Urfa

A large museum that needs a couple of hours to explore, covering the history of the region from the Paleolithic to the Ottoman period. Many exhibits are rescues from archaeological sites flooded by the GAP project. There are life-size reconstructions of Göbekli Tepe, which will help you decide whether to take the bus out to the site itself. An annex 100 m south of the main building is a display of mosaics.

This has existed since at least the 2nd century BC, with newer walls from 814 AD. Not much within and it’s been closed for repairs for years. It’s worth walking up to the terrace below the entrance, especially at sundown as the colours of dusk flood the old town and the evening call to prayer echoes over the alleys.

Village from 9000 BCE, the world’s oldest and a . It’s from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic when humans made the transition from hunter-gather to settled agriculture. Several megaliths appear to have had ritual use, which would make them the oldest known temple. The site is fairly small so an hour will see you back on the bus to city centre.