Malatya sits in the upper Euphrates valley — a fertile basin sheltered from harsh eastern Anatolian winters by surrounding mountains, which has made it ideal for fruit cultivation for thousands of years. The apricot orchards are spectacular in April (blossom) and August (harvest); the dried fruit bazaar in the city centre is one of the most aromatic and photogenic in Turkey.
The nearby Euphrates River valley also contains two of the most significant archaeological sites in Turkey: Arslantepe, a 6,000-year-old city mound with Hittite, Urartian and Neo-Assyrian layers, and the UNESCO-listed Nemrut Dağı, 2 hours to the south.
- Region
- Eastern Anatolia / Upper Euphrates
- UNESCO site
- Nemrut Dağı (90 km south)
- Global production
- 65% of world's dried apricots
- Known for
- Apricots, Nemrut, Arslantepe, İnönü
Nemrut Dağı (UNESCO)
Nemrut Dağı (2,134 m) is one of the strangest and most spectacular ancient monuments in the world. King Antiochus I of Commagene (69–34 BCE) built a colossal tumulus here and surrounded it with giant stone statues — heads 2 m tall of himself portrayed as equal to Zeus, Apollo, Heracles and Tyche. The heads were toppled by earthquakes and now sit at the base of the statues, watching the sunrise with blank stone eyes. UNESCO listed the site in 1987. Sunrise and sunset are the classic times to visit; the light transforms the stone faces dramatically.
Arslantepe Archaeological Mound
Arslantepe Höyüğü, 12 km from Malatya city centre, is an archaeological mound occupied continuously for over 6,000 years. Italian archaeologists have excavated a remarkable sequence: a 4th-millennium BCE palace complex (one of the world’s earliest), Hittite reliefs, Urartian buildings, and Neo-Assyrian artefacts. The site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021. A new museum on site displays finds including early metal weapons and Hittite ceremonial lions.
Apricot orchards and bazaar
The Malatya Kuru Kayısı Pazarı(dried apricot market) in the city centre is one of Turkey’s most distinctive shopping experiences — warehouse- scale shops stacked floor to ceiling with hundreds of varieties of dried apricots: sour, sweet, stuffed with walnuts or almonds, dipped in syrup, compressed or whole. The apricot orchards around the city are beautiful in April (white blossom) and August (harvest), when the fruit is spread on rooftops to dry.
Battalgazi (Old Malatya)
Battalgazi, 12 km from modern Malatya, is the site of the original medieval city (Eski Malatya). It preserves the Ulu Cami(13th century, one of the finest Seljuk mosques in eastern Anatolia) and extensive caravanserai ruins. The district is calm and rarely visited — a contrast to the commercial bustle of modern Malatya.
Malatya in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Malatya
3Fly from Istanbul to Malatya Erhaç Airport — 1.5 hour flight, several daily services. Malatya is a practical base for Nemrut Dağı tours (90 km, 2 hrs).
Guided tours from Malatya are the easiest option — most include a pre-dawn drive to the summit for sunrise. Self-drive is possible: take the road through Kahta (90 km south). The last 10 km are steep mountain road; a 4WD is recommended but not essential. The summit is cold even in summer — bring a jacket.
Beyond apricots, Malatya is known for its Malatya meatballs (köfte), local mulberry and apricot products (fresh, dried, molasses, preserves), and walnut-stuffed dried apricots (cevizli kuru kayısı) — one of Turkey's finest confections.