On 6 February 2023, Türkiye suffered one of the most devastating events in its post-war history: a pair of 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that ravaged the country’s southeastern region, killing more than 50,000 people in 11 provinces. With over 160,000 buildings severely damaged or destroyed, 100,000 people injured and 3 million displaced, the disaster’s effects were felt across the nation and reverberate to this day.
More than a year later, some affected cities, most notably the historic center of Antakya in Hatay province, remain too badly damaged to host travelers. But other parts of this ancient and enthralling region are as rewarding to visit as they always were – and need the economic boost of tourism more than ever.
“It’s always difficult for all the people who rely on tourism, from drivers to hotel owners to guides, when something like this happens, because it can take years before travelers go back,” says Berry Vos from Mithra Travel, an Antalya-based tour agency that operates trips all around Türkiye.
“But the eastern part of Türkiye is very big, it’s not just Hatay and Kahramanmaraş,” Vos adds, referring to two of the provinces most severely affected by the earthquake. “Most of these beautiful places are open and ready for visitors.”
Some of the region’s highest-profile attractions escaped unscathed from the earthquake, including Göbeklitepe, the Neolithic worship site that has upended the world’s understanding of how human culture developed since its rediscovery in 1994. In nearby Şanlıurfa, the top-notch Archaeological Museum, the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum and the colorful bazaar are all back in business.
Though earthquakes centuries ago partially toppled the giant statues atop Nemrut Dağı, the remote monuments sustained no further damage in 2023 and are open to visit.
Home to some of the finest Roman-era mosaics in Türkiye, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep reopened soon after the earthquake when it was assessed to be undamaged. The city’s rich culinary culture offers another good reason to visit – and to support the many local restaurants that stepped up after the disaster to offer free food to neighbors in need, despite the hit to their own bottom line.
In Diyarbakır, the impressive Seljuk-era Ulu Cami (Great Mosque) which sheltered displaced people after the earthquake is now welcoming worshippers and visitors as usual. Museums, mosques and historic sites in the city of Adana are open as well.
The picturesque, labyrinthine old town of Mardin and the monasteries and Roman ruins in its surrounding area were outside the main zone damaged by the quake.
The city of Antakya and the rest of Hatay province, along with Kahramanmaraş and Adıyaman provinces, suffered some of the worst damage in
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