Cheap flights to Gaziantep
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Quick summary
Country
Turkey
Continent
Asia
Airport
GZT
Currency
Turkish lira
Time zone
UTC+3
Deals already spotted to Gaziantep
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Turkey's food capital
A Gaziantep food guide starts with pistachios
Any Gaziantep food guide has to begin with the pistachio. Its pistachio baklava was the first Turkish product to receive an EU protected designation, in 2013, and UNESCO named Gaziantep a Creative City of Gastronomy in December 2015, the first Turkish city to win the title. The city is also home to the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, billed as the biggest mosaic museum in the world, and sits at a crossroads between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean.
A city of more than 1.7 million people, at about 850 m above sea level, it owes its current name to the title Gazi, victorious warrior, granted by the Turkish parliament on 8 February 1921 for its resistance to the French occupation of 1920-1921.
Food
Baklava, pistachios and the tables of the south-east
Gaziantep baklava is made with green Antep pistachios and clarified butter, baked in wood ovens. The city is Turkey's pistachio-processing capital: around 80% of the country's pistachios are shelled, packed or stored here. Well-known addresses include İmam Çağdaş, founded in 1887, Güllüoğlu, whose original shop dates from 1871, and Koçak Baklava.
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Katmer | A breakfast speciality |
| Beyran | A lamb soup with rice, garlic and chilli, often served at breakfast |
| Ali nazik | Lamb on a bed of aubergine and yoghurt |
| Yuvalama and lahmacun | Two savoury dishes to try on the spot; here lahmacun is always made with garlic |
| Antep kebabı | The city's spicy kebab, best with ayran |
| Künefe | The cheese-and-pastry dessert, another must-try |
| Menengiç coffee | The local coffee, made from roasted terebinth fruits and caffeine-free, to round off the meal |
Where to eat
The city centre and the citadel district are packed with pastry shops and kebab restaurants; the cuisine and baklava museums help you make sense of the local table. Most of the specialities run from breakfast, with katmer, to dinner.
Zeugma Mosaic Museum
Face to face with the Gypsy Girl
Opened on 9 September 2011 and billed as the biggest mosaic museum in the world, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum displays mosaics from Zeugma, an ancient crossing on the Euphrates about 50 km east, flooded by the reservoir of the Birecik Dam after finds surfaced in 2000. The star is the Gypsy Girl, who has a room of her own. Look also for Achilles, Dionysus and Ariadne, Zeus and Europa, a bronze Mars and a large wall painting of 140 m².
Tip
Arrive at the 08:30 opening to see the Gypsy Girl without the crowds, allow about an hour and a half to two hours, and check the closing hours, which change with the season. The museum was unharmed by the 2023 earthquake and reopened in April 2023.
Old town
Coppersmiths, old stone houses and museums
From the Coppersmiths' Bazaar to the Bey district
At the Bakırcılar Çarşısı, the Coppersmiths' Bazaar, a trade that has existed for over 500 years, the copper workshops are still at work. The Bey district lines up craftsmen's houses, and the Hasan Süzer Ethnography Museum occupies a house about 200 years old. Food lovers can add the Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum and the baklava museum.
| Place | Worth knowing |
|---|---|
| Gaziantep Castle | Badly damaged in 2023, it holds the panoramic defence museum; interior access was under restoration, so check before you go. |
| Hamam Museum | A restored bath of 1577, south of the castle. |
| Atatürk Museum | The house where Atatürk spent a night in 1933, now a museum of the early Republic. |
| War Museum (panorama) | A panoramic display of the War of Independence. |
| Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum | A stone house of 1904 devoted to local cooking. |
| Kurtuluş (Liberation) Mosque | A former Armenian church of 1892 whose dome and minaret collapsed in 2023; closed after the earthquake (check). |
Museums and opening hours
Several old-town museums open daily from 08:30, but hours and the state of buildings after the earthquake change: check before you go. The archaeology museum, which holds the prehistoric collections, was closed to visits.
History
From the Hittites to the Ottomans
The site has been inhabited since Hittite times, and the castle is said to rest on Hittite foundations. About 10 to 12 km to the north, Dülük, ancient Doliche, was home to the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus. The castle became Seljuk in 1071, after Manzikert; the Crusaders arrived in 1098 and Saladin in 1183, before the city passed to the Ottomans under Selim I in the early 16th century.
The 2023 earthquake
On 6 February 2023 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake damaged the castle, the Şirvani Mosque and the Kurtuluş Mosque, while the Zeugma museum stayed unharmed.
