Sanliurfa Tourist Places to Visit in Sanliurfa, Turkey, Europe

Sanliurfa Tourist Places to Visit in Sanliurfa, Turkey, Europe

Sanliurfa or Urfa is the capital of Şanlıurfa Province in the south-eastern part of Turkey geographically positioned between 37°09′30″ N latitude and 38°47′30″ E longitude, around 840 km southeast of Ankara, the capital of Turkey. It is well known among tourists for its historical sites like Turkish baths, mosques and Neolithic temples.

Sanliurfa characterizes the Middle Eastern atmosphere which can be seen in the dressing sense of natives. Sanliurfa covers a total area of 3,668.76 sq. km and features a Mediterranean climate with very hot summers and cool winters.

History of Sanliurfa:

Sanliurfa was called by the different names in its long history like Callirrhoe, Justinopolis and Edessa and the latter one was used during the rule of the Seleucids Empire. Urfa is the real name of the city and the suffix Şanlı, means glorious, which was officially given by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in the year 1984 to memorialize the effort of locals in the Turkish War of Independence.

Conenctivity to Sanliurfa:

Sanliurfa is served by a domestic airport Şanlıurfa GAP Airport, with scheduled flights from Istanbul and Ankara. The airport is located around 35 km away from the midpoint of the Sanliurfa city. Havas offers reasonably priced airport transfers and also many hotels in the city provide free airport shuttle service to their guests.

Sanliurfa is linked by bus to Mardin, Van and other neighboring cities. For local travel, minibuses are the convenient options.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Sanliurfa:

Holding the important mythology and history behind, Sanliurfa features a rich culture with many museums showcasing the city’s culture and history.

The city is also famous for dishes like Şıllık, Raw Kibbé, Kahke and Külünçe. Visitors can pack some affordable headscarves in Sanliurfa.

Things to do in Sanliurfa:

Hiking
City tours
Shopping

Places of interest in Sanliurfa:

Cave of Abraham:

According to the local’s belief, Sanliurfa was the birth place of the famous prophet, Abraham. There are many historically important mosques surrounding the cave of which the most recognized one is Halil-ur-Rahman with a pool inhabited by a large number of holy fish.

Gobekli Tepe:

The Gobekli Tepe in Sanliurfa is considered as the world’s oldest temple dating from around 9000 BCE. One can get its deeper information by asking natives. Taking a guided tour would be helpful.

Urfa Castle:

The Urfa Castle is currently in ruined condition, situated on the rocky foreland in the southern part of the town. Its original construction date is uncertain and the present walls dates from 814 AD. It is open for visitors from 9AM – 5PM and entrance fee is 3 TL.

The Great Mosque of Urfa:

The Great Mosque of Urfa was constructed on the site of a Christian church in the year 1170. The fountain of Firuz Bey dating from 1781 is located close to the mosque.

Nevalı Çori:

Nevalı Çori was a Neolithic settlement, situated on the centre of Euphrates River, few kilometers away from Sanliurfa. Currently it is under the water, near the Atatürk Dam. It has some great link with temples and monumental sculpture in Sanliurfa.

List of other places of interest in and around Sanliurfa includes:

Potbelly Hill
Balikli Gol
Golbasi Park
Sanliurfa Archeological Museum
St Job Tomb
Rizvaniye Mosque
Leydi Pub
12D Cinema
Cavalier’s Bazaar
Emek Sinemasi
Kazzaz Bazaar
Abide Park

Best time to visit Sanliurfa:

Though the summer is very hot, the months during the summer season between April and May would be ideal to travel Sanliurfa in Turkey while there no rainfall occurs, supportive to explore the outdoor historic sites of the city.

Accommodation options in Sanliurfa:

Sanliurfa is home to around 40 hotels with all types of modern facilities and services like spa, sauna, airport shuttle, tennis court, fitness centre, doctor on call and food with request services. The prominent hotels in Sanliurfa in Turkey are listed below: