7 Things to Do in Gaziantep: the City of Perfect Pistachios

Gaziantep is the land of pistachios, and they are the tastiest pistachios you will ever try! Located in the south east of Turkey, the city is a few hundred kilometres away from the Syrian border.

This was our first point in the country that was away from the west and the more commercialised side of the country, and it really felt like a completely different place. Even more hospitable than the west of Turkey, more conservative, more like the Middle East.

On the bus to our accommodation, a local student approached us and welcomed us to Gaziantep. He started a conversation with us about his studies and told us that he was really happy that we were exploring his city.

It was really heartfelt, and we knew straight away that coming to Gaziantep was the right thing to do! This guide will show you all the best things to do in Gaziantep, as well as foodie recommendations and transport tips.

On 6^th February 2023, South East Turkey and Syria were hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, followed by another, and around 30,000 aftershocks in the following three months.

More than 50,000 people died, and more than 4 million buildings were affected. Gaziantep experienced severe damage during this time.

Our understanding is that Gaziantep is still rebuilding itself in 2025, so make sure you research the current situation before booking a trip.

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History of Antep and Gaziantep

Excavations have revealed a settlement in the area of modern-day Gaziantep dating back to the 4^th century BC. During the medieval period, the rule over the city switched between many different empires, dynasties, caliphates, until 1518 when Ottoman empire took over.

At this point, it was established as a  commercial centre thanks to its location along a trading route. There was a strong Armenian minority living in the city at this time that helped to shape the culture and economy of Antep (as it was known back then).

In 1895, massacres against the Armenians were carried out, before a full genocide of the Armenian people in 1921. The Armenian population of Gaziantep was wiped out or fled the region.

After WW1, the control over Gaziantep was taken by the British, before them handing it over to France within less than a year.

For ten months, the Turks fought the occupying French, but it resulted in a French victory. In 1921, the Treaty of Ankara was signed, meaning that the French had to leave Antep.

The city name of Antep was changed to Gaziantep to mark the city’s courage during the Turkish war of Independence. Gazi in Turkish means ‘veteran’.

How to Get to Gaziantep

As Gaziantep is a major city in Eastern Turkey, it is pretty well-connected with other Eastern Turkey cities.

We travelled to Gaziantep from Goreme, Cappadocia; and when asking around the companies at the bus station, there were several that said, they didn’t go there – maybe 50/50.

Also, when planning our journeys across the country, we were using Rome2Rio, until we reached the east. The companies that service this part of the country do not all appear on the site, meaning that as far as Rome2Rio is concerned, we were very limited with the route options.

The further east we went, the less the buses appeared on Rome2Rio.

Buses that we took in and out of Gaziantep in 2022:

We have since found, that your able to book most bus journeys in/out of Gaziantep through 12Go.

FYI – English isn’t spoken as well in the East of the country as in the West. We booked a ticket with Kamil Koc to Sanliurfa. They told us it was leaving at 1pm. When they printed the ticket and gave it to us, it said 1am. The ticket agent was adamant that 1pm meant the morning. Anyway, check your tickets before leaving the desk. We got a cash refund.

Things to Do in Gaziantep

1. See Gypsy Girl at Zeugma Mosaic Museum

The largest mosaic museum in the world, it holds 1700m² of mosaics from the Greek and Roman periods. In 1980, the Turkish government decided to build a dam that would cause water to flood the site of ancient Zeugma and its mosaics.

The international community and the Turkish ministry of culture worked to have emergency excavations of the area. The mosaics found are now displayed in Gaziantep’s Mosaic Museum, including the famous Gypsy Girl which has been likened to the Mona Lisa due to the method used to depict the eyes.

To view Gypsy Girl, you go to a darkened room where the original is displayed by itself and is guarded.

It took us about an hour and a half to wander round and view everything. Tickets on the website cost 12 EUR, which would work out at about 500 TL.

2. Eat Pistachio Everything

Gaziantep’s pistachios are delicious! They are added into everything from coffee to ice cream to baklava.

Our favourite discovery was katmer. A super thin pastry full of finely ground pistachios, clotted cream and sugar. It is crispy, decadent and the pistachio flavour is just outrageous!

A native Gaziantep dish, katmer is often eaten at breakfast to get you going for the day. We had one between the two of us and it was more than enough.

Try out Metanet Katmer.

3. Taste all the Local Drinks

Take a look at our guide for all the Turkish drinks we tried.

4. Shop for Local Handmade Products from the Markets

The coppersmith bazaar was my favourite. We bought a beautiful, handcrafted coffee pot and some pistachio coffee from here.

Watch the craftsmen at work hammering the copper into intricately decorated pieces of art.

Head over to Elamci Pazari and Zincirli Bedesten also to see colourful stalls full of Yemeni shoes, lamps, carpets, nuts and spices.

5. Stop for Tea at Papirus Han

📍 Bey, Noter Sk. No:10

Update: The han appears temporary closed on google maps.

There is so much character in this ancient city located on the historical Silk Road. Gaziantep is full of old caravanserais which are buildings where weary travelling merchants would sleep, store their goods, and their animals. One of our favourites was Papirus Han. Go in to the courtyard for a tea before heading upstairs to take a look at the intricately decorated interior.

Entrance is free as long as you have bought a drink. Stunning.

6. Grab a Syrian Meal from Ester Pide ve Falafel

📍 Değirmiçem, Nail Bilen Cd. No:8

Gaziantep is not a great place for vegetarians: we really struggled to find restaurants, unless they were Syrian. We had falafel, moutabel, ful, pickles and spiced flat breads from Ester Pide vs Falafel, and it was all delicious. The guy running the place spoke perfect English which was a rarity while we exploring the city.

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