In the footsteps of Abraham – Şanlıurfa & Harran

Jews, Christians and Muslims honour Abraham as their father in faith. In Şanlıurfa and nearby Harran he is present to this day: in stories, at holy places and in the names of mosques. We fly early in the morning from Istanbul to Şanlıurfa, visit the places of the Abraham tradition and drive in the afternoon to Harran, the Haran of the Bible, before you fly back in the evening.

Highlights

• Domestic flight Istanbul – Şanlıurfa and back, departing from IST or SAW
• Balıklıgöl: the pool of the sacred fish and the story of Nimrod's fire
• Birth cave of Abraham (Mevlid-i Halil)
• Rızvaniye and Halil-ür-Rahman mosques by the water
• Harran, the Haran of the Bible (Gen 11:31–32; 12:4–5): place of Terah, Abraham and Jacob
• Beehive houses, ruins of the Great Mosque, city wall and citadel

Full description

An old tradition identifies Urfa with "Ur of the Chaldeans", from where Terah set out with Abram, Sarai and Lot (Gen 11:31). Jewish and Islamic tradition tell that King Nimrod had Abraham thrown into the fire for his faith in the one God; but God turned the fire into water and the logs into fish. Balıklıgöl with its carp recalls this story; on its shore stand the Rızvaniye and Halil-ür-Rahman mosques. "Halil-ür-Rahman" means "friend of the Merciful" – the Bible too calls Abraham "the friend of God" (Jas 2:23). In the Mevlid-i Halil cave Abraham was born, according to tradition. Urfa, ancient Edessa, was also one of the early centres of Christianity.

In the afternoon we drive across the plain to Harran. Here Terah settled with his family and died (Gen 11:31–32); from here Abram, seventy-five years old, set out as the LORD had told him, with Sarai, Lot and all their possessions for the land of Canaan (Gen 12:4–5). Generations later Jacob fled to Haran (Gen 28:10), met Rachel at the well and served Laban (Gen 29). We walk among the mud-brick beehive houses, to the ruins of the Great Mosque with its square minaret, to the city wall and the citadel. In antiquity Harran was also a cult centre of the moon god Sin – a background that casts Abraham's departure in a new light.

For you this means: you book everything in one step – flights, transfers and guiding – at one fixed total price.

What we see

We adapt order and selection to weekday, opening hours, weather and your wishes.

• 1 · Flight Istanbul – Şanlıurfa
  Early pick-up at your hotel, transfer to IST or SAW airport, flight to Şanlıurfa (GNY), drive to the old town.
• 2 · Balıklıgöl
  Pool of the sacred fish and the Abraham tradition of Nimrod's fire.
• 3 · Mevlid-i Halil
  Cave where, according to tradition, Abraham was born.
• 4 · Rızvaniye and Halil-ür-Rahman mosques
  The two mosques on the shore of Balıklıgöl.
• 5 · Harran
  Beehive houses, ruins of the Great Mosque, city wall and citadel; on request a reading of the Abraham and Jacob texts.
• 6 · Flight back to Istanbul
  Drive to Şanlıurfa airport (GNY), evening flight, in Istanbul transfer back to your hotel.

Included

• Private, state-licensed tour guide in your language (Mehmet Humayunoğlu or an experienced colleague from his team)
• Domestic flight Istanbul (IST or SAW) – Şanlıurfa (GNY) and back
• Transfer hotel Istanbul – airport and back
• Vehicle with driver from and to Şanlıurfa airport (GNY) for the day programme including Harran
• Planning, coordination and time management of the day

Not included

• Entrance fees (among others Harran)
• Lunch, drinks
• Personal expenses, tips

Meeting point

We pick you up early in the morning at your hotel in Istanbul and bring you back there at the end of the tour. Departure airport is either Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW); destination airport is Şanlıurfa GAP (GNY).

You will recognise me by the sign “MeinReiseleiter.de” and the visibly worn guide licence. We confirm meeting point and time with your booking.

Important information

German, English, Turkish, French, Italian, Spanish – 25 more languages on request.

• Names as in your passport – We issue the flight tickets in the names you enter in the booking form. Please write them exactly as in your ID or passport.
• Bring your ID – All travellers need their passport or national ID card for the domestic flight.
• Flight times – We confirm the exact flight times and your hotel pick-up time with the booking.
• Long day – Early pick-up, back at the hotel late in the evening.
• For congregations and Bible groups – On request we read the texts of Abraham's departure and of Jacob with Laban in Harran and leave room for a short devotion. Please note this when booking.
• Clothing – For mosques and the Mevlid-i Halil cave please cover shoulders and knees; women need a headscarf. Men and women enter the cave through separate entrances.
• Sun protection and water – In summer it gets very hot in Şanlıurfa and on the Harran plain; bring a hat, sun protection and water.