21 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Gaziantep

Gaziantep (gahz-e-on-tep), or Antep as it was known before 1921, is a city in southeastern Turkey particularly known for its gastronomy. In fact, there are so many pistachio trees in the region of Gaziantep that the Turkish word for “pistachio” bears the name of the ancient city: “antep fıstığı” And the folks of Gaziantep do wonderful things with those little pistachios, using them in desserts such as baklava and katmer. Olive trees are also grown in the area and produce some of the richest olive oil I have ever tasted. My two favorite places to eat in Gaziantep are İmam Çağdaş and Bayazhan. The first exports its baklava daily throughout Turkey and the second is situated in an old han, or a hotel like place that was used on the silk road. They both have excellent food in intriguing environments.

Gaziantep is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and has many excellent museums. My favorite is the mosaic museum which includes some fully intact and other partially intact mosaics from the ancient city of Zeugma that was situated on the Euphrates River before it was sunk by the building of a dam.

Shopping is also a highlight in the city of Gaziantep. Hammered copper, handmade leather shoes, and hand-carved wooden boxes are just a few of the items available in the covered bazaar area in the old part of the city. I love wandering these streets and absorbing the sights, sounds, and smells of beautiful Gaziantep.

If you are interested in more about Gaziantep, please see some of our other articles below.