At nine in the morning, the sound of hammered copper starts up in the Coppersmiths' Bazaar. The bazaar has stood on the same street since the 16th century, and Gaziantep Castle is a few minutes' walk away. Both are in the Şahinbey district, which means the city's historic core is here. Naturally, the first wish of guests coming here is the same: to stay somewhere they can walk down to the bazaar. That is where the search for a Şahinbey daily rental apartment begins, but the result is rarely what most guests expect.
What is the supply like in Şahinbey?
Emlakjet's listings showed eleven daily rental listings for the district, with a floor price averaging around 900 lira. The same source shows more than seventy listings on the Şehitkamil side, with a floor of 599 lira. In other words, daily rental supply in the city's most populous district is about one seventh of its neighbour's. Why is that? The reason is simple. Şahinbey is a historic, long-settled district, its housing stock is old, and furnished complex apartments suited to daily rental are scarce here.
Karataş, Yeditepe, Güneykent
Şahinbey has 181 neighbourhoods, and its population at the end of 2024 was 946,812. The three most populous neighbourhoods are Karataş, Yeditepe and Güneykent. Karataş is also the most populous neighbourhood in all of Gaziantep. These three lie in the north of the district, on the side bordering Şehitkamil, and unlike the historic centre their building stock is new. Limiting your Şahinbey daily rental search to these three neighbourhoods speeds it up noticeably.
The price of staying in the historic centre
Staying around the castle and the bazaar sounds great, we know. But the streets are narrow. Drivers cannot find parking, night traffic and bazaar bustle reach right up to the door, and an apartment big enough for a large family hardly ever comes up. Accommodation here tends to be boutique in scale. That is the price of walking distance.
Why does the Şehitkamil alternative work?
In Gaziantep, the distance between the two districts is not an hour's journey as it is in big cities. From an apartment in central Şehitkamil you can drive down to the castle and the bazaar in fifteen minutes, and back in the same time. In return you gain capacity and easier parking. A 1-bedroom apartment that sleeps up to five costs 4,000 lira a night for 4-5 guests; split between four people that comes to 1,000 lira each, and between five, 800 lira each. Our apartments are in Şehitkamil too. We compare the two districts separately in Şehitkamil or Şahinbey.
Bus station, train station and getting around
The first question for guests arriving from out of town by bus or train is how to get out of the terminal. For a Şahinbey-based programme, the tram and bus lines are enough, although services thin out in the evening. The advice for those coming by car is clear: do not drive into the historic centre; leave the car in one of the car parks nearby and walk.
Which kind of trip calls for Şahinbey?
For a two-night trip spent entirely in the historic centre, this district makes sense. A guest on a food tour, who wants to sit in the old caravanserais or spend time in the bazaar, should also stay close by. But for a family with children, a guest with hospital appointments or a two-week work schedule, the picture is reversed.
Şahinbey carries the city's history. Its daily rental stock, however, still sits in the neighbouring district, and that does not look set to change for at least the next few years.
Key facts
- District: Şahinbey, 181 neighbourhoods
- District population: 946,812 (2024)
- Daily rental listings: Around 11 (Emlakjet)
- Floor nightly price: 900 TL (Emlakjet)
- Şehitkamil comparison: More than 70 listings, floor 599 TL
- Most populous neighbourhood: Karataş, also first in all of Gaziantep
- Other busy neighbourhoods: Yeditepe, Güneykent
- Gaziantep Castle: Şahinbey, a few minutes' walk from the bazaar
- Coppersmiths' Bazaar: Eski Saray Street, since the 16th century
- Between the districts: About 15 minutes by car
- 1-bedroom apartment (ours): Up to 5 guests, 4,000 TL per night for 4-5 guests
- Per person for a family of four: 1,000 TL (800 TL for five)
- Location of our apartments: Şehitkamil, 5 apartments, 16 guests in total
- Bookings: +90 530 089 37 27
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do daily rental apartments cost in Şahinbey?
Emlakjet's listings show a floor price of 900 lira for the district. There are only around eleven listings, so the choice is limited compared with Şehitkamil.
Which district are Gaziantep Castle and the Coppersmiths' Bazaar in?
Both are in Şahinbey. The bazaar is on Eski Saray Street, and the castle is a few minutes' walk from it.
What if I cannot find an apartment in Şahinbey?
From an apartment in central Şehitkamil, the castle and the bazaar are fifteen minutes away by car. That side is also easier for capacity and parking. Our 1-bedroom apartments sleep up to 5 guests, and our studios sleep 2.
