Anyone interested in ancient history should visit the neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe, it is a site that predates any city or other sophisticated settled site currently known. Today the archeological site has been well developed and is a must for anyone visiting Turkey - Turkey is one of those counties with an impossibly long list of "musts" to see and do.
Gobekli Tepe is so old that it makes the pyramids look young and yet is it not likely even the oldest site - its currently-being-studied sister site of Karahan Tepe is likely to be even older. Gobekli Tepe is much older than Stonehenge in the United Kingdom.
Şanlıurfa - The Gateway To Göbekli Tepe And Other Archeological Sites
The base for exploring Göbekli Tepe is the city of Urfa (officially called "Şanlıurfa"). Urfa is the ancient city of Edessa that was important during Roman times and an important rich contested border region between the Parthians and the Romans.
Şanlıurfa: The Ancient City of Edessa (Called "Urfa" by The Locals)
Time Needed: At Least Two Full Days In Şanlıurfa
This region is full of things to see and do. When planning one's trip to Göbekli Tepe, plan to spend at least two days in Urfa. The musts to see and do here include visiting Gobekli Tepe and the Archeological Museum in the city. A couple of hours out of the city is another ancient site, Karahan Tebe, that is perhaps even older than Gobekli Tepe. But that is still currently being excavated.
Visiting Gobekli Tepe Information Center and Archeological Site
Gobekli Tepe is around a 20-minute drive from the city. It is very easy to take a taxi there and taxis will normally wait for one to explore the site.
There are many many signs along the road showing the way to Gobekli Tepe complete with replicas of the T-pillars lining the road.
Arriving at the site, one will be greeted with a brand new information center where one starts one's visitor and purchases the ticket. The information center has a couple of gift shops and a small cafe.
Admission Fee: 65 Turkish Lira in 2022 ($5)
Information Center: There Is A Large and New Information Center There
After the first building, there is the information building of the visitor center adjacent to the building with the gift shop and cafe. This introduces the site so that everyone will have an idea of what to expect and what the ruins once looked like in their heyday. The visitor center explains the background of the period and the site and how the climate was different 10,000 years ago.
Video: There Is a Very Dramatic Immersive Video At The Visitor Center
There is a very dramatic video shown on a very large curved wall. It shows the prehistoric people of the forest and is designed to excite people for the archeological site they are to see. It is a dramatic artistic depiction of ancient sharmanist religions.
When one can walk or take the shuttle bus from the visitor center to the archeological site. The shuttle bus leaves every 10 minutes or so and likely every 5 minutes in the summer. The site is protected by a large roof to shelter the excavated ruins from the elements.
Shuttle: There Is A Shuttle Leaving Every Few Minutes Up The Hill To The Site
Remember this is very much an active archeological site with only a very small part of the site excavated. Come in the right season and one is likely to see the archeologists hard at work.
Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum:
After Gobekli Tebe one should see the Şanlıurfa Archeaology Museum. It exhibits many of the artifacts discovered in Gobekli Tebe and delves deeply into its past and the current understanding of the important site.
Opening Hours: 8.30 am to 4.30 pm
It has large exact replicas from the site of its massive T-shaped monoliths and other finds and is the best museum on this site anywhere. Urfa has several other museums very much worth seeing.
Karahan Tepe:
Karahan Tepe is one of the sister sites of Gobekli Tepe and is currently being excavated. One can (and should) also visit this site. It is not yet fully developed so don't expect the same developed visitor center as at Gobekli Tepe and there is no public transport to the site (there is a shuttle running from the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum to Gobekli Tepe).
Karaha Tepe: Likely The Older Sister Site of Gobekli Tepe
To visit one will need to take a tour or hire a car. This site is believed to be even older but the official research papers are yet to be published. This region holds many secrets and mysteries that are coming to light now with more being learned every year.