Mardin and Midyat

Mardin climbs a hillside in south-eastern Turkey, above the Mesopotamian plain that stretches into Syria. 67 km to the east, Midyat is the town of the Syriacs, one of the oldest Christian communities. The Syrian border is only a few dozen kilometres away, and several European foreign ministries advise against travel to Mardin province, to varying degrees. This page presents the region for information, without trip ideas while that advice remains in force.

What the foreign ministries say

Depending on the country, the advice ranges from increased caution to avoiding all but essential travel. Some ministries advise against the whole province unless travel is essential, and then recommend an escort arranged with the local authorities; others cover only the immediate border area, 10 or 30 km wide; one ministry distinguishes the city of Mardin, where it asks for increased caution, from the rest of the province, including Midyat, where it advises avoiding travel. Several ministries report mines in the border area and forbid photography there, even of landscapes.

The "Travel advice" table on this page gives the advice for your country and the date it was last updated.

Mardin, a town of yellow stone

Mardin's houses are built of yellow limestone quarried in the region; wood is used only for doors, window frames and mezzanines. Packed one above another from the top of the hill to its foot, they overlook the endless plain, below the citadel that crowns the town. More than two hundred kinds of soap are made here from local herbs, and the cooking mixes spices, meat cooked with fruit and wild herbs.

On the old town square, Mardin Museum occupies the former Syriac Catholic Patriarchate, built in 1895, with the Church of the Virgin Mary in its eastern part. Its collections, over 45,000 objects, run from the Palaeolithic to the present day. Published hours are 8 am to 5:30 pm, local time, closed on Mondays and Sundays; but in October 2026, the official page announced that the museum would close from 31 December 2025. The official price list sets admission at €8 from 1 April 2027.

Midyat and the Tur Abdin

Midyat, at 1,070 m, was founded by the Syriacs; Assyrian tablets of the 9th century BC already name it Matiate, the "city of caves". It is the centre of the Tur Abdin, the plateau of Syriac villages and monasteries, including Mor Gabriel. The town suffered many sieges and lost a third of its inhabitants during the First World War, before reviving from the 1930s. Since the 2000s, television series filmed here have revived silver filigree work, known as telkari.

Dara, in the border area

The Dara archaeological site, an ancient garrison town, is 30 km south-east of Mardin, 18 km from Nusaybin and only 7 km from the Syrian town of Amuda. It therefore lies within the border area that several ministries advise against all travel to. Admission is free under the 2027 price list.

Getting there

Mardin airport is linked to Istanbul by Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus; there is no direct flight from Europe. By road, Midyat is about 1 hour from Mardin, and Şanlıurfa 2 h 15.

Climate

Mardin stands above 1,000 m, but summers are still scorching: average highs reach 36 °C in July and August, and it hardly ever rains from June to September. In January, afternoons barely pass 7 °C. April, May and October are the mildest months, between 18 and 25 °C.

The hotel in the Sabaro selection in Midyat

Kasr-ı Nehroz occupies two historic buildings in the Nehrozlar quarter of Midyat. Its 29 rooms, its restaurant opening onto the large courtyard and its former wine cellar, the Şaraphane, where Syriac wines are served, make it the only address in the Sabaro selection in the region. Price on request.