Mesopotamia is one of the world’s most ancient cultural regions, bordered
by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which descend from the Caucasus
Mountains through the plains of ancient Anatolia. Although entirely
within modern Turkey, this new tour will encompass the vestiges of diverse
cultures and civilisations, from Neolithic sanctuaries to Persian, Greek
and Roman ruins, Armenian and Syrian Orthodox churches and some
of the oldest Islamic buildings in the world. Starting in Diyarbakır on the
banks of the Tigris, a UNESCO World Heritage site with black basalt
walls, we continue to Mardin, defined by its labyrinthine streets, traditional
stone houses, and historic mosques and churches, and then reach Sanlıurfa,
thought to be the birthplace of Abraham. From here we visit Göbekli
Tepe, which is among the earliest man-made constructions in the world,
before continuing to Gaziantep, famous for its pistachios, baklava, and an
extensive collection of 5th and 6th-century mosaics.