Things to Do in İdil: 4 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in İdil

• 1 Ancient City
• 2 Religious
• 1 Nature

While you are in İdil, you can also see the highlights of Şırnak province. These places are in other districts; İdil is about 80 km from the provincial centre.

• Mount Cudi — A mountain 2,144 metres high in the Silopi district; in Early Christian and Islamic tradition it is named as the place where Noah's Ark landed after the Flood.
• Tigris River and Cizre — Cizre lies on the right bank of the Tigris, where the river bends and forms a water island; its name comes from the Arabic word jazira, meaning 'island'.
• Cizre Castle — A ruined castle on the bank of the Tigris, made up of an inner and an outer fortress.
• Cizre Grand Mosque — A historic mosque in the Dağkapı neighbourhood, thought to have been converted from a church in the 7th century; its round-bodied minaret was built in 1155. Its bronze door is among the important works of the art of carving.
• Silopi and Yankale — Silopi (517 m) was a settlement attached to ancient Nineveh; the hamlet of Yankale has the remains of an Assyrian-period castle.
• Beytüşşebap — A high-altitude district covering 1,647 km². The Habur Stream, which gives its name to the Habur Border Gate, rises here, and there is a hot spring.

Practical Information for Visiting İdil

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

4 places

• 🍖

  Kebap

  Kebap, made by grilling lamb over charcoal, is served in the traditional way in İdil too.

• 🥘

  Keledoş (lentil, bulgur and yoghurt soup)

  A traditional soup made with lentils, bulgur and yoghurt, and the staple dish of the winter months. Because it is prepared with seasonal ingredients, it offers a different flavour in every season.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of İdil

• ⛪

  Syriac Cultural Heritage

  Historical traces of the Syriac Christian community can be found in İdil and its surroundings. Old church remains and monasteries reflect the region's multicultural character.

Local Products

• Wheat — Wheat is widely grown in İdil.

Economy

İdil's economy rests on agriculture and livestock farming. Wheat and barley are the main agricultural products.

How to Get to İdil

İdil is 80 km from Şırnak city centre. It is 40 km from Cizre and 50 km from Midyat.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Şırnak

İdil: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in İdil Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Şırnak The province's 7 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Şırnak

• Şırnak Central District 4 places Mount Cudi, Şırnak Castle Ruins and Şırnak University Campus
• Beytüşşebap 4 places Beytüşşebap Valleys, Beytüşşebap Plateaus and Zümrüt Thermal Baths
• Cizre 11 places Banks of the Tigris River, Prophet Noah Mosque and Tomb and Cizre Grand Mosque
• Güçlükönak 3 places Güçlükönak Valleys, Historic Stone Houses and Finik Castle and walls (and the historic sites mentioned)
• Silopi 5 places Habur Border Gate, Silopi Plain and Nuh Nebi Mosque and Madrasa
• Uludere 6 places Uludere Valleys, Uludere Plateaus and Haftanîn and Kel Mehmet Mountain