Sanliurfa: The Ancient Gem in South Eastern Turkey

This city has recorded history from the 4th century BCE, but it may date back at least to 9000 BCE. About 12 kms from it, is the famous Neolithic site of Gobekli Tepe, the world’s oldest known temple that was founded in the 10th millenium BCE. It is located near to the ancient Mesopotamian settlements of Harran and Nevali Cori. It is nicknamed the ‘City of Prophets’, owing to its association with Jewism, Christianity and Islam and because of the belief that it was the hometown of Abraham. I am talking about Sanliurfa, the historical city, located in South Eastern Turkey and not too far away from the Syrian border.



Known in ancient times as Edessa, the city of Sanliurfa is made up of a beautiful mix of Turks, Kurds and Arabs. Most tourists to Turkey hardly make their way down to this south eastern part of the country. May be, they are worried about border conflicts or may be it is just too far away for them. Either ways, they are missing on a beautiful Middle Eastern city with a gorgeous flavour of culture and architecture. The locals are warm, super friendly and eager to strike a conversation with you.

     
    
History, culture and local food are on the top of must-experience attractions in Sanliurfa. A Sanliurfa experience starts with a visit to the Cave of Abraham that is home to many mosques and Balikligol (a holy fish pond). It is here that you will see the Mevlid-i-Halil mosque, built next to the site where prophet Abraham is believed to have been born. And a short walk away is the 9th century Urfa castle from where you can catch a bird’s eye view of Urfa city. As you meander in different directions from the Cave of Abraham, you will pass through colourful atmospheric bazaars, Turkish baths, traditional Urfa houses, Rizvaniye mosque, Ayn Zeliha, the great mosque of Urfa, Sanliurfa museum, Golbasi garden, Urfa Armenian Protestant church, the Syriac orthodox church of St Peter and St Paul and the ruins of the ancient city walls.
   
     
    
And when you head a little but out of the city, you have the 11,500 year old temple at Gobekli Tepe, the temple of Nevali Cori (Neolithic settlement dating back to 8000 BCE), the Euphrates river, the fortress of Rumkale near the Euphrates river and Attaturk dam. If you are really into ancient history, I am pretty sure that you will unearth many other hidden gems by talking to locals or sticking with people with interest in archaeology.
   
     
    
Sanliurfa is that beautiful mix of offbeat culture, rich ancient history, authentic Middle Eastern experience and friendly locals. It takes a while to reach this part of the country and having experienced it first hand, I cannot stop recommending it to you. If you like history, lazy city walks, chatting with locals, exotic locale and vibrant markets, this place is for you!    
   

 
Best season to visit:    
    
Summers are very hot at Sanliurfa and are best avoided. The best season to visit would be the cooler months between October and February. Days can be warm even during this time, so it will be best to wear a headscarf, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.   
   


How to reach there:

You can either fly into Sanliurfa or get in by road. Sanliurfa has daily flights from Istanbul and Ankara, but the number of flights are low. If you don’t have a lot of time at hand, you should fly. If you have time on your hand, I would recommend traveling via Mardin or via Ankara so that you can visit some of the lesser visited destinations of Turkey.   
   


Where to stay:

There are many village homestays, traditional guest houses and hotels to choose from. The Yuvacali village home stays are best if you wish to experience rustic life along with rich Kurdish hospitality.

Where to eat:

You can eat at your place of stay or at one of the many restaurants in the local bazaar. The iconic dishes to try out are cig kofte or raw kebabs, pistachio Kunefe desserts, Lahmajun (Turkish Pizza) and Liver kebabs. Zahter Kahvalti is a great place to eat some traditional local food.

When I was there at Sanliurfa, I stayed at the Aslan guest house, a traditional looking house that welcomes backpackers and that is located right in the heart of the city and close to all the main places.

There is also a Hilton in town if you wish to splurge.



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Gobekli Tepe: The oldest temple in the world

2) Mardin: Gateway to Mesopotamia

3) Gaziantep: The city that is famous for the iconic baklava

4) Harran: A major ancient city in upper Mesopotamia

5) Karacadag: See rural life here that hasn’t changed much since biblical times. You can still see nomads in their yurts and this is where wheat first originated about 8,800 BCE

6) Lycian way: A 550 km long scenic trek that is home to sensational beaches, great architectural ruins, rich Greek history and stunning views

7) Kayakoy: The Ghost town of Turkey

8) Aphrodisias: Offbeat Greek culture trail in Turkey

9) Cappadocia: One of the most magical places in the world

10) Hierapolis: The ancient Greek spa city

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Aslan Guest House: Homely Kurdish Styled Hostel in Urfa, Turkey

This guest house is part of a 270 year old Armenian building located in the atmospheric town of Sanliurfa in South Eastern Turkey.  This town is a bit off the typical tourist trail of Turkey and is located close to the border with Syria. It is steeped in a lot of history and still retains an unspoilt and original look and feel. I stayed in this town for 3 days and 2 nights and during my stay parked myself at the Aslan Guest House. The below review is based on my recent experience of staying with them.



1) The hotel has great location. It is located at 10 to 15 minute walk from all the top sights and attractions that include the bazaar, the museums, the mosque, the fish pond, the castle and others.

2) The ambience of staying in an old house done up tastefully in local traditional design is a bonus.

3) The guest house is located right in the middle of a residential area and hence there might be some trouble finding the place, but directions to the guest house can be found at many places and the locals are really helpful.

4) There is a school located right opposite the guest house. Sometimes, sound levels were more, but it did not affect my sleep in any way.

5) The dormitory is located in an ancient cave room which stays warm during the night and cold during the day.

6) Free breakfast is served in their open courtyard. They serve a local delicacy that is like chilly and scrambled eggs, which is absolutely delicious. It is however a bit on the spicier side.

7) Free tea is served all through the day. Water, Beer and cold drinks can be purchased from the kitchen. Lunch and dinner are provided for at an additional cost if ordered during breakfast.

8) The owner Aslan is very helpful with directions, local places to eat, top places to see and the likes. However, he tries to sell tours to every customer, which is not received well by many.

9) Free wi-fi of good quality is available all throughout the guest house.

10) The guest house is a bit far away from the bus station and the airport. But, that is because, they are located in the new city or in the outskirts.

11) Many restaurants, local dessert shops, super markets and shops are located at a walking distance from the guest house.

12) The guest house did not have any maps, but they compensated by giving me excellent directions.

13) The people running the place are very kind and always serve you with a big smile. I really liked talking with them.

14) The place is also very clean and provides all basic and important amenities like heater/air-conditioning, hot water, breakfast, guidance, etc.

If I return to Sanliurfa and which I intend to on my next trip to Turkey to see Gobekli Tepe and Mt.Neemrut, I will definitely stay here again. In my mind, they are a home in Urfa who offer hotel like amenities.

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