3 Days in Mardin: Old Town, Kasımıye, Deyrulzafaran, Dara and Midyat

This three-day itinerary keeps Day 1 completely car-free on foot inside Old Mardin, dedicates Day 2 to the monasteries and subterranean Roman ruins just east of the city, and spends Day 3 exploring the silver bazaars and 4th-century monasteries of Midyat and the Tur Abdin plateau. Read our Old Town transport guide before Day 1.

Day 1: Old Mardin on Foot, Museums, Bazaars, Zinciriye & Kasımıye Sunset

• Morning: start at Cumhuriyet Meydanı to visit the 1895 Mardin Archaeological Museum and the 1889 Sakıp Sabancı City Museum, pausing at the viewpoint terrace beside the Girls' Vocational School for the classic morning photo of Ulu Cami above the plain.
• Midday: step into 569 AD Kırklar (Mor Behnam) Church, then duck through the vaulted abbara tunnels into Revaklı Çarşı, the Copper Bazaar and 1176 Mardin Ulu Cami, shopping for green bıttım soap and sky-blue almond candies.
• Midday: lunch on crispy stone-oven sembusek, ikbebet and Mardin kebab, followed by a cup of ceremonial mırra or cardamom dibek coffee on the terrace of the 1690 Şahtana (PTT) Mansion.
• Afternoon: climb the stone steps to 1385 Zinciriye Madrasa right below the Castle rock for the highest rooftop view over Old Mardin.
• Evening: walk or taxi down to 15th-century Kasımıye Madrasa on the lower slope to watch the late-afternoon sun turn the courtyard and the "Pool of Life" golden, finishing with a rooftop dinner of slow-steamed kaburga dolması (stuffed lamb ribs) and Syriac wine overlooking the lights of Mesopotamia.

Day 2: Deyrulzafaran Monastery & Ancient Dara (Rock Necropolis and Cisterns)

• Morning: drive 10 minutes east to 5th-century Deyrulzafaran Monastery to tour the 4,000-year-old underground Sun Temple, the Patriarchal thrones and the saffron-tea garden before the midday prayer break.
• Midday: continue 25 minutes south-east to the East Roman frontier fortress of Ancient Dara; walk across the glass bridge inside the multi-storey Rock-Cut Necropolis, descend 25 metres into the subterranean Dungeon Cistern, and drink cold village ayran by the stream before returning to Old Mardin for an evening stroll down illuminated Birinci Cadde.

Day 3: Midyat Old Town, Silver Filigree, Kafro & Mor Gabriel Monastery (397 AD)

• Morning: head one hour north-east (optionally looping through the green river valley of Savur and Dereiçi) to Midyat: climb the terrace of the Midyat State Guest House, shop for handmade telkari silver filigree, eat wood-fired pizza for lunch in rebuilt Assyrian Kafro village, and spend the afternoon touring Mor Gabriel Monastery (397 AD) and the cliff-top viewpoints of Mor Evgin or Beyazsu.