Voices of Mesopotamia

Sandstone Cities and Syriac Monasteries

Tour code: MARDIN3D

Location: Mardin, Daraa, Monastery
Duration: 3 days

Adult (Age 12+)

Details

Everything Mesapotamia

Highlights

Of course we think every single place we visit will be a highlight of your tour, but these will especially stick in your memory.

Monastery
Dara
Artuklu Hotel

Tour Route

Itinerary

This is the typical itinerary for this tour

Day 1:Hasankeyf

Our final stop will be Hasankeyf, home to thousands of human-made caves, 300 medieval monuments and a unique canyon ecosystem — which all combine to create a beguiling open-air museum.

Hasankeyf The waters of the Tigris River gave rise to the first settlements of the Fertile Crescent in Anatolia and Mesopotamia—the cradle of civilization. The ancient city of Hasankeyf, built on and around the banks of the river in southeastern Turkey, may be one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, spanning some 10,000 years. Hasankeyf and its surrounding limestone cliffs are home to thousands of human-made caves, 300 medieval monuments and a unique canyon ecosystem—all combining to create a beguiling open-air museum. Read More

Day 2:Mardin, Dara

After a luxurious night in the Ottoman Era Artuklu Hotel, we will visit the Old City of Mardin : Kasimiye Madrasha, Mardin Museum, Dayrulzeferan Church, Forty Martyrs Church. With it's sandstone houses and narrow streets, Mardin is a truly romantic location, with magnificent views across the Syrian Plains to the south.

After lunch we will take the short ride to Dara, a little known about but unmissable ancient city. Having been only preliminarily excavated, one can walk amongst the ruins of dara that burst out of the soil, as if you were the first to discover this magical city.

Mardin Mardin is a jewel of a city, unforgettable for its yellow sandstone houses and buildings. The city is nested on the shoulder of a large monolith of rock, with a fantastic () castle from the () century. The city has a unique feeling, being made up of an almost equal number of kurds and arabs, you really feel yourself at the meeting point of cultures. The city is not only famous for it’s beautiful architecture, but also for the produce on sale here. The streets are lined with shops, selling silver and gold jewelery, locally grown nuts, and the famous Mardin olive oil soap. Read More

Dara Dara or Daras (Greek: Δάρας) was an important East Roman fortress city in northern Mesopotamia on the border with the Sassanid Empire. Because of its great strategic importance, it featured prominently in the Roman-Persian conflicts of the 6th century, with the famous Battle of Dara taking place before its walls in 530. The former (arch)bishopric remains a multiple Catholic titular see. Today the Turkish village of Oğuz, Mardin Province, occupies its location. Read More

Schedule details

Departure Point:

Mardin Airport / Bus Station / Other

Departure Time:

10:30am

Duration:

3 Days / 2 Nights

Return Time:

13:00pm

Return Location:

Same as start location (Or other upon request)

Pricing Information

Inclusions:

All nights stay: Hotel / Pension
Breakfast each day
Entry to all sites
All Transport between cities and sites
Information guide and history booklet
Unlimited free çay throughout each day
Snacks and refreshments during journeys

Exclusions:

Lunch / Evening Meals

Additional Information:

Tour itinerary can be changed in any way, if there's somewhere you want to spend more time, or somewhere you don't want to see - we are totally flexible!

Ticket Info:

You can present either a paper or mobile ticket for this activity.

Local Operator Information::

Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Ticket. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.

Cancellation Policy

We try to be flexible and accomodate any changes to your booking, so in most cases we can refund the full amount whenever it is that you cancel. Only when we have had to pay in advance for hotels or other services is it not possible for us to fully refund you. As a worst case scenario we offer a 100% refund if you cancel 30 days before your tour - but in many circumstances we will be able to offer refunds past this date.

Tour Emphasis

Archaeology

A funny fact, is that most of the best preserved ancient Greek ruins are in Turkey. But much more than this Turkey hosts some of the best archaeological sites; all the way from the Neolothic era, to the roman empire, the crusades, and the seljuk and assyrian empires. Many of these sites are little known, or off the usual tourist routes, which means you have a rare access to immaculate and perfectly preserved locations.

History

Each site we will visit has played an important role in shaping the history of Turkey and the wider region. We will explore the history of the many civilisations that have called this place home, and how they all fit together in the long timeline of this area - correctly known as the ‘fertile crescent’ and the ‘cradle of civilisation’.

Culture

South East Turkey is a melting pot of cultures, with influences from resident and neighbouring Arab and Kurdish populations, which both bring with them a wealth of history and tradition. You will meet people from all these rich cultures and the many ways they express and celebrate their identities.