Paved square with Ottoman architecture, yellow flower beds, street lamps and a mosque with a minaret in the background. The sky shows scattered clouds in shades of red and yellow.

Gaziantep

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Published: 29 July 2025, 12:00

Oriental Bazaars & Baklava

The south-eastern Turkish city of Gaziantep is renowned for its diverse and traditional cuisine. It is no surprise that UNESCO has designated it a ‘Creative City of Gastronomy.’ A particular speciality is baklava, which is made with the region's bright green pistachios and is considered the best in the world. But it's not just the cuisine that's promising: as one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, it offers a fascinating mix of Ottoman architecture and exciting museums such as the Zeugma Mosaic Museum and the Panorama Museum in the old fortress. A stroll through the oriental alleys, past old mosques and fragrant bazaars, feels like a journey back in time. You are greeted warmly everywhere you go: Gaziantep – or Antep for short – is not only a feast for the senses, but also a place where hospitality is lived and breathed.

Numbers, data, facts

Time difference: + one hour (in summer)
Population: two million
Official language: Turkish
Currency: Turkish lira (TRY)

Five highlights

View of a city with a stone castle in the foreground, a minaret in the centre, bright houses and a clear blue sky.

The Gaziantep Kalesi fortress offers an impressive panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside. © nejdjetduzen/stock.adobe.com

Castle on a hill at sunset with Turkish flag, reddish sky and wet square in the foreground.

The origins of the fortress date back to Roman times. Today, it houses a museum dedicated to the resistance struggle. © nejdjetduzen/stock.adobe.com

Bird's-eye view of the interior of a museum with large floor mosaics, antique columns and subdued lighting. Several people are viewing the exhibition.

The Zeugma Mosaic Museum displays ancient floor mosaics from the Roman city of Zeugma. With an area of over 2,200 m², it is the largest museum of its kind in the world. © nejdjetduzen/stock.adobe.com

View of a historic mosque with a striped façade, large dome and minaret, surrounded by a paved square with trees and benches.

Old mosques, bazaars and traditional Ottoman-style houses characterise the old town. The Alaüddevle Mosque dates back to the 15th century. © nejdjetduzen/stock.adobe.com

Covered bazaar with cobblestones and numerous stalls selling copper and silverware. People stroll through the alley.

The copper market offers a variety of souvenirs from the region: handicrafts, carpets, fragrant spices and delicious baklava and pistachios. © pixel78 Design/stock.adobe.com

A journey through South-Eastern Anatolia

A varied landscape stretches around Gaziantep, with fertile plains where pistachios thrive. Near the city lie the ancient ruins of Zeugma, directly on the biblical Euphrates River. Another highlight on the Euphrates is the picturesque village of Halfeti, which was partially flooded by the construction of a dam. Southeastern Anatolia is considered the cradle of civilisation, with places deeply rooted in the religious and cultural traditions of the region. Some of the oldest settlements in human history are located here, including the 12,000-year-old Göbekli Tepe sanctuary. Mount Nemrut impresses with monumental stone figures and royal tombs from ancient times. The ‘Mountain of the Gods’ unfolds its mystical atmosphere especially at sunrise. To the east lies Şanlıurfa, the ‘City of Prophets’. It is considered the birthplace of Abraham and is an important place of pilgrimage.

Five excursions

Several old stones and ancient columns on the bank of a wide river.

Zeugma was a Roman city on the Euphrates River and is known for its well-preserved mosaics. The archaeological site offers insights into life in ancient times. © lurii/stock.adobe.com

Huge ancient stone heads and scattered stones overlooking a vast mountain landscape.

Simply magical: the sunset at Nemrut Dag! The half-hour climb to the summit is well worth the effort: gigantic statues of gods surround the burial mound. © llinortis/stock.adobe.com

Houses painted in shades of yellow on a mountainside on the banks of a wide river. A single minaret rises out of the water.

Halfeti is a partially flooded village on the Euphrates River. It is ideal to discover on a guided boat tour. © nejdjetduzen/stock.adobe.com

Old stone arcades and a mosque with a minaret by a clear water basin, surrounded by trees and blue sky.

Şanlıurfa is considered the city of the prophet Abraham. Highlights include the sacred carp pond and the prophet's cave, believed to be his birthplace. © Konstantin/stock.adobe.com

An archaeological excavation site with large stones arranged in a circle, covered by a structure with a visitor platform.

Göbekli Tepe, at around 12,000 years old, is considered the oldest known temple complex. The site with its mysterious T-shaped pillars is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. © muratti6868/stock.adobe.com