonework and large courtyard. The most interesting of the madrasahs is Kasımıye, Mardin is definitely one of the places to be seen when you travel to Mardin. A ticket fee of 30₺ is chargedat the door. Zinciriye Madrasa, Other madrasas such as Hatuniye Madrasah and Şehidiye Madrasah, It attract s the attention of visitors with its architectural beauties. The rich stonework of the Artuqid Period can be seen in these madrasas.
Mardin is also a meeting point for different faiths and there are many churches in the city. Kırklar Church is an important place of worship for Christians, It attracts attention with its impressive architecture. Church of theVirgin Mary, Structures such as Mor Shmuni Church and Mor Hürmüzd Chaldean Church, are important places of worship belonging to the Christian communities of the region. These churches attract visitors with their historical and religious significance. Each one offers visitors a different experience with its unique frescoes and architectural details. Churches are closed to visitors on Sundays during liturgical hours It might be worth making sure it ‘s open before you go.
Mardin’s bazaars are important points reflecting the vibrancy and local culture of the city. Coppersmith Bazaar offers the best examples of traditional coppersmith art, while Kayseriyye Bedesteni is full of handicraft products. The Revaklı Bazaar and its surrounding shops are ideal places to shop and taste local delicacies. These bazaars offer an opportunity to interact with locals while travelling through Mardin’s history and culture.
Mardin is a city full of historical and cultural richness, Mardin offers unique experiences to every visitor. By exploring these places, you can both trace the traces of the past and enjoy the fascinating atmosphere of Mardin. Have a pleasant trip!
The food and beverage recommendations you have been waiting for are here. Let’s say from the beginning that Mardin is a weaker city in terms of gastronomy, especially when compared to Adana-Antakya and Antep. Of course there are good options, its richness in terms of cultural values and being the meeting point of different religions and languages make this route unique.
Apart from a few disappointments , we briefly describe most of the places we tried below. Those who want to read in more detail can also browse the channel.
Breakfast – Assyrian buns , which you can find in almost all bakeries in Old Mardin, Have your breakfast with bagels and breads. Tea & coffee at Marangozlar Kahvesi with its unique view.
Lahmacun – A small shop making crispy lahmacun in Old Mardin, Oz Yasemin.
Artisan Restaurant – Tülay Lokantası in Mardin , which has stew and juicy dishes all day long. In Midyat , Cihan Meat Restaurant and boiled meat in the morning, Çağdaş Et Lokantası where you can go for döner at noon.
Pizza – Since our last visit, a pizza craze has started in Mardin. We tried the 3 most recommended places. Don’t take the ” best pizzain Turkey” hype seriously but Kafro’s Pizzeria in Kafro village is successful. Go there during the quiet hours at noon and if you are nearby.
Mardin Cuisine – Cercis Murat Konağı and Doboo are the most popular choices. In terms of flavour and atmosphere , neither of them disappoints , but the service should be better. We also tried the highly recommended Baghdadi , but We found the roast and kid meat we tried hard.
Just a month or two ago, opened by a team that previously worked at Cercis Murat Marde Restaurant is also a very good option. Although it does not have a view like the others , the prices are reasonable. Kittel and stuffed ribs are delicious.
Mardin Kebab – Unlike the touristic places in old Mardin , it is a kebab parlour that has been serving since 1964: Mecnun Kebap.
Wine – If you want to sip your wine against the view, one of the most enjoyable places is Sinek Mekan.
To fully explore this geography while travelling to Mardin, to understand the richness of its cultural heritage and to It is essential to see the historical artefacts left to us by the existing communities.
For this reason , we think that everyone who has the opportunity should rent a car in Mardin or should also come with their own vehicle to discover these beauties.
Deyrulzafaran Monastery ~ 20 minutes away.
The building, which was built on the Temple of the Sun here before Christ, has been used by Assyrians since the 5th century. The name of this monastery, which also hosted the patriarchate for a period, comes from the saffron, or zafaran plant. You can also drink saffron tea here. Entrances are 100₺ guided tours.
Dara Ancient City ~ 30 minutes away.
An ancient city, which was the scene of many battles between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanids in the 6th century, was located at a strategic point for both states. Today, there are highly preserved cave-like tombs, dungeons and cisterns, although most of them are still waiting to be excavated.
A historical district of Mardin: Midyat ~1 hour away.
Midyat is also a route that attracts tourists with its mansions, which were once a set for TV series. You can visit historical mansions here. There are many Assyrian villages and monasteries in Midyat. You can visit Mor Gabriel Monastery, the largest Assyrian monastery in Turkey. The oldest golden ceiling mosaics of Anatolia should be seen.
A historical village between Midyat and Dargeçit: Anıtlı (Xax) Village ~ 1 hour 20 minutes away.
This village welcomes you with the Virgin Mary Church built on a 2000-year-old monument. It is one of the most interesting churches in Anatolia.
Zerzevan Castle, Diyarbakır ~ 1 hour away.
Founded by the Eastern Roman Empire in the 4th century, this castle is also home to an underground cave belonging to the mysterious religion of Mitraism. The name of this castle with a magnificent view comes from Kurdish: Castle of Gold and Silver.
We could not make time for this route, but Nusaybin (Nisibis Ancient City), which served as the border of Anatolia throughout history, and the Mor Yakup Monastery dating from the 3rd century are also worth seeing.
