private GAP tour

 TURDAN TURA TOURISM 

APRIL 22, EDİRNE AND ISTANBUL DEPARTURE BOUTIQUE GAP TOUR 

DAY 1:

At 18:00, we meet our guests at the meeting point in front of Edirne Super Park AVM (old Kipa AVM) and depart from Edirne. With breaks we give along the way, we will arrive in Diyarbakır around 10:00 the next morning 

DAY 2:

On the 2nd day of the tour, we start the day with breakfast with our esteemed guests in Diyarbakır and after breakfast, we begin to learn and explore the history and culture of Diyarbakır in detail with our guide's explanations: we start our tour in the Sur district where stone has turned into art. First, we visit the Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı Museum House, well known for the poem “At thirty-five, half of the road is earned” by the Diyarbakır poet. In this beautiful house, where separate usage areas are created for each season, you will see the fine examples of regional civil architecture. After a short break here, we will visit the Ulu Mosque, which is the first in Anatolia and the 5th Harem-i Sharif in the Islamic world, and we will see the Four-Legged Minaret (Şeyh Mutahhar Mosque) built by Akkoyunlu Kasım Bey in 1500. We visit Hasan Paşa Han. Then, we panoramic view the Keçi Burcu, the Urfa Gate and the Mardin Gate, which have the longest history known to be 9000 years old in Diyarbakır walls, the oldest of which known that the civilization that built it is unknown. We will see and photograph the Hevsel Gardens, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015, located on the banks of the Dicle River and has a unique place both culturally and historically apart from its agricultural value. Next, we arrive at the On Gözlü Bridge. During the time of Hıdırellez, the locals would write their wishes on a cloth and throw them from this bridge into the Dicle River. After our photo break here, we head towards Mardin for our hotel accommodation.

DAY 3:

On the third day of the tour, after having breakfast at the hotel, we leave the hotel and head towards Midyat, the meeting point of religions and languages. In Midyat, we will visit the Midyat Guesthouse, where the series Sıla, Hercai, and Ah Bir Bulut Olsam were filmed. After this wonderful visit where you can take stunning photos, we will visit the telkari workshop, where examples of Telkari art, which have been developed by Syriac masters over the years and have become a culture, can be seen, and we will make our purchases. After our shopping in Telkari, we will give free time for strolling among the Historical Midyat Houses. After our free time, we will meet our bus waiting for us in the bazaar and stop for shopping of local dry coffee and nuts. After our shopping, we will head towards Beyazsu, which is like a desert in the region. At our restaurant located at the exact spring point of the water, we will have the opportunity to taste the specialties of Mardin à la carte. Those who wish can cool off by dipping their feet into the cool water, and after leaving Beyazsu, we will visit the Dara Ancient City by advancing towards the Syrian border. Dara Ancient City, located in Oğuz Village, 30 km southeast of Mardin, is one of the most important settlements in Upper Mesopotamia. We will explore the Dara Ancient City, which consists of structures carved into rocks and spreads over a wide area, accompanied by our guide, and afterward, we will visit the Deyrulzafaran Monastery, which has been used as a place of worship by Syriacs for centuries and then we will return to our hotel for accommodation (guests who wish can join the night tour of old Mardin).

DAY 4 

On the 4th day of the tour, after having our breakfast at the hotel, our first stop in Mardin will be the Kasımiye Medrese. This medrese, which started to be constructed in the Artuqid period, was completed in the late 15th century during the reign of Akkoyunlu Sultan Kasım ibn Cihangir, and we will tour it while receiving information from our guide. Then, we get off the vehicle at the Diyarbakır Gate and start walking through the old streets of Mardin. On our walk starting from Cumhuriyet Square, we will see Şeyh Çabuk Mosque, Mardin Protestant Church, Latifiye Mosque, Sokulbar (Cow Market), and the Copper Bazaar. During our walk, we will also visit the Mardin Ulu Mosque, which is one of the architectural examples of the Artuqid period, accompanied by our guide. With its segmented dome and minaret, the Mardin Ulu Mosque is the symbol of Mardin. According to records, it was built as a two-minaret mosque. The inscription on the square base of the remaining single minaret today states that its construction date is 1176. However, the existing minaret was constructed in 1888-1889 in a new eclectic style. After receiving historical information from our guide here, we continue our walk through the small tunnels (abbara) that connect the streets. We see the Şahtana Mansion, which was recognized as a former PTT building and built in 1980 by the Shahtana family by Armenian architect Lole. Then, we view the Şehidiye Mosque commissioned by Artuqid Sultan Melik Nasreddin Artuk Aslan in the early 13th century, and we take a short break to drink our tea while enjoying the view of the Mesopotamia Plain and taking magnificent photographs. We will then have lunch in Mardin with our local menu and head towards Şanlıurfa.

We move on to Harran, which means "the place where roads intersect". Harran is under protection for its Conical Domed Houses, which are found only in 3 regions in the world. Being the site of the first Islamic university, Harran has a history of 5000 years and we will see Harran University (Ulu Mosque), Harran Mound, Castle, Caravanserai, and Traditional Conical Domed Houses up close. During our visit to the Guesthouse, you can wear regional costumes for photographs. After our visit to Harran, we head towards Göbeklitepe. Göbeklitepe Mound, located near the Örencik Village of Şanlıurfa, hosts some of the first temples of Anatolia and the world and is on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. With its discovery, not only the history of the region but also the history of humanity has changed, and Göbeklitepe, dating back 12,000 years, was recently featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine worldwide with the slogan "The Place Where Religion Was Born." After receiving information from our guide about Göbeklitepe, which has only a small portion exposed and is considered the Hajj Center of the Neolithic Age, we move towards our hotel in Şanlıurfa, where we can feel the texture of Şanlıurfa composed of a few mansions (for those who wish, we participate in the sıra night, extra). Note: there will be no dinner included in our accommodation at the hotel today.

DAY 5

On the 5th day of the tour, after breakfast at the hotel, we start our journey to the City of Prophets, where Hz. Ibrahim was born and thrown into the fire, Hz. Eyüp spent his ordeal, and Hz. Shuayb worshiped.

We head to Balıklı Göl, one of the most recognized places in Şanlıurfa. Balıklı Göl is located southwest of the Şanlıurfa city center and is known as the place where Prophet Abraham fell when he was thrown into the fire. It is among the most visited places in Şanlıurfa with its sacred fish and the historical artifacts around it. After seeing Balıklı Göl (Halil-Ür Rahman) at the site where Hz. Ibrahim was thrown into the fire and the Aynzeliha Lake, which is said to be formed from the tears of Zeliha, the daughter of Nemrut, we will receive explanations from our guide before taking a photo break. Afterwards, we will have free time to shop for local products from Şanlıurfa. After the free time, we will have lunch in Halfeti, After the construction of the Birecik Dam, a part of Halfeti was submerged in the dam lake. Those who wish can join the boat tour in Halfeti, which is waiting for us. (Extra) During our tour on the dam lake, we will see the Cave of the Princess, Rumkale, and the Mosque and Minaret of Bilesur Savaşan Village, which lies underwater.

SERVICES INCLUDED IN TOUR FEE:

• 3 nights accommodation in hotels

• 3 breakfast buffets at the hotel

• 2 dinners at the hotel (buffet or set menu)

• Transportation with luxurious vehicles (vehicles are provided according to the number of people)

• Environmental tours specified in the program

• Professional guiding service

• Bottled water on the bus

• Turdan Tura guarantee

• Mandatory Travel Insurance as per the 1618 Tourism Law

• Halfeti boat tour

• Mardin night tour

SERVICES NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR FEE:

• Breakfast on the first day as specified in the program

• Dinner on the last day as specified in the program

• Beverages consumed during meals

• Lunches

• All extra organizations specified

• All personal expenses

• Museum and Heritage Site entrance fees (applicable for municipalities and private enterprises)

• Museum Card (valid for museums affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism)

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