About
Gaziantep is a city in southeastern Turkey, close to the Syrian border, where the country's southern landscape meets the Mediterranean world. It is one of the places a visitor comes to eat well and to walk slowly through old streets, and it sits in the region that connects Turkey to Asia and Europe.
Food and pistachios
Gaziantep holds the UNESCO title of Creative City of Gastronomy, and the city takes its cooking seriously. It is known for growing some of the world's finest pistachios, which turn up in sweets, savoury dishes and bowls sold across the markets. It is also famous for authentic Turkish baklava, and a visit is a natural occasion to sample it at the source.
The bazaar and the museums
One of Turkey's largest and most atmospheric bazaars stretches through the city centre. Its covered lanes are the best place to wander without a plan, stopping for spices, textiles, copper and sweets. For a quieter kind of looking, the city's museums display Roman mosaics, which give a sense of how long people have lived in this part of the world.
A mix of cultures
Kurdish, Arab and Turkish cultures meet in Gaziantep, and this blend shows in its food, its music, its language on the street and its everyday rhythms. Many visitors find that the city's character is as much a part of the trip as any single sight, and it rewards time spent in conversation and in small cafés.
Gaziantep suits travellers interested in food, history and markets. Allow a few days so you can move between the bazaar, the museums and the pistachio and baklava shops without rushing.
