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Mardin is very old city which was founded several thousands years ago at the mountains of the Northern Mesopotamia. The development of the Great Silk road gave rise to this city. Under the walls of the Mardin fortess the caravans found shelter and took a rest before going to Amed (present Diyarbakır) or Edessa (now Şanlıurfa).
Even at the present time special local type of dried bread is one of the most popular products of bakeries in the old part of Mardin. This bread was the perfect choice to take it to the road. Also many varieties of oriental sweets like almonds in sugar or pestil (dried fruit pulp) are produced there. They can keep their quality and taste for a long time.
The best sweets shops are located on the main street of the Old Mardin. In olden days the whole life of the city was concentrated there. The Great Silk road was not only the route for silk but for spices also. So you can buy at the old city bazaar different types of spices and herbs. In comparison for example with Istanbul prices for similar products in Mardin are much lower.
If you come to the old Mardin you should try coffee in the local coffeehouses. Many of them have terraces with beautiful view of the city. The most popylar types of coffee there are Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) and Dibek coffee (Dibek kahvesi). Also there are some good shops where you can buy coffee for making at home.