Mardin Food Tour
Private Mardin tasting of kaburga, içli köfte and a stone-terrace breakfast, with the southeast’s spice logic explained on site.
Key facts
- Tour type
- Private — your group only
- Duration
- 5 hours
- From
- From $115 per person
- Region
- mardin
- Includes
- Food tastings, Licensed guide, Old-city walking route
- License
- TURSAB #14817
Operator: Turkey Travel Agency · TURSAB #14817 · +90 544 673 22 02
From $115 per person including the breakfast and lunch tastings.
Who this is best for
- Southeast itineraries
- Travelers who already know Istanbul kebap
- Small groups
Sample Day Schedule
- 09:00
Terrace breakfast over the Mesopotamian plain: tea, cheese, olives, and a slow start.
- 10:30
İçli köfte — bulgur shell, spiced filling — and how it differs from Gaziantep’s lahmacun.
- 12:30
Kaburga dolması when the kitchen has it: lamb ribs stuffed with rice. A lighter stew if the day’s pot is finished.
- 14:00
Syriac almond sweet and coffee. Silver shopping in Midyat is not part of this food route.
Times are approximate and adjusted to your hotel location, season and pace preferences.
Highlights
- Kaburga dolması
- İçli köfte
- Terrace breakfast
- Syriac almond sweets
What's Included & Not Included
Included
- Food tastings
- Licensed guide
- Old-city walking route
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Personal meals unless stated
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- Optional activities not listed in your quote
From $115 per person
5 hours
No payment required · Reply within 24h
About this Mardin tour
Private Mardin tasting of kaburga, içli köfte and a stone-terrace breakfast, with the southeast’s spice logic explained on site. This is a fully private experience — your group travels alone with a licensed guide and dedicated vehicle, not a shared coach. Turkey Travel Agency (TURSAB #14817) has operated Mardin tours since 2014 with hotel pickup, flexible pacing and English-speaking guides who skip generic scripts.
Who this tour is best for
Ideal for couples, families and small groups who want depth without a factory bus tour. History lovers appreciate licensed commentary at Kaburga dolması, İçli köfte, Terrace breakfast, Syriac almond sweets. Photographers benefit from stops timed for light and fewer crowds. If you are on a cruise calling at a nearby port, tell us your ship schedule — we build buffer time for return.
How your day is structured
Expect roughly 5 hours on the ground with food tastings, licensed guide, old-city walking route. Morning starts with hotel pickup; touring focuses on Kaburga dolması, İçli köfte, Terrace breakfast, Syriac almond sweets at a pace you choose — linger at sites that interest you, skip lines where guides have relationships with site staff. Lunch can be a local restaurant recommendation or a quick break depending on your preference. We confirm exact timing in your written quote before payment.
Practical tips for Mardin
Best months in the region: March–May, September–November. Plan 2–3 days in Mardin if combining this tour with other sites. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water in summer. Entrance fees are paid separately unless noted. Combine with our Mardin destination guide or explore multi-day packages from our Mardin tour hub at /mardin-tours.
Mardin is lamb and bulgur, not a baklava copy
Gaziantep owns pistachio baklava. Mardin’s table is kaburga, kibbeh-style içli köfte, sour plum, and walnut sweets. Mixing the two cities into one ‘southeast buffet’ hides both. This day stays in Mardin’s logic. Gaziantep is a separate day on the heritage and 10-day culinary packages.
Spice: isot belongs to Urfa
Isot, the dark Urfa pepper, shows up across the southeast, but Şanlıurfa’s çiğ köfte and isot kebab are a different city’s story. On this walk we name what is Mardin and what was borrowed, so the plate teaches geography.
More Mardin Tours
Explore Mardin's stone lanes, bazaars and the ancient Deyrulzafaran Monastery overlooking the Mesopotamian plain.
Two of southeast Turkey's most distinctive towns — Mardin's stone city and Midyat's Syriac silver workshops in one day.