Stand on the terrace below Şanlıurfa Kalesi as the evening call to prayer rolls across the old city, and the plain below turns crimson and hazy. That view, more than any single monument, is what people remember about this city in southeastern Turkey, a place associated with Abraham and known as the City of Prophets.
Şanlıurfa suits travellers who are comfortable with heat, who care about archaeology and religious history, and who prefer to cover a compact old town on foot rather than chase scattered sights. The main attractions sit close together, so a base near the centre lets you walk to most of them and still catch a bus out to Göbekli Tepe.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, ordered from strongest to least, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions. Note that summers here are extremely hot and dry, so plan around the afternoon rather than through it.
Top things to do in Şanlıurfa
1. Göbekli Tepe
About 12 km northeast of the city, this Neolithic site is dated to 9000 BCE and is listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. It has changed the way archaeologists look at history because it pre-dates farming, and some consider it the oldest temple yet found in the world.
Take Bus 0 from the grey bus stop west of the Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum, just south of the parking lot along the road. Buses run every hour on the 45s, the trip takes about 30 minutes, and you can pay with an UrfaKart or by tapping a credit card. The site is sometimes crowded in the afternoon, so ask the museum about timetable changes and where exactly to catch the bus.
2. Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum
This is the largest museum in Turkey, covering the region's history from the Paleolithic to the Ottoman period. It holds real-size reconstructions of Göbekli Tepe that you can walk inside, along with many artifacts from the nearby Atatürk Dam and Harran.
Reserve at least two hours for a proper visit, and remember the museum has two sections: the Mosaic exhibit sits south of the main building, so do not leave without seeing it. Visiting in the morning pairs well with an afternoon bus to Göbekli Tepe.
3. Cave of Abraham
Urfa is believed to have been the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham, making this an important Islamic place of pilgrimage. Around the cave site are a number of mosques built around a park with water features.
Combine it with the surrounding mosques and the pool at Halil al-Rahman Cami, which is occupied by a large number of holy fish. Legend says anyone who catches one of the fish will go blind, and the story behind the pool is that God turned Abraham's pyre into water and the coals into fish.
4. Halil al-Rahman Cami
This mosque sits by the pool of holy fish, at the site where, according to legend, Nemrut wanted to burn Abraham as a sacrifice. The story also names the site as the birthplace of Job.
Join the locals in feeding the holy fishes at the pond. Local belief holds that if you feed one of the rare white fishes, your wish will come true in a short time. Buy the designated fish food from the vendors around the pond rather than using anything else, as the feed is regulated by the local environmental association.
5. Şanlıurfa Kalesi
The ancient ruined castle has newer walls dating from around 814 AD and stands on a rocky promontory at the south side of town. A lone column is just about all that remains of the older structure, but the views are spectacular.
The grounds have been indefinitely closed, so check before you climb. Even if the castle itself is shut, the terrace at the entrance is worth the walk for the crimson and hazy views over the old city during the evening call to prayer.
6. Halil al-Rahman Cami and the park around the mosques
The park around which the mosques are built is where you wait out the midday heat. This is the practical heart of a summer day in Şanlıurfa.
Sit with an ice tea or another cold drink while the afternoon heat subsides, then move on to the old town, the bazaar or the mosques. In the evening, this is also the extent of what you can do: sit down, have a cold non-alcoholic drink, play backgammon or simply chat.
7. Haleplibahçe Mozaik Müzesi
This mosaic museum is part of the museum complex, and the Mosaic exhibit south of the main building is the section visitors most often miss.
Do not treat it as an afterthought to the main archaeology halls. Build it into the same visit so you see both sections in one trip.
8. Necropolis (Kızılkoyun Nekropolü)
These extensive tombs sit east of the museum, across the street, and can be seen from the street itself.
There is no charge to look, which makes it an easy addition to a museum morning. Pair it with the museum and the mosaic exhibit since all three are in the same area.
9. Ulu Cami
Ulu Cami is one of the places of worship in the old town, in the compact area you can cover on foot.
Work it into a walk through the old town and the bazaar rather than making a separate trip. The atmospheric bazaar with its hustle and bustle is quite charming, as is the old town.
10. Haci Lütfullah Camii
Another of the city's places of worship, within the small central area where most attractions are found.
If you stay nearby, you can reach it on foot along with the other mosques and the old town. Dress and behave as you would at any working place of worship.
11. Mevlevihane Camii
This mosque is also part of the central cluster of religious buildings in the old town.
Combine it with a slow walk through the bazaar and the surrounding streets. The old town rewards wandering rather than rushing between named sights.
12. Abraham's Path
Şanlıurfa is at the northern end of the international trekking route Abraham's Path, which follows the footsteps of the Patriarch Abraham throughout the Middle East. Walks from one to ten days in length are possible from Sanliurfa, and the path here links the city's sacred sites.
If you want to walk, plan it as its own trip rather than squeezing it into a city day. Within the city, the route connects the sacred sites you are already visiting.
13. The bazaar and old town
The atmospheric bazaar with its hustle and bustle is quite charming, as is the old town. This is the texture of the city rather than a single sight.
Explore it after the midday heat subsides, when the streets come back to life. There are also a few bars on Sarayonu St. if you want a cold drink before or after.
14. A narghile in the park
Have a narghile (hookah) at the lake in the park near the mosques. It is a simple, local way to end an evening.
This fits naturally after a walk through the old town, when the day has cooled and the park fills up.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum when it opens, and reserve at least two hours. See both sections, including the Mosaic exhibit south of the main building, and step across the street to the Necropolis (Kızılkoyun Nekropolü) afterwards.
Afternoon: Take Bus 0 from the grey bus stop west of the museum to Göbekli Tepe, roughly a 30-minute ride, and return from where you are dropped. If the heat is at its worst, wait it out first in the park around the mosques with an ice tea before heading out.
Evening: Walk to the Cave of Abraham and Halil al-Rahman Cami, feed the holy fishes with feed from the vendors around the pond, then climb to the terrace at the entrance of Şanlıurfa Kalesi for the views over the old city during the call to prayer. Finish with a cold non-alcoholic drink or a narghile in the park near the mosques.
Frequently asked questions
Can I see the main sights of Şanlıurfa on foot?
Most attractions are within a small area, and if you get accommodation nearby you can do everything on foot, including catching a bus to Göbekli Tepe.
How do I get to Göbekli Tepe without a car?
Take Bus 0, a smaller bus than most city buses, from the Archeological museum at the grey bus stop west of the museum, just south of the parking lot along the road. Buses run every hour on the 45s, the journey takes about 30 minutes, and you can pay with an UrfaKart or by tapping your credit card.
What should I do during the hot part of the day?
As it can get scorching hot during summer, 40 °C or above, you will be hard pressed to do anything during the afternoon. Wait for the midday heat to subside in the park around which the mosques are, enjoying ice tea or other cold drinks, before exploring the old town, the bazaar or the mosques.
Is it worth visiting Şanlıurfa Castle if it is closed?
Yes. The grounds have been indefinitely closed, but the terrace at the entrance offers crimson and hazy views over the old city during the evening call to prayer, and the climb is well worth it even when the castle itself is shut.
Decide your dates, book a place near the old town, and build your days around the museum, the mosques and the bus to Göbekli Tepe.