Mardin sits on a ridge 1,000 metres above the Mesopotamian plain, its old city cascading down the slope in tiers of honey-coloured limestone mansions with carved stone facades. The architecture is Artuqid (12th century) and Ottoman layered over an older Syriac Christian settlement - Mardin was a centre of the Eastern church and retains more active Syriac Christian monasteries than anywhere else in Turkey.
The surrounding region (Tur Abdin - “Mountain of the Servants of God” in Aramaic) has Syriac Orthodox monasteries continuously occupied since the 4th century CE. The plains below Mardin, visible on a clear day to the Syrian border, are the northern edge of Mesopotamia. We have mapped 8 top-rated Mardin tours below.
Top Mardin Tours at a Glance
| Tour | Duration | Approx. Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mardin Old City Walking Tour | 3 hrs | From $25 | First-timers, culture |
| Deyrulzafaran Syriac Monastery Tour | 2 hrs | From $25 | Religious heritage |
| Tur Abdin Monastery Circuit Day Trip | Full day | From $55 | Christian heritage |
| Mardin to Şanlıurfa and Göbekli Tepe Tour | Full day | From $70 | Archaeology |
| Midyat Silver Bazaar and Mar Gabriel Day Trip | Full day | From $50 | Craft, monasteries |
| Mardin Sunset Rooftop Food Tour | 3 hrs | From $35 | Food, views |
| Mardin Photography Walk | 3 hrs | From $30 | Photography |
| Private Mardin and Tur Abdin Tour | Full day | From $100 | Custom itineraries |
For First-Timers
Mardin Old City Walking Tour
The 3-hour walking tour covers the main artery of the old city: Cumhuriyet Caddesi (the bazaar street) with its caravanserais (hans) and copper workshops, the Great Mosque (Ulu Cami, 12th century, Artuqid), the Sultan İsa Medresesi (1385, the finest example of Artuqid carved stone decoration in the region), the Kasımiye Medresesi (15th century), and the Mardin Museum (housed in the former American Mission building). The guide explains the layered history: Aramaean, Roman, Byzantine, Syriac, Islamic, and Ottoman.
Duration: 3 hours | Price: From approximately $25 | Includes: Guide
For Religious Heritage
Deyrulzafaran Syriac Orthodox Monastery Tour
Deyrulzafaran (Deyrul Umur, “Saffron Monastery”) is 5 km east of Mardin, founded in 493 CE as the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch. The guided monastery tour covers the ancient chapel (over a pre-Christian sun temple), the tomb of patriarchs, the library of Syriac manuscripts, and the living quarters of the current resident monks. Mass is held in Aramaic (the language spoken by Jesus) - one of the only places in the world where liturgical Aramaic is in active use.
Duration: 2 hours | Price: From approximately $25 | Includes: Transport, guide | Note: Modest dress required
Tur Abdin Monastery Circuit Day Trip
The full-day Tur Abdin circuit covers four or five Syriac Christian monasteries in the plateau east of Mardin: Deyrulzafaran, Mar Gabriel (founded 397 CE, the oldest continuously occupied monastery in the world), Mor Aho, and Mor Yakup. The villages between them retain Aramaic as a spoken community language.
Duration: Full day | Price: From approximately $55 | Includes: Transport, guide, all entries
For Archaeology
Mardin to Şanlıurfa and Göbekli Tepe Tour
Göbekli Tepe is 160 km west of Mardin. The full-day Göbekli Tepe tour from Mardin is a long drive day but the most efficient way to visit the Neolithic site without backtracking - covering Göbekli Tepe (2.5 hours with guide), the Şanlıurfa Archaeological Museum (Urfa Man sculpture, Neolithic finds), and Abraham’s Pool.
Duration: Full day | Price: From approximately $70 | Includes: Transport, guide, entries
For Craft and Monastery
Midyat Silver Bazaar and Mar Gabriel Day Trip
Midyat, 65 km east of Mardin, is the traditional centre of Syriac Christian silversmithing (telkari - filigree silver). The Midyat day trip visits the jewellery workshops in the old Christian quarter, the bazaar with filigree pieces, and Mar Gabriel Monastery (397 CE) - where the abbot can often receive visitors and explain the legal battles the monastery fought against Turkish state claims on surrounding farmland in 2008–2013.
Duration: Full day | Price: From approximately $50 | Includes: Transport, guide
For Food
Mardin Sunset Rooftop Food Tour
Mardin cuisine blends Arab, Kurdish, and Syriac Christian traditions: bulgur-stuffed vine leaves, mırra (extra-bitter Mardin coffee served in small glasses without sugar), içli köfte, and the distinctive bread baked in underground tandır ovens. The sunset food tour visits three rooftop restaurants and cafes as the sun drops over the Mesopotamian plain - the light on the stone city at golden hour is why Mardin has been called the most photogenic city in Turkey.
Duration: 3 hours | Price: From approximately $35 | Includes: Guide, food stops at three venues
Practical Information
Getting to Mardin: Mardin Airport (MQM) has direct flights from Istanbul (1.5 hours). By bus from Diyarbakır, 1.5 hours. Shared taxis (dolmuş) from Diyarbakır run frequently.
Mar Gabriel access: Public visits are permitted at specific times - confirm current hours before booking, as the monastery’s schedule changes seasonally.
Best time: April–May and September–October. July–August temperatures exceed 40°C in the Mesopotamian plain below Mardin.