Diyarbakır

Diyarbakır is a province in southeastern Turkey, centred on one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Situated on the upper Tigris River, the provincial capital Diyarbakır has been a crossroads of civilisations for over five millennia — from the Assyrians who knew it as Amida, through Roman, Arab, Seljuk, and Ottoman rule, to its present-day status as the cultural heartland of Kurdish life in Turkey. The city's UNESCO-listed basalt fortress walls, stretching 5.8 kilometres and studded with 82 towers, are among the longest and best-preserved ancient fortifications anywhere.

The province spans a broad, fertile plain watered by the Tigris and its tributaries, the Çermik and Hevsel streams. Beyond the city walls, the landscape transitions into rugged foothills and plateaus that extend toward the mountains of eastern Anatolia. Diyarbakır's position at the nexus of trade routes between Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Persia ensured that successive empires — Assyrian, Roman, Arab, Seljuk, Artuqid, and Ottoman — each left architectural and cultural traces.

Today the province is a vibrant centre of Kurdish culture, with its own distinctive cuisine, music, and traditions. The old city (Sur) retains a village-like atmosphere within its ancient walls, where geese wander the streets and residents invite passersby for tea. Outside the walls, modern Diyarbakır sprawls into lively districts filled with cafés, shopping centres, and a young, university-educated population.

Spring (April–May) and early autumn (September–October) are the best times to visit Diyarbakır. Daytime temperatures hover around 20–28°C, the Tigris River is at a pleasant level, and the surrounding countryside is green and flowering. Summers (June–August) are brutally hot, with average highs of 38–40°C and virtually no rainfall, making extended outdoor exploration uncomfortable. Winters (December–February) bring cold, rainy days with occasional snowfall and nighttime temperatures dropping below freezing.

The Newroz festival on 21 March is the most important cultural event in the province, marking the Kurdish and Persian new year with bonfires, traditional dances, music, and communal celebrations. The Diyarbakır Culture and Art Festival, typically held in late spring, features concerts, exhibitions, and performances throughout the city. The Hevsel Gardens harvest festival in late summer celebrates the ancient agricultural heritage of the river plain.

Diyarbakır city is well connected by air, rail, and road. Diyarbakır Airport (DIY) receives daily domestic flights from Istanbul (IST) and Ankara, operated by Turkish Airlines. The airport is 15 km from the old quarter. The overnight Güney Kurtalan Express train from Ankara arrives early morning, with stops at Kayseri, Sivas, and Malatya. A twice-daily regional train connects Diyarbakır to Batman.

Intercity buses serve destinations throughout southeastern Turkey and beyond, with the main bus terminal (otogar) located about 10 km from the city centre along the highway to Urfa. A taxi to the old quarter costs approximately 100 TL. Within the city, municipal buses and dolmuş minibuses provide regular service. The old city within the walls is best explored on foot.

Travellers heading westward by bus or car should be prepared for several ID checkpoints at military posts along the road.

• Diyarbakır — the provincial capital, whose 5.8 km UNESCO-listed basalt fortress walls and ancient Old City form one of the most impressive historic urban landscapes in Turkey
• Bismil — an agricultural town on the Tigris, gateway to the fertile Mesopotamian plain and regional cotton production
• Ergani — a town known for its copper-working tradition and proximity to the ancient site of Çayönü, one of the oldest known settlements in the world
• Silvan — a mountain town with medieval remains, perched above a deep gorge of the Batman River
• Çınar — a district centre on the road to Mardin, with rural landscapes and traditional village life
• Çermik — a town famous for its thermal springs and traditional bathhouses, set in rolling hill country
• Dicle — a small town on the Tigris below the impressive Dicle Dam, with riverside scenery
• Kulp — a remote mountain district with walnut groves and access to highland pastures
• Lice — a town in the mountainous northern part of the province, surrounded by pine forests and Kurdish village culture
• Hani — a district centre in the foothills, known for traditional architecture and local markets
• Hazro — a small town with a historic bazaar and connections to surrounding Kurdish communities
• Eğil — a town perched above a dramatic bend in the Tigris, with an ancient castle and rock-cut tombs
• Kocaköy — a district with agricultural landscapes and rural Anatolian charm
• Çüngüş — a remote mountain district near the Elazığ border, with highland meadows and traditional village life

Diyarbakır's cuisine is among the most distinctive in Turkey, reflecting its Kurdish cultural heritage and Mesopotamian geography. The signature dish is ciğer kebabı — grilled lamb liver on a skewer — served with rice and fresh vegetables at specialist restaurants throughout the old city. Ekşili etli dolma (sour stuffed peppers), meftune (braised meat with chickpeas), and içli köfte (kibbeh-style bulgur dumplings filled with spiced meat) are essential tastings.

For breakfast, Hasan Pasha Hanı in the old city spreads an entire table with small dishes of cheeses, olives, eggs, honey, and regional specialities — one of the most celebrated breakfast experiences in southeastern Turkey. Dağ Kapı Ciğercisi, set in a traditional stone house, is the local institution for grilled liver. The city is also famous for its desserts, particularly kadayıf (shredded pastry soaked in syrup) and künefe (cheese-filled pastry with syrup), best sampled at Saim Usta and Levent Usta respectively.

Vegetarian visitors will find mehir — a mixture of wheat grain, chickpeas, and yoghurt — both nutritious and delicious, alongside various stuffed vegetable dishes and fresh flatbreads from neighbourhood bakeries.

Diyarbakır is widely regarded as the cultural capital of Kurdish life in Turkey. The old city within the fortress walls preserves a living tradition of community life — neighbours gather in teahouses, women socialise in courtyard spaces, and children play in the narrow stone lanes. Kurdish is widely spoken alongside Turkish, and the city's music, poetry, and oral traditions reflect a deep cultural heritage.

The Great Mosque of Diyarbakır (Ulu Camii), built in the 11th century from the stones of a former Roman temple, is one of the oldest mosques in Anatolia and considered the fifth holiest mosque in Islam. The city's religious heritage includes the Virgin Mary Church (3rd century, Syrian Orthodox), the Surp Giragos Armenian Church (the largest Armenian church in the Middle East, painstakingly reconstructed after 2016 damage), and the Hevsel Gardens — an ancient agricultural landscape on the Tigris floodplain that has supplied the city with food for millennia.

Newroz celebrations on 21 March are vibrant and deeply meaningful, with bonfires lit across the city, traditional halparke dances performed in circles, and the wearing of red and yellow clothing. Traditional Kurdish music featuring the tembûr (long-necked lute) and zurna (double-reed wind instrument) fills teahouses and concert halls.

• Walk the basalt city walls at sunset — ascend at the northern gate and stroll anticlockwise along the 5.8 km fortifications, passing 82 towers with sweeping views over the Tigris plain
• Wander the old city of Sur at dawn — experience the village-like atmosphere within the ancient walls, where geese roam the lanes and residents invite you for tea
• Breakfast at Hasan Pasha Hanı — sit in a restored Ottoman caravanserai while an array of 20+ small dishes covers your table in a communal feast
• Sip menengiç coffee at Mahya Kahve Evi — sample over 70 varieties of coffee in a cosy neighbourhood house in the Ofis district, a centre of young Diyarbakır nightlife
• Explore the Hevsel Gardens — walk through the ancient river plain terraces on the Tigris, a UNESCO-recognised cultural landscape that has fed the city for over 8,000 years