The Orient, so close!

If you prefer less-visited places or destinations “off the beaten track”, then Eastern Turkey is definitely for you.

It’s a fascinating part of Turkey with an impressive history.

The south-eastern corner of this region, where the mighty Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow, is where Mesopotamia rose and is now known as the cradle of modern civilization.
Gaziantep, capital of gastronomy, Urfa the mystical city of Abraham, Gobeklitepe where the first temples of mankind were discovered, Mount Nemrut and its statues of the gods at 2000m altitude.

Further east you’ll see some of the country’s most remarkable scenery, with impressive snow-capped mountains, huge lakes, craters, rivers and immense fields of wildflowers.

The island of Akdamar, home to the ancient Armenian basilica of the Holy Cross.

Çavustepe, site of an ancient Uarterian city from the 8th century BC

Mount Ararat, 5,165 m high, where Noah’s Ark is said to have run aground.

The palace of Ishak Pasha, who controlled the caravan routes from Asia to the West.

Ani, the ancient capital of the Bagratid Armenians, founded in the 9th century.

The Mardin region is home to the last remaining Syriac Christians, where Aramaic (the language of Jesus) is still spoken. The Mor Gabriel monastery, founded in 397 AD and occupied uninterruptedly ever since.

Midyat, an architectural treasure trove.