Food destinations within easy reach of Gaziantep, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Gaziantep. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: The Zeugma ruins on the Euphrates, river fish and Nizip olive oil
Nizip sits 45 minutes east of Gaziantep, 10km from the ancient city of Zeugma on the Euphrates, among the groves that press the best oil in the region.
Famous for: Boat trips over the drowned village, riverside cafes and pomegranates
Halfeti is the village half-drowned by the Birecik dam, reached from Gaziantep in about two hours, with boat trips, riverside cafes and pomegranate orchards.
Famous for: Euphrates boat approach and village kitchens on the way
Rumkale stands on a Euphrates peninsula an hour from Gaziantep in Yavuzeli, reached by boat from Kasaba village, with simple village kitchens along the road.
Famous for: Çiğ köfte, isot-heavy grills and the Göbeklitepe excavation
Şanlıurfa lies just over two hours from Gaziantep and eats hotter and heavier with isot, which makes it the obvious comparison trip for a Gaziantep visitor.
Famous for: Grape and pepper harvest, pekmez and dried produce
İslahiye grows the table peppers and the grapes that become pekmez, bastık and sucuk in Gaziantep kitchens, and harvest is when the drive west pays off.
Famous for: Pomegranates, nar ekşisi and sun-dried vegetables
Oğuzeli is the pomegranate district of Gaziantep, half an hour from the centre, and its nar ekşisi and dried vegetables end up in kitchens across the city.