The old city inside the walls (Sur) is compact and best explored on foot. The four main gates — Dağ Kapı (north), Urfa Kapı (west), Mardin Kapı (south), and Yeni Kapı (east) — provide orientation; most of the major mosques and hans are within a fifteen-minute walk of one another.
Taxis are plentiful and cheap for getting between the old city and the otogar (bus station) or the airport. Agree on the fare before you set off or insist on the meter. The airport is about 4km southwest of the old city; a taxi takes around ten minutes.
Dolmuş minibuses run along the main arteries of the new city and connect to outlying districts, but the routes aren't always obvious for first-time visitors. For day trips to Mardin, Hasankeyf, or the surrounding villages, private minibus services from the otogar are the most practical option; shared taxis also operate to nearby towns.
The Tigris (Dicle) promenade below the walls has a pleasant riverside path linking the historic bridges, accessible on foot from Mardin Kapı.