Departure:

06:30 Istanbul – Mardin flight.

Day 1: Dara Ancient City – Beyazsu – Elbeğendi Village – Deyrulzafaran Monastery

Upon arrival at Mardin Airport, we meet our guide and transfer to our bus. Our first stop is Kasımiye Madrasah, followed by a visit to the Deyrulzafaran Monastery, which serves as the patriarchal center of the Syriac Orthodox Church.

Continuing our journey, we arrive in Dara, one of the most significant settlements of Mesopotamia. Here, we explore the rock tombs, cisterns, dungeons, and village surroundings. After a break at Beyazsu, we visit Elbeğendi (Kafro) Village, a historic Syriac village with only 13 households still residing in it.

Our final stop is Güven Village, known in Kurdish as Bacın, meaning “The Wind of the Spirits”. After exploring the village, we head to our hotel in Midyat for check-in, followed by dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 2: Sıla Mansion – Gülgöze – Mağaraköy – Mor Gabriel Monastery – Kıllıt Village

After breakfast at the hotel, we start the day by visiting Sıla Mansion and telkari (filigree) artisan workshops, where we witness the intricate craftsmanship of silver jewelry making.

Next, we visit Gülgöze Village, whose name in Syriac (Invardo) means “as beautiful as a rose”. After exploring the village, we continue to Mağaraköy, historically known as Kivah in 1941 records, an Ezidi (Yazidi) village.

Our next destination is Mor Gabriel Monastery, an architectural masterpiece and one of the most important religious structures of the Syriac Orthodox community.

The final stop of the day is Dereiçi (Kıllıt Village), an abandoned Syriac village notable for its stone houses. The village features three churches and three monasteries, representing the Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic communities.

After this enriching tour, we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 3: Mardin – Zerzevan Castle – Ten-Eyed Bridge – Diyarbakır

After breakfast, we begin our Mardin city tour. Home to some of the world’s most significant civilizations, Mardin’s historic sites and cultural heritage have been remarkably well-preserved.

Our first stop is the Mor Behnam (Kırklar) Church, which still serves as the seat of the Syriac Metropolitan. We then visit the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), which houses a sacred relic—a strand from the beard of Prophet Muhammad. After exploring the stone-paved streets of Mardin, we take a coffee break to enjoy the city’s unique atmosphere.

Following the Mardin tour, we set off for Diyarbakır. On the way, we visit Zerzevan Castle, located on a 124-meter-high rocky hill. Excavations that began in 2014 have uncovered fortress walls (12m high, 1,200m long), a 22m watchtower, a church, a palace, rock tombs, hammams, grain and weapon depots, and 54 water cisterns. The Mithras Temple, discovered in 2017, has become one of the castle’s most fascinating sites.

After the Zerzevan Castle tour, we take a photo break at the Ten-Eyed Bridge (On Gözlü Köprü) before heading to Diyarbakır Airport.

We take the 20:55 Diyarbakır – Istanbul flight, marking the end of our tour.