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What is the first place you think of when someone mentions Turkey? Of course, it’s going to be Istanbul. Don’t get me wrong; I love Istanbul. But what if I told you you could go to a spot in Turkey, get all the cultural experiences, be treated like royalty, enjoy guaranteed warm weather, and have fantastic food? Well, look no further than Mardin.
When I booked my trip to Turkey, I had no plans on going to Mardin. In total honesty, I had never heard of Mardin and had no idea where it was. But if you know me as an explorer, I love to wander off the beaten paths. Usually going with the flow, with no concrete plans.
When I had enough of Istanbul after a couple of days into my trip back in September 2020, I started asking locals, particularly travel agents, about where I could travel to next whilst I was in Turkey. Everyone I spoke to kept telling me I had to travel southeast of the country. A few places kept coming up, and one of them was Mardin.
One agent said to me, “Sir, please, you must visit Mardin. Please, sir, you must.” Another agent said, “I am telling you, sir, you must trust me; you won’t want to leave when you are there! It is like a movie set.”
And the manager of the hotel I was staying at, Hakim, said he was from there and told me, “Mardin is the epitome of Turkey.”
When I arrived in Mardin, it was every bit as stunning as the pictures I had seen. The most extraordinary part for me was my hotel. I stayed at the Zinciriye Hotel in Medeniyet Sehri, next to Zinciriye Medresesi, overlooking the old town, which included the Great Mosque. Mardin Castle towers also stood above my hotel on a rocky mountain. When I went, I couldn’t enter the castle, but I could walk towards it using the steep path that leads up to the castle, starting from the Zinciriye Medresesi.
Whilst wandering around, it was hard to communicate with people because English was almost non-existent amongst the locals. That could be an issue for anyone going. But I managed to find one guy and asked whether many visit Mardin throughout the year. He said not too many people visit, as it is unknown to the world.
I didn’t see a single other backpacker or tourist during the first few hours of walking around. I loved it because I felt as though I had the whole place to myself.
I mentioned earlier that one of the travel agents told me Mardin is like being on a movie set. Well, he wasn’t wrong. I felt as though I was on a movie set for Aladdin, and I kept imagining Aladdin himself would pop up with Princess Jasmine. In fact, I met crew members filming a Netflix series, The Gift, at a rooftop restaurant. I met them when one of the guys helped me by interpreting my English into Turkish as I struggled to get a point across to a server.
When I asked what he did for a living, he said he was a filmmaker and that they were shooting the final season of the series in Mardin. I spoke to all of them, and they were all charming.
I have seen the full series, and I highly recommend it for anyone who might be intrigued.
Why visit Mardin
Beyond what I have mentioned, a few factors explain why I believe Mardin is a must-visit in Turkey.
The city has often been considered an open-air museum because of its historic architecture. As I wandered through the cobblestoned streets and narrow alleyways, I could not help but notice the landmark houses where residents lived. It reminded me of the medinas in Marrakech, Morroco. Or the homes in Santa Marta, a favela in Rio de Janerio. The architecture has been preserved superbly considering how many centuries ago they were assembled. As I said, the old town is protected under conservation. Being surrounded by these buildings felt like I was part of great history.
Another highlight for me was visiting Ulu Cami (the Great Mosque). The mosque was built around the 11th or 12th century, as plaques placed there date back to the Seljuk, Artuqid, and Ottoman periods.
As I entered through the gates of the mosque, I was welcomed by an expansive courtyard. The minaret is unique in its design, and like most mosques, there was a calm presence. The only thing that you will need to get used to if you are staying in the old town is the call for prayer at the break of dawn. Trust me, the only part of my visit I didn’t particularly appreciate as it disturbed my sleep at 5am each morning.
Bazaar
Mardin’s bazaar was also very unique. The area spills down the slope, off the main street of Cumhuriyet Caddesi. Many of the lanes can’t be accessed by car, as some traders still use donkeys for transport. This is an integral part of the city that I soaked up. I stopped at local shops and had baklava and other sweet pastries with Turkish tea. The hospitality was exceptional as I was treated like royalty.
I even decided to get a cut-throat shave. I chose this because I remember watching an episode of the BBC Travel Show, where Henry Golding made it look so good and presented it as something all men should do when they visit Turkey.
Overall, it was a thriving local bazaar with vegetable and fresh-produce sellers. Fresh spices were on offer, and shops sold everything from clothes and bed frames to kitchenware. Traditional craft workshops featured woodworkers, metalworkers, and other artisans. It was a fascinating place to stroll through.
What food is on offer?
There are many places you can go to dine; as I mentioned earlier, I met crew members at a rooftop restaurant. Well, this was the Seyr-i Merdin restaurant & cafe. You can get a bird’s-eye view of the whole of Mardin from that rooftop. The food there was decent; I wouldn’t say it was amazing. But you have to go there just for the view.
Another place I was told to dine in was Bagdadi. The receptionist at my hotel told me that it was the “Best restaurant in town.” And he wasn’t wrong. I liked it that much that I went back another evening. The service was excellent, and the food was exquisite. I also highly recommend sitting outside to soak up the atmosphere. A fantastic restaurant, and I recommend ordering the ‘Bagdadi Tavuk’ if you go.
My budgeting requirement
In terms of costs, Mardin is very cost-effective. My hotel stay was $12 a night, which included breakfast. I booked this via booking.com. For a top hotel, this was very economical. And this had nothing to do with the pandemic. As I said earlier, the city isn’t overflowing with tourists in normal times.
Bagdadi restaurant cost me around $15 for a sit-down meal, including drinks, starters, main course and a dessert. That is the most you are going to pay in Mardin for a top restaurant. The rooftop restaurant Seri-y-Merdin, on the other hand, cost me about $4, which included a few drinks and my meal. There were other decent restaurants & cafes I could have gone to and eaten for even cheaper, but because everything is catered to locals anyway, it didn’t matter where I ate, as I felt like I was dining with locals anywhere. Even Bagdadi catered to locals rather than tourists.
There weren’t any costs to visit any of the big attractions, as the city is an open-air museum. Apart from buying souvenirs, which I haggled down to a reasonable price, the food and the cut-throat shave, you’ll struggle to give your money away.
In total, I spent less than $100 over three days, including my hotel stay.
How long should I spend in Mardin?
What made the place for me were the people. They were very generous and welcoming. I might add that since the Syrian War in 2011, many Syrian refugees have fled their homes and settled in Turkey. Mardin is one of those places, as it nears the border with Syria. I met quite a few of them, and they were all pleasant.
I didn’t have a time limit on how long I was going to spend in Mardin. I went with how I felt, usually how I do on all my travels. I spent three days there, which was enough time for me to see everything. I did a mix of exploring, relaxing, and enjoying the surroundings.
When I went, the weather was glorious. Temperatures rose as high as 35C/95F, with no humidity. Perfect conditions if you love the heat.
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Shebs Alom
Shebs is an award-winning Broadcaster, Travel Writer, Podcaster, and Co-Executive Producer. His work has been featured in the BBC, MSN, Apple News, The Times, The Express, Travel Magazine, Travel Weekly, and Marriott Bonvoy, to name a few.