After arriving at Gaziantep Airport with an early morning flight, our guide will meet you at the exit and we will go to a local restaurant for a rich breakfast consisting of local delicacies.
Our first stop after breakfast will be the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the second-largest mosaic museum in the world, where mosaics, sculptures, and other artifacts from the ancient city of Zeugma (Belkıs) are exhibited. The ancient city of Zeugma on the Euphrates, which lived its heyday around 256 AD during the Roman period, was destroyed by the Sassanid. The other historical places we will visit in Gaziantep are the Antep Castle, Zincirli Bedesten, the old Coppersmiths' Bazaar, the Gümrük Han, and the oldest coffee house in the region Tahmis, where we’ll give a coffee break. You may shop in the meantime; we recommend that you try the Antep favorite, Baklava with pistachio filling. Afterward, we will have a lunch break at a local restaurant serving delicious dishes particular to Antep.
Next, we will go to Halfeti, founded by the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III in 855 BC. This ancient city was ruled by many civilizations throughout its history including Hittites, Assyrians, Meds, Persians, Seleucids, and Parthians. Many parts of ancient Halfeti, the only region in the world where black roses are grown, have been flooded by the Bilecik dam. During our boat trip on the lake, we will see, Rumkale (Roman Castle) which is thought to be the place where the apostle of Jesus, Johannes, reproduced copies of the Bible. The ruins in Rumkale have Late Roman and Medieval characteristics. Rumkale itself presents a magnificent view with the remains of old water cisterns, St. Nerses Church, and Barşavma Monastery.
At the end of our Gaziantep tour, we will go to Urfa. Dinner and accommodation in Şanlıurfa. (Breakfast - Dinner )
Traditional Sıra Night: On our Urfa trips, we attend Sıra Nights (Sıra Gecesi), which is a dinnertime entertainment with music and dances that is synonymous with Şanlıurfa.
Today after breakfast, we will visit Halil-Ür Rahman Mosque, Rızvaniye Mosque, Mevlid-i Halil Mosque, Ayn-el Zeliha Lake, and the Balıklıgöl, Halil-Ür Rahman Lake, where Prophet Abraham is said to have been thrown into the fire, and the burning logs turned into fishes, whereas the fire was turned into water. We will also visit the cave where Prophet Abraham was born. Other historical places to visit in Urfa are the Sipahi Bazaar, Kazzaz Market, Hacı Kamil Han, Hüseyiniye Bazaar, Naccar Bazaar, Tarihi Gümrük Inn and Ulucami (Grand Mosque). Afterward, we will visit the Urfa Archeology Museum and the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, where many historical artifacts from Anatolian civilizations are exhibited in an indoor area of 29,000 square meters.
We will have lunch at a local restaurant and visit Göbeklitepe, located in the Taş Tepeler region the oldest temple in the world with a history of 12,000 years, dating back to the Stone Age. One of the most important archaeological discoveries of our time, Göbeklitepe is thought to be the first pilgrimage center of the world, as it rewrites history.
During our tour here, our guide will answer the following questions surrounding the region: Who built Göbeklitepe 12,000 years ago and why? Why was Göbeklitepe, the oldest temple in the world, was abandoned and was buried with soil on purpose?
Göbeklitepe provides important data on religious beliefs in hunter-gatherer societies and enlightens us about the religion, religious symbols, technology, and ancient science used by the people at the time. The construction of the temple and the technology used by the primitive society that lived here 12,000 years ago remains unknown.
At the end of our Urfa tour, you’ll be transferred to Urfa Airport. Şanlıurfa GAP Airport transfer is private. ( Breakfast )
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