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    Gaziantep
    William John Gauthier / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Turkey

    Gaziantep

    CityCulture

    Gaziantep in southeast Turkey, about 97 km north of Aleppo, has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2015 and is known for baklava, kebap, and pistachios.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Turkey
    7. Southeastern Anatolia
    9. Gaziantep
    Gaziantep in southeast Turkey, about 97 km north of Aleppo, has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2015 and is known for baklava, kebap, and pistachios. In the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, you can see the mosaics from the ancient city of Zeugma on the Euphrates. The city has around 1.9 million inhabitants; its castle, bazaars, and coffee houses are located in the old town center.

    Sights in Gaziantep

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Zincirli Bedesten
    Point of Interest

    1Zincirli Bedesten

    According to tradition, Darendeli Hüseyin Paşa had the covered market hall built in an L-shape in 1718. Shops sell handicrafts under its arches. After damage from the 2023 earthquakes, it was restored and reopened.
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    Zeugma Mosaic Museum
    Museum

    2Zeugma Mosaic Museum

    The museum is one of the largest mosaic museums in the world and primarily displays mosaics from the Roman villas of Zeugma. Its most famous piece is the Gypsy Girl, a portrait of a woman. Plan at least two hours for your visit.
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    Kurtuluş Mosque
    Mosque

    3Kurtuluş Mosque

    The building was erected in 1892 following plans by Ottoman court architect Sarkis Balyan as an Armenian Gregorian church. Today it is one of the city's largest mosques. It was restored and reopened after the 2023 earthquakes.
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    Tahmis Kahvesi
    Historic Landmark

    4Tahmis Kahvesi

    The historic coffee house is located in the Old Town near the old Grain Market. Its house specialty is Menengiç, brewed from the fruits of the wild terebinth instead of coffee beans.
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    Gaziantep Castle

    5Gaziantep Castle

    The castle on a central hill dates back to a Hittite observation post, which the Romans expanded into a fortress in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. It was expanded under Emperor Justinian I; its circular wall measures 1200 meters in circumference and has twelve bastions. During the February 6, 2023 earthquake, parts of the eastern and southern bastions collapsed. Restoration was completed at the end of 2025. It's best to check before your visit whether the castle is accessible again for visitors.
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    Restaurants in Gaziantep

    1

    Metanet Restaurant

    The eatery is known for its Beyran, the soup eaten for breakfast in Gaziantep. Locals line up around 7 AM.
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    2

    Koçak Baklava

    Koçak is one of the city's most renowned Baklava makers. Here you can taste Antep Baklava with pistachios, which holds a Protected Geographical Indication.
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    3

    İmam Çağdaş

    The old bazaar's traditional house serves Kebap in-hall, sells Baklava up front. It's many's classic first stop for both.
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    4

    Orkide

    Orkide is the place for Katmer, the breakfast pastry with pistachios and Kaymak.
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    Food & Beverages

    Gaziantep is the only Turkish city in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for Gastronomy. Around 80 percent of Turkish pistachio processing takes place here.

    Antep Baklavası

    Pistachio baklava bears a Protected Geographical Indication of the EU since 2013.

    Beyran

    The soup is eaten for breakfast in Gaziantep; at some eateries, guests queue up early in the morning.

    Katmer

    The breakfast pastry is filled with pistachios and Kaymak.

    Ali Nazik

    Eggplant puree with yogurt and garlic is garnished with lamb meat.

    Culture & History

    Aintab and Gazi TitleThe city was formerly Aintab, and is still called Antep today. It came under Ottoman rule in 1516. For its resistance during the 1920/21 French siege, parliament granted the honorary title Gazi in 1921.Castle & Old TownThe city center castle, originally a Roman watchtower, gained its current form in the 6th century under Emperor Justinian. It suffered severe damage in the February 2023 earthquakes. Restoration is now complete. It's best to check visitor accessibility before your visit.Earthquake 2023In Gaziantep, around 900 buildings collapsed, and over 10,000 were severely damaged. The Şirvani and Kurtuluş Mosques and the Zincirli Bedesten have also been restored and reopened.

    Arrival & On the Go

    Getting ThereGaziantep Oğuzeli Airport is located approximately 20 km southeast of the city centre. Havaş shuttles operate into the city after flights arrive; city buses and taxis are also available.Around TownOld Town: The Castle, bazaars, Tahmis Kahvesi, and Zincirli Bedesten are close by and easily reachable on foot.Zeugma Museum: The museum is located slightly north of the Old Town.NoteGaziantep is located close to the Syrian border. Before you travel, check the current travel advice from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

    Accommodations in Gaziantep

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    Campgrounds in Gaziantep

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      • 1Zincirli Bedesten3 days
      • 2Zeugma Mosaic Museum4 days
      • 3Kurtuluş Mosque5 days
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    Nearby

    Şanlıurfa & Göbekli Tepe

    Şanlıurfa & Göbekli Tepe

    Şanlıurfa is the city of Abraham in southeastern Turkey and the starting point for Göbekli Tepe, one of humanity's oldest known sanctuaries. Pilgrim ponds with sacred carp, bazaars, and a spicy cuisine characterize the old town. The city has around 600,000 inhabitants; the old town and Balıklıgöl are located at the foot of the castle hill, with museums slightly north in the Haleplibahçe quarter.
    Nemrut Dağı

    Nemrut Dağı

    Nemrut Dağı is a mountain in the Anti-Taurus range in Southeast Anatolia, on whose summit King Antiochus I of Commagene had his tomb-sanctuary with colossal statues of gods erected. Since 1987, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a popular destination, especially for sunrise and sunset. Starting points are Kahta and the village of Karadut at the foot of the mountain, about 85 km from Adıyaman.
    Southeastern Anatolia

    Southeastern Anatolia

    Southeastern Anatolia is the land between the Euphrates and Tigris, bordering Syria, home to Göbekli Tepe, the colossal statues of Mount Nemrut, and the stone city of Mardin. Here lie some of humanity's oldest cult sites, plus Gaziantep, the capital of Turkish cuisine. If you seek archaeology and hearty, spicy cuisine, this is the right place.
    Derinkuyu

    Derinkuyu

    Derinkuyu is located in southern Cappadocia on the road from Nevşehir to Niğde and is known for its underground city. Its passages, halls, and stables extend approximately 85 meters deep, where up to 20,000 people once found refuge. A few kilometers north lies the second major underground city, Kaymaklı; both belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Göreme.
    Ürgüp

    Ürgüp

    Ürgüp is a small town with just under 25,000 inhabitants in the heart of Cappadocia and is considered the main center for regional viticulture. Ottoman-era stone houses, cave hotels in the rock faces, and the Temenni Wish Hill define the center. At the western entrance to the town stand the Üç Güzeller Fairy Chimneys; a few kilometers south lies the village of Mustafapaşa with its Greek mansions.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
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