One of Turkey's most beautiful cities - which almost no Swedes know about

Text and photo: Helena Bergström

Stone houses glowing in the evening sun, narrow alleys where church bells and calls to prayer mix wildly, and a view of Mesopotamia for miles. We traveled to Mardin in southeastern Turkey – and found one of the most fascinating places we've ever visited.

Mardin – what kind of place is this?

It was almost love at first sight. We got out of the taxi in the middle of town, to have a late dinner at one of the city's rooftop restaurants. Even though it had already gotten dark, it was as if the stone city was almost glowing with all the lights from the restaurants and late-night shops.

The sound of the minarets echoed between the walls, mixing with Turkish music and happy voices in foreign languages. It suddenly felt like we were long away from home. Exotic, and almost a little surreal...

How have we never heard of Mardin?

It seems like few Swedes have heard of Mardin, and the same was true for us. We were invited to a press trip to check out the Mardin Biennial art festival, which we will tell you more about soon.

When we looked at the map, we realized that this is a part of Turkey that is rarely visited by Swedes – far from both Istanbul like Antalya.

Mardin is a city that is so historic that it almost feels unreal – like a mix of a history book and a fantasy film.

Below Mardin lies Mesopotamia—the region often called the cradle of civilization, where some of the world's first cities, written languages, and societies emerged thousands of years ago. You're a little surprised you haven't heard of this city before.

The city that climbs along the mountain

The first thing you notice in Mardin is the city's unique appearance and location. Mesopotamia spreads out all around – a vast plain that seems endless.

Mardin is located on a hill. At the top is a castle and along the slopes of the mountain, the honey-colored stone houses are arranged in a kind of stepped structure, so that each house has a view of the vast expanse.

Many of the buildings are residential, but there are also an endless (it feels like) number of rooftop bars and outdoor cafes.

Where cultures and religions meet

Mardin is a natural meeting place for both cultures and religions. The area is home to many people with Assyrian/Syrian roots, but also Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Armenians and many others.

You see all kinds of clothes and hear all kinds of languages. Churches, monasteries and mosques tell the story of a long and mixed history.

The feeling of truly traveling

For us, the visit meant that we once again experienced the ”travel pulse” – the feeling of truly visiting another part of the world. There are so many places today that feel homogeneous and too similar, but Mardin is a place that still surprises.

The atmosphere is genuine and local, and you can't count on English always working – on the other hand, you can count on someone always being willing to help with body language, joy, or Google Translate.

Little moments we remember

We will always remember Mardin as the place of narrow winding alleys and evening sun on roof terraces. In the mornings we ran up and down the stone stairs to find nice photo opportunities. In the evenings we drank wine with a view of the plains.

We also remember the meetings with the locals and all the vendors who wanted to offer us treats – everything from coated almonds to Kurdish tea.

Not least, we remember the evening at a restaurant when the main course was served with drums and dancing. No, we will never forget Mardin!

Mardin – a place that surprises

Mardin is not just another beautiful city. It's a place that reminds us of how exciting traveling can still feel when you end up somewhere that doesn't already feel familiar.

We traveled there for the art — but left with the feeling of having discovered something much greater.

This trip was a press trip arranged by Go Türkiye. All thoughts and opinions as always our own!