What are the places to visit in Hatay? What can be done in Hatay?

Where is Hatay?

Hatay is a province located in the south. Hatay province, located in the Mediterranean Region, is the 13th most populous city in Turkey. Syria, our border neighbor, is located in the south and east of Hatay province. It is surrounded by Adana in the northwest, Osmaniye in the north and Gaziantep in the northwest.

How to go to Hatay?

It is possible to go to Hatay by using different transportation routes. In addition to air, road and sea, rail is another option for transportation to the city:

Hatay Airport, which was opened in 2007 in the province of Hatay, provides transportation to the city in a short time. There are reciprocal and direct flights from Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir cities. It is possible to reach the city by air in an average of 1 hour, 1 hour and 35 minutes. Visitors from abroad can easily go to Hatay by connecting from these 3 cities. Those who want to go to Hatay by road can take advantage of the reciprocal bus services from many cities.

It is possible to reach Hatay from Istanbul in approximately 11 hours by private vehicle. The distance between Istanbul and Hatay is 1130 km. The distance between Ankara and Hatay by private car is 7 hours, and the distance is 680 km. It can be traveled by private car in 1.5-2 hours between Adana and Hatay, which is 186 km. The distance between Mersin and Hatay is 265 km.

You can also go to Hatay by sea. It is possible to travel from the Iskenderun Port, which is the district of Hatay, to Adana and Mersin by rail.

What are the places to visit in Hatay?

Antakya is one of the oldest settlements of our country and has hosted dozens of civilizations. Hatay is a city that stands out with its natural beauties as well as its historical features. Hatay, which joined Turkey in 1939, is one of the few touristic cities. Hatay cuisine is also very famous.

The city of Hatay is a magnificent place with its natural and historical beauties. Hatay has a hot climate. This city, which can be visited in all seasons of the year, will still be more comfortable to visit in the spring and autumn months. Here are some of the places that must be seen and visited:

Antakya Mosaic Museum: Artifacts that still carry their mythological traces, from their glorious times to the present day, and unique symbols are currently exhibited in the Antakya Museum.

Vespasianus and Titus Tunnel: This tunnel, which is a magnificent and rare historical artifact, dates back to BC. It was built around 300 years. It is located in the Samandağ district of Hatay and approximately 5 km from the district.

st. Simon Monastery: This monastery is located on a mountain between the Antakya-Samandağ road and the Asi River. This monastery, built on a 479-meter-high hill in the Aknehir town of Hatay, was built in ADVI. It was built in the century. This is the Antakya St. It is also famous as the place where Simon lived for forty years on a column.

Koz Castle: Another historical place that must be visited in Hatay is Koz Castle. Koz Castle is located in Altınözü district.

Beşikli Cave: Another of the numerous historical places to visit in Hatay is Beşikli Cave.

Payas Castle: The history of Payas, which is the district of Hatay with the same name, dates back to ancient times. Within the borders of Payas district, which is thought to be as old as human history, there is this historical castle, Payas Castle.

st. Pierre Church: Located to the west of the Orontes River in Antakya, St. It is not known exactly when the Pierre Church was built. This magnificent historical place must be visited.

What can be done in Hatay?

It is possible to list some of the activities that are at the top of the things that must be done in Hatay as follows:

Batıayaz Plateau: You should definitely visit the Batıayaz Plateau, which is famous for Hatay’s natural water resources, and enjoy the ice-cold water and cool air while having a breakfast or picnic here.

Hatay Uzun Çarşı: Hatay cuisine is one of the few cuisines. In the historical Uzun bazaar, it is possible to see and buy a variety of local products, especially spices and pomegranate syrup.

Erzin Başlamış Thermal Springs: The thermal springs and springs in Başlamış village of Erzin district make a great contribution to the tourism of the city during the summer months. It is recommended to include it in the excursion program.

Historical Old Antakya Houses: Visiting these old buildings is a must.

Trying Hatay Cuisine Dishes: Hatay cuisine is a very rich cuisine. Felah meatballs, fasting, pepper bread, pumpkin dessert, belen pan and much more must be tasted.