Day trips
Euphrates fortresses and neighbouring cities
| Destination | From Gaziantep | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Dülük | About 10 to 12 km north | Ancient Doliche |
| Zeugma | About 50 km east | The Euphrates crossing where the museum's mosaics were found |
| Rumkale | Day trip | Fortress on a peninsula in the Euphrates, with the church of St Nerses |
| Yesemek | Day trip | Open-air Hittite sculpture workshop, on the UNESCO Tentative List since 2012 |
| Şanlıurfa | About 1.5 hours | A neighbouring city in south-eastern Anatolia |
| Mardin | About 3 hours | A longer escape |
For Rumkale, Yesemek or Halfeti, a hire car or an organised excursion is simplest; public transport there is thin.
Getting to Gaziantep
Oğuzeli Airport, close to the centre
Gaziantep Oğuzeli
About 15 to 20 km from the centre, south-east of the city, a 20 to 30 minute drive. Flights from Istanbul take about 1 h 30 to 1 h 45 and are frequent; there are links with Ankara, Izmir and Antalya too.
A Havaş shuttle meets the flights from Istanbul; otherwise a taxi is simplest.
| Journey | Approximate time | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| GZT to the centre | About 20 to 30 minutes | Havaş shuttle or taxi; check times and fares |
| Centre to the Zeugma Museum | About 10 minutes | By taxi or dolmuş; the museum is in town, roughly a half-hour walk from the centre |
| Centre to the Zeugma site | About 1 hour | About 50 km east (check) |
| Centre to Şanlıurfa | About 1 h 30 | Car or coach |
| Istanbul to Gaziantep by coach | About 17 hours | Possible, but flying is far simpler |
Getting around
Tram, buses and walking
Gaziantep is a sprawling city, but most sights in the centre can be reached on foot. The Gaziulaş transport network runs bus routes, three tram lines and the Gaziray commuter train; tram line T1, which crosses the centre from north to south, is the most useful for visitors, and you pay by bank card on board. Taxis are plentiful.
Beyond the city
For Zeugma, Rumkale, Yesemek or Halfeti, a hire car or an excursion is simplest. The railway station is 2.5 km north of the centre but is of little use to visitors.
When to go
When to visit Gaziantep?
April to June
One of the two best periods, before the great heat.
July and August
Best avoided: very hot and dry, with peaks above 38 degrees C.
September to November
The other ideal window for walking the bazaars and museums.
Winter
Cool and wet, with a little snow on some days; January averages stay low (to be verified, around 3 to 5 degrees C).
How long to stay
How many days, what budget and what formalities
Zeugma and the old town
The Zeugma museum at opening time, then the Coppersmiths' Bazaar, the Bey district and a baklava.
At the table
Katmer or beyran for breakfast, the cuisine and baklava museums, then kebab and künefe.
A day trip
Rumkale, Halfeti, Yesemek or the city of Şanlıurfa, as you prefer.
Recommended length
Two to three days let you see the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the bazaars and the Bey district, taste the local specialities and, if you wish, add a day trip.
Cost level
Low to moderate: meals, taxis, public transport and museums remain affordable; city-centre accommodation and private excursions are the main expenses.
Entry rules and common sense
Depending on your nationality, an e-visa or an exemption applies: check the official site evisa.gov.tr and your own government's advice (to be verified). Gaziantep is a traditional and welcoming city and the usual precautions are enough; as for any destination, it is sensible to read your government's official travel advice before you leave. In mosques, cover shoulders and knees and take your shoes off at the entrance.
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In pictures
Gaziantep in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Gaziantep
Which airport serves Gaziantep and how far is it from the centre?
Gaziantep Oğuzeli Airport (GZT), about 15 to 20 km from the centre, a 20 to 30 minute drive. Flights from Istanbul take about 1 h 30 to 1 h 45.
When is the best time to visit Gaziantep?
April to June and September to November. July and August can exceed 38 degrees C.
Is Gaziantep an expensive destination?
No: the cost level is low to moderate. Meals, taxis and museums remain affordable; city-centre accommodation and private excursions are the main expenses.
How many days do you need in Gaziantep?
Two to three days: enough for the city, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the bazaars and the Bey district, with room for a day trip, for example to Rumkale or Halfeti.
How do you get around Gaziantep?
On foot in the centre, by tram (line T1 is the most useful), Gaziulaş bus or taxi; for day trips, a hire car or an organised excursion.
What should you eat in Gaziantep?
Pistachio baklava first, then katmer, beyran, ali nazik, yuvalama, künefe and lahmacun, with a menengiç coffee to finish.
How long do you need for the Zeugma Mosaic Museum?
Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours. The museum opens at 08:30: arriving early lets you see the Gypsy Girl with fewer people around.
How much does a flight to Gaziantep usually cost?
It mostly depends on your departure city, the season and how far ahead you book. The "deals" section above shows real examples of prices already detected by SniperAir for this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Gaziantep drops below my budget?
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