Mardin itinerary
7 days, hour by hour · TürkiyeOctober–May
- Days
- 7
- Stops
- 31
- Per day
- ≈ 1,400 TL
- First stop
- 09:30
Short answer
The TripWalkers Mardin itinerary runs 7 days and lays out 31 stops, hour by hour, for October–May. The first three days:
- Day 1 Old Mardin
- Day 2 Deyrulzafaran and Kırklar
- Day 3 Dara and Savur
Staying less? Start with the first days — TripWalkers uses the opening days of this plan for shorter trips too. Days 4 and 5 are day trips out of the city. Food, entry fees and local transport come to about 1,400 TL a day (excluding accommodation and flights).
Day 1 · 09:30–16:30
Old Mardin
Culture
Zinciriye Medresesi
Mardin's highest madrasa. The domed terrace overlooks the Mesopotamian plain, and mornings are cool.
≈ 50 TL per personCulture
Mardin Grand Mosque
Artuqid minaret, set within the bazaar.
FreeShopping
Mardin Coppersmiths' Bazaar
Copper, almond candy and Mardin soap. Donkeys still haul goods along the stone lanes.
FreeFood
Cercis Murat Konağı
Syriac-Mardin cuisine in a stone mansion with a terrace view. Order the stuffed ribs (kaburga dolması) in advance.
≈ 900 TL per person- 1 h · travel, break, free time
Culture
Kasımiye Medresesi
A twin-domed madrasa with a courtyard pool. The plain turns red at sunset.
≈ 50 TL per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Seyr-i Merdin KafeTerrace café for coffee and Mardin çöreği (sweet pastry).
- Mardin MuseumArchaeology museum in the former patriarchate. An indoor alternative to the madrasa.
Day 2 · 09:30–17:00
Deyrulzafaran and Kırklar
Culture
Deyrulzafaran Monastery
A 1,500-year-old Syriac monastery. Take the guided tour to see the sun temple and the patriarchs' tombs. Join the first group in the morning.
≈ 150 TL per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Kırklar Church
An active Syriac church in Old Mardin with a quiet courtyard.
FreeFood
Antik Mardin Sofrası
Ikbebet, sembusek and dobo in a mansion restaurant.
≈ 700 TL per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Mardin Şahkulubey Konağı
A stone mansion with a courtyard, plus a walk through the bazaar lanes.
FreeNature
Mardin Castle Viewpoint
The castle is military, but the viewpoint at its foot is open. Watch the city and plain at sunset.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Mardin Kebapçısı Yusuf UstaMardin kebab and içli köfte (stuffed bulgur meatballs).
- Sakıp Sabancı Mardin City MuseumA city museum, indoors.
Day 3 · 09:30–17:00
Dara and Savur
Culture
Dara Ancient City
30 km from Mardin. Roman cistern, necropolis and rock tombs, known as the 'Ephesus of Mesopotamia'.
≈ 100 TL per personFood
Dara Village Breakfast
Mardin breakfast in a village house, with dövme cheese (crushed-olive cheese) and bulgur with eggs.
≈ 300 TL per person- 1 h 15 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Savur
A stone town nicknamed Little Mardin, with a castle, mansions and mulberry orchards.
FreeFood
Savur Kahveci Konağı
Mırra (bitter coffee) and mulberry molasses in a mansion.
≈ 150 TL per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Kızıltepe Grand MosqueAn Artuqid mosque. An alternative to Savur.
- Dara Coffee HouseMırra in the village.
Day 4 · 10:00–16:45Day trip
Midyat
Landmark
Midyat Konukevi
The mansion from the TV series Sıla, with a terrace and fine stonework. 1 hour from Midyat.
≈ 50 TL per personShopping
Midyat Old Bazaar
Telkâri (silver filigree) masters and Syriac wine.
FreeCulture
Mor Barsavmo Church
Midyat's active Syriac church.
FreeFood
Midyat Kasr-ı Nehroz Restaurant
Syriac cuisine in a stone mansion: perde pilavı (pilaf baked in pastry) and alluciye.
≈ 600 TL per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Mor Gabriel Monastery
One of the world's oldest active monasteries (397). Take the guided tour to see the mosaics. 20 km from Midyat.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Midyat Gelüşke HanLunch at the caravanserai.
- HasankeyfNew Hasankeyf and the castle. An alternative to Mor Gabriel (1 hour).
Day 5 · 10:00–15:30Day trip
Nusaybin and Mor Yakup
Culture
Mor Yakup Church Nusaybin
A 4th-century church and the excavation of the School of Nisibis, on the Syrian border.
FreeCulture
Nusaybin Zeynel Abidin Mosque
A tomb and mosque next to the church.
Free- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Food
Nusaybin Çarşı Lokantası
A town restaurant serving ribs and pilaf.
≈ 300 TL per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Gırnavaz Mound
An Assyrian mound near Nusaybin, now an excavation site.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Nusaybin KahvaltıcısıBreakfast.
- Mardin Dara Road ViewpointViews over the plain. An alternative to the mound.
Day 6 · 10:30–16:15
Mansions and soap
Shopping
Mardin Soap Workshop
Watch terebinth (bıttım) soap being made, and shop.
FreeCulture
Mardin Protestant Church
A restored church, now a cultural centre.
FreeLandmark
Mardin Abbaralar
Vaulted lanes running beneath the houses, with cool passages.
FreeFood
Mardin Leyli Kahvaltı
Mardin breakfast with clotted cream and honey, and sembusek (savoury pastry).
≈ 400 TL per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Mardin Şehidiye Medresesi
A madrasa with a minaret and a tea garden. Come at sunset.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Mardin Mırra EviMırra and almond candy.
- Latifiye MosqueAn Artuqid mosque. An alternative to Şehidiye.
Day 7 · 10:30–13:45
Bazaar and a gentle farewell
Shopping
Mardin Almond Candy Shop
Almond candy, Mardin soap and telkâri (silver filigree) souvenirs.
FreeLandmark
Mardin 1st Street
Old Mardin's main street. Take a last walk.
FreeFood
Mardin Kahvaltı Konağı
Farewell breakfast on the terrace.
≈ 400 TL per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Mardin Maristan KafeA café in a former Artuqid hospital, with mırra and a terrace.
- Emir Hamamı MardinAn Artuqid-era hammam. Say goodbye with a scrub and foam massage.
Good to know: 6 things that make a Mardin trip easier
- Mardin Airport is 20 minutes from the city. A car is useless in Old Mardin, so walk. For Midyat, Dara and Nusaybin, take a car or minibus.
- Order the stuffed ribs (kaburga dolması) in advance at Cercis Murat. Mırra is bitter coffee, and you hand the cup back. Almond candy and terebinth soap make good souvenirs.
- In winter, days are mild (10-15°C) and nights are cold. The best season is March to April; snow is rare.
- Respect service times at Syriac churches and monasteries. Deyrulzafaran is entered on a guided tour, and short sleeves are not allowed.
- The streets of Old Mardin are steep and paved with stone, so wear comfortable shoes and cool off in the abbaralar.
- Sunset at Kasımiye is Mardin's most famous sight. Arrive 1 hour early.
Spending: ≈ 9,700 TL per person for 7 days
- Food6,000 TL
- Entry and tours600 TL
- Local transport2,500 TL
- Other600 TL
Excludes accommodation and flights. 2026 price estimate, per person.
We did the planning. You just pick the dates.
TripWalkers rebuilds this route around your number of days, budget and pace — on a map, day by day, in your pocket.
Download on the App StoreFor iPhone · English and Turkish · Free to download
Your next trip
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Mardin?
This itinerary is built for 7 days. With 3 days, do the first 3 — TripWalkers uses the opening days of the plan for shorter trips too. The day trip is on day 4 and 5; skip it on a short stay.
How much does a day in Mardin cost?
In this plan, food, entry fees and local transport come to about 1,400 TL per person per day. Accommodation and flights are not included. Figures are 2026 estimates.
What time should you start the day in Mardin?
The first stop is at 09:30. Most days start early so you arrive before the crowds, and evenings end with dinner.
Which season is this itinerary for?
This page covers October–May. There is a separate plan for June–September: opening hours, the sea and the weather change the route.