Gaziantep – Zeugma Mosaics & Baklava

Gaziantep combines two things people travel far for: one of the most important mosaic collections in the world and a cuisine that UNESCO has recognised as a City of Gastronomy. We fly early in the morning from Istanbul to Gaziantep, spend the morning with the mosaics from Zeugma and in the afternoon walk through the bazaars of the old town – with pistachios, copper and the scent of fresh baklava.

Highlights

• Domestic flight Istanbul – Gaziantep and back, departing from IST or SAW
• Zeugma Mosaic Museum, one of the largest mosaic museums in the world
• The "Gypsy Girl", the most famous mosaic from Zeugma
• Coppersmiths' Bazaar (Bakırcılar Çarşısı) and Zincirli Bedesten
• Watch baklava being made and taste it
• Tahmis coffee house with mırra and menengiç coffee, Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum

Full description

Zeugma was a city on the Euphrates, founded by one of Alexander the Great's generals and later an important Roman frontier town. When a reservoir flooded large parts of the city, its mosaics were rescued; today the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep displays them in one of the largest mosaic exhibitions in the world. Mythological scenes, villa floors and the enigmatic "Gypsy Girl" with her haunting gaze tell of life in a wealthy trading city.

In the afternoon we dive into the old town: in the Coppersmiths' Bazaar you still hear the hammers, and in the Zincirli Bedesten merchants have traded since Ottoman times. We watch baklava being made with paper-thin pastry and Antep pistachios and taste it fresh. At the Tahmis coffee house there is bitter mırra and menengiç coffee made from terebinth berries, and at the Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum we learn why Gaziantep is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

For you this means: you book everything in one step – flights, transfers and guiding – at one fixed total price.

What we see

We adapt order and selection to weekday, opening hours, weather and your wishes.

• 1 · Flight Istanbul – Gaziantep
  Early pick-up at your hotel, transfer to IST or SAW airport, flight to Gaziantep (GZT), drive into the city.
• 2 · Zeugma Mosaic Museum
  Mosaics from the city on the Euphrates, including the "Gypsy Girl".
• 3 · Coppersmiths' Bazaar and Zincirli Bedesten
  Crafts and trade in the old town of Gaziantep.
• 4 · Baklava
  Watch it being made and taste fresh baklava with Antep pistachios.
• 5 · Tahmis coffee house and Culinary Museum
  Mırra and menengiç coffee, then the Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum.
• 6 · Flight back to Istanbul
  Drive to Gaziantep airport (GZT), evening flight, in Istanbul transfer back to your hotel.

Included

• Private, state-licensed tour guide in your language (Mehmet Humayunoğlu or an experienced colleague from his team)
• Domestic flight Istanbul (IST or SAW) – Gaziantep (GZT) and back
• Transfer hotel Istanbul – airport and back
• Vehicle with driver from and to Gaziantep airport (GZT) for the day programme
• Planning, coordination and time management of the day

Not included

• Entrance fees (Zeugma Mosaic Museum, Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum)
• Baklava, coffee and other tastings
• Lunch, drinks
• Personal expenses, tips

Meeting point

We pick you up early in the morning at your hotel in Istanbul and bring you back there in the evening. Departure airport is either Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW); destination airport is Gaziantep (GZT).

You will recognise me by the sign “MeinReiseleiter.de” and the visibly worn guide licence. We confirm meeting point and time with your booking.

Important information

German, English, Turkish, French, Italian, Spanish – 25 more languages on request.

• Names as in your passport – We issue the flight tickets in the names you enter in the booking form. Please write them exactly as in your ID or passport.
• Bring your ID – All travellers need their passport or national ID card for the domestic flight.
• Flight times – We confirm the exact flight times and your hotel pick-up time with the booking.
• Long day – Early pick-up, back at the hotel late in the evening.
• Tastings – Baklava, coffee and tastings in the bazaars are not included in the price – so you choose on site what and how much to try.
• Old town on foot – We explore the bazaars on foot; comfortable shoes are useful.