Photo: Carole Raddato (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Source Hatay is a multicultural city whose highlights include Antakya (Antioch), founded in 300 BC and one of the largest cities of the Roman world; the Church of St Peter, counted among the earliest churches of Christianity; the Hatay Archaeology Museum, home to one of the largest mosaic collections in the world; the Titus Tunnel; the Harbiye waterfalls; and Vakıflı, the last Armenian village in Türkiye. A UNESCO City of Gastronomy since 2017, Hatay has more than 80 registered products, the most famous of which is künefe.
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12 places worth seeing in Hatay, from historic monuments to natural wonders, grouped by type. Open any of them on the map with a single click.
Photo: Godfried Warreyn (CC BY 2.5) · Source A medieval castle on a steep hill at Belen, controlling the pass that links Antakya with Cilicia; in the Crusader period it was one of the Knights Templar's important bases.
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Photo: Zaviye Film (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source At Payas, on the pilgrimage road, a complex of caravanserai, mosque, madrasa, hammam and bedesten that Sokullu Mehmet Paşa had Mimar Sinan build in the 16th century; it is visited together with the neighbouring Payas Castle and the Cin Tower on the shore.
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Photo: Dosseman (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source The city's historic trading axis and the heart of Antakya, with its künefe makers, soap makers and spice sellers. It was heavily damaged in the 2023 earthquakes and reconstruction work is continuing.
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Photo: BSRF (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source A monument at Dörtyol, on the spot where the first shot of the War of Independence is considered to have been fired on 19 December 1918 against the French occupying forces.
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Photo: Htkava (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source A water tunnel and channel cut into the rock in the Çevlik neighbourhood of Samandağ in the time of the Roman emperors Vespasian and Titus (1st century AD) to protect the harbour of ancient Seleucia Pieria from floodwater; it is about 1.4 km long. The rock tombs in Beşikli Cave lie nearby.
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Photo: Volkan Hatem (CC BY 2.5) · Source A cave church carved into the rock on the western slope of Mount Stauris, 13 metres deep; according to Christian tradition it is where the first Christians of Antioch met in secret, and it is counted among the oldest churches in the world. Its façade dates from the Crusader period; inside are the remains of a floor mosaic from the 4th–5th century.
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Photo: Dosseman (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source One of the oldest mosques in Antakya; it is believed to have been built on the site of an old temple and church after the Arab conquest of the 7th century. The building that stood until recently had been rebuilt after the earthquake of 1853. It collapsed in the earthquake of 6 February 2023, and faithful reconstruction is under way.
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Photo: Carole Raddato (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Source One of the largest mosaic collections in the world, with Roman and Byzantine mosaics excavated from ancient Antioch and its surroundings; founded in the 1930s, the museum moved into its new building in 2014. It is famous for works such as Oceanus and Tethys, the Abandoned Ariadne and the skeleton mosaic. It was affected by the 2023 earthquakes; check whether it is open before you visit.
View on mapSmall waterfalls and springs flowing among laurel trees at Harbiye, south of Antakya; in antiquity this was Daphne, the sacred grove of the cult of Apollo. The restaurants beside the falls are popular for cooling off in the summer months.
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Photo: Batuhanoffical (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source The pass through the Amanos Mountains between Antakya and İskenderun, known in antiquity as the Syrian Gates; the surrounding area is a nature park and offers views over the Amik Plain.
View on mapOne of the longest beaches in Türkiye, stretching near the point where the Asi River (Orontes) meets the sea; it is one of the shores where sea turtles nest.
View on mapAt the foot of Mount Musa in Samandağ, this is the only village in Türkiye whose inhabitants are still Armenian today; it is known for its church, organic citrus orchards and handmade products.
View on mapHatay lies in the far south of Türkiye, between the Amanos Mountains and the Mediterranean, where the Asi River (Orontes) reaches the sea from the Amik Plain. The provincial centre, Antakya, was founded around 300 BC under the name Antiochia by Seleucus I Nicator, one of the generals of Alexander the Great; it was the capital of the Seleucid Kingdom and, in Roman times, one of the largest cities of the empire after Rome and Alexandria. The Church of St Peter in Antakya, regarded as the city where believers were first called “Christians”, is counted among the oldest churches of Christianity. The city’s harbour, Seleucia Pieria, lay in what is now the Çevlik neighbourhood of Samandağ; the Titus Tunnel, opened in the time of the Roman emperors Vespasian and Titus, was cut into the rock to protect this harbour from floodwater.
Antakya passed to the Arabs in 638, back to the Byzantines in 969 and to the Crusaders in 1098, and for two centuries was the centre of the Principality of Antioch; the Mamluks took the city in 1268, and it passed to the Ottomans in 1516. After the First World War the Sanjak of Alexandretta, attached to French-mandate Syria, declared its independence in 1938 as the State of Hatay and joined Türkiye in 1939. Today the province is known for its multicultural character, with Turks, Arabs (Alawite, Sunni and Christian), Armenians and a Jewish community living side by side for centuries.
The Kahramanmaraş earthquakes of 6 February 2023 and the Hatay earthquake of 20 February 2023 caused heavy loss of life and destruction in the province, especially in Antakya, Defne, İskenderun, Kırıkhan and Samandağ. Antakya’s historic bazaar, the Habib-i Neccar Mosque and many churches, mosques and mansions collapsed or were badly damaged; reconstruction work is continuing. When planning a visit, check in advance which places are open.
Hatay has a Mediterranean climate: summers are hot and humid, winters mild and very wet. Averages for 1940–2025 for Hatay from the Turkish State Meteorological Service:
| Month | Avg. high | Avg. low | Rainfall | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.1 °C | 4.7 °C | 197 mm | 15 |
| February | 14.5 °C | 5.7 °C | 163 mm | 13 |
| March | 18.2 °C | 8.5 °C | 143 mm | 13 |
| April | 22.6 °C | 12.2 °C | 100 mm | 9 |
| May | 26.6 °C | 16.3 °C | 84 mm | 6 |
| June | 29.3 °C | 20.9 °C | 30 mm | 2 |
| July | 31.2 °C | 23.9 °C | 16 mm | 1 |
| August | 32.0 °C | 24.6 °C | 17 mm | 1 |
| September | 31.0 °C | 21.2 °C | 41 mm | 3 |
| October | 27.4 °C | 15.2 °C | 77 mm | 7 |
| November | 20.3 °C | 9.6 °C | 98 mm | 9 |
| December | 13.8 °C | 6.0 °C | 180 mm | 13 |
The best periods are April–May and October–November. In summer temperatures exceed 32 °C and humidity is high; the Harbiye waterfalls and the cool highlands of Yayