Türkiye - Day 7-8: Magical Mardin
One of My Favorite Places of the Year!
The son of the hotelier shyly asked if I wanted to see the view from the roof and took me out the deck then up a winding metal staircase on a platform they’d constructed. His thin arm stretched out before him gesturing to the endless view of the plains. “Mesopotamia,” he said with reverence in his voice. Mesopotamia? That’s still in use? My brain skipped back over the pages of my education certain that no one used this word anymore, but here I was and here he was and here was Mesopotamia. He left me with the view as little birds darted in the warm air. I couldn’t wait to get out and explore what this city held!
A Little History
Mardin, located in southeastern Türkiye, is a city rich in history and cultural diversity. Perched on a rocky hill near the Tigris River, the UNESCO-protected city offers panoramic views of the Mesopotamian plains. Throughout its history, Mardin has been a crossroads for various civilizations, including the Hurrians, Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, Romans, and Seljuk Turks. This confluence of cultures is evident in the city's unique architecture, with its golden stone structures and narrow, winding streets. Mardin has been home to a mosaic of religious communities, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, coexisting for centuries.
Mesopotamia, often referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization," is a historical region located in the eastern Mediterranean, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, as well as parts of Iran, Syria (the border is 20 miles away from Mardin), and Türkiye. The name "Mesopotamia" comes from the ancient Greek words mesos (middle) and potamos (river), meaning "the land between the rivers," referring to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that define the region.
Where We Stayed
When we drove into the city we passed by shop after enticing shop - coffees, wine shops, jewelers, artisans, places piled high with sweets and chocolates, vendors calling out from shops, hot plates of food, gorgeous fabrics fluttering in the wind - it seemed endless! The main road to the old city is in a circle and parking is intense. We parked in a parking structure which was 1000x easier than attempting to park on the narrow crowded streets. I would highly recommend staying in the old city like we did - it has everything you want and charm to spare!
We stayed at the Ana Talia House which is tucked in the old city / castle complex. The limestone cobble streets wind upwards and inwards towards the hotel, up stairs and around corners - you find little shops tucked into alleys like treasures! We walked past a kite atelier which is such a fun concept - talk about magic! A whole place, not merely a store, but an atelier solely for kite-making! A bookshop doubling as a coffee shop that also has live music and offers local wine tasting. Street art playfully decorates the roll down doors and colored lights are strung between buildings. In the middle of all of this is the Ana Talia House. Well-appointed, airy inside with rooms branching off from a main entry area. The family run hotel offers a delicious full Turkish breakfast and a variety of rooms. We were in a smaller room for the first day (we were on a budget!) and then we were upgraded (whoohoo!) to the beautiful Deluxe Room. I would absolutely stay again.
An Evening Out
We’d been told that Mardin had a certain element of hustling to it - perhaps even some thievery. All of it was said in the way that people from one area gossip about people in another. I kept this gossip in mind as an man boldly invited me to join him for coffee or wine. He was rolling a cigarette, sitting barefoot at a cafe. I declined and said that my husband would be meeting me soon, but he was undetered. He joined me in the wine shop I wandered into and asked again if I would enjoy a glass of wine. Always curious, I acquiesced and sat down to get to know my new stranger. I knew Z would laugh when he saw me already making friends! The man leaned back in his chair and lit his cigarette after offering me one. He begins to regale me with his history - his darker skin and light green eyes come from his mother, but his father is descended directly from the former Sultan. His confidence and good looks backing up his “I’m basically royalty” vibe. I loved it! Z came to find me to get dinner and laughed at my predicament. We got some great dinner recommendations and headed on our way, leaving the royal suitor behind.
We walked through the plaza and as I turned to look up a flight of stairs to another plaza, I saw a beautiful white horse dressed in colorful tassels! I pointed at it to show Z and no sooner than I did a young boy came skipping up asking if I’d like to ride his horse. I am kind of scared of horses and have only been on one once! The little salesman kept pushing and Z finally said, “Ok, get on the horse!” Yes, it’s a hustle, and yes, I got on that horse! What I love is that the two kids running this horse / photo hustle had their game down. For a tiny fee they’d let you ride it, an additional dollar and they’d take pictures. For two dollars you’d get video - all edited right then and there! They had taken an iPhone photography course and had a few super fun tricks like getting a faux-reflection. They were sweet kids and you really had to respect their hustle and work-ethic! We gave them a little extra for my laughter and because it was near Bayram (holiday). If those were the hustlers, I don’t mind one bit.
The Next Day
We woke up slow and easy and headed up to breakfast on the terrace. Turks don’t mess around when it comes to breakfast - there’s fresh baked bread, pastries, jams, local honey, a variety of cheeses, olives, walnuts, eggs or menemen, coffee, tea, water and more. We enjoyed our breakfast as the sun began to heat the surrounding plains and decided to head out on foot to explore as much of the old city as we could.
The city is truly beautiful. We’ve been to some castles and castle-cities all over the world and there’s something I love about active castle-cities. Ankara in Türkiye is one and Molyvos on Lesvos in another. Here the city is alive as if it’s never even bothered to take a pause in history. Rulers, religions and armies have come and go, and still the markets are bustling, the makers are making, and the vendors are selling. It’s simply a magical place. It reminded me of walking through an M.C. Escher drawing - all corners and staircases and tall narrow alleys that bend and turn around until you’re no longer quite sure of where you’ve been and where you are.
Turn a corner and you’re suddenly angling down into belly of the market. Butchers hose their shops out onto cobbled streets that channel the water down ancient grooves. The same journey the blood of thousands of animals has run. A jeweler bends over his table, the light above him shining on the delicate metal in his hands. An artist paints the mythical creature Shahmaran who is seen in many displays in Mardin. She is half-snake and half-woman, portrayed as a dual-headed creature with a crown on each head, and is a symbol of luck and strength. We stop and buy the work he is making for us - deftly painting each color and line before tucking it into a protective cloth. We see a coppersmith at work and buy two matching bracelets for next to nothing. We buy a mountain of coffee, brightly colored harem-style pants for me, and tons of spices.
Before we know it we’re loaded with goods, wondering where this will all fit in our luggage and wondering exactly how much more we can stuff in there! We decide to grab coffee and are delighted with the shop we find. Long benches stretch towards massive arched windows that gaze out at the wide open Mesopotamian plains. There is so much different coffee in Mardin that it’s almost hard to choose. I go for Dibek (also known as Ottoman) which is produced by grinding the roasted coffee beans on a mortar and mixing this coffee with a variety of mildly sweet spices. It’s lighter colored and deliciously aromatic due to the spice blend. The coffee shop is beyond charming - old records and art line the walls while books are cozily stacked on tall shelves. Dozens of plants are placed in every available spot and the fresh green in the middle of this desert speaks to the care the owner has for them. It’s a timeless place that reminds us of how powerful these crossroads have been to humans for centuries.
Stretching Into Evening
As I write, I find that I don’t want to stop. There are as many details to share about Mardin as there are steps and corners and alleys. It’s the kind of place that if you wandered long enough, you will come home with your arms full of treasures and a ton of stories to share with friends. When we spoke to shop-owners and salesmen (often times children) they asked us where we were from and seemed to think it was pretty cool that we were from America. They were proud to say they were from Mardin, as if it was silly to suggest they would be from or ever go to anywhere else. We found people engaging even if there is an air of hustling in some of the shops, it’s not overwhelming.
We picked Lolee for dinner as we wanted good food and a view of the nighttime cityscape. We were not disappointed with either! Live music flooded upwards from the ground floor as we walked up staircase after staircase to reach the open air seating. Everything from the view to the food and the service was outstanding. The night view of the city was surreal - you get a real feeling of how far you’d be able to see ages ago. You would’ve been able to see anyone coming, their fires, their movements, their camps - for nights on end.
We closed out our short time in Mardin with another night of sleep and got ready to head out for the next part of our adventure. If you’re in Türkiye or traveling that way - I cannot recommend Mardin enough. It seemed the farther we went from Cappadocia (which is pretty freaking amazing), people got even nicer and the experiences were even richer. We will definitely return - ideally with empty suitcases there and full ones on the way back to Lesvos!
Up Next…
The Lost City of Dara where I nearly flipped out thinking I was lost and the long drive to Lake Van.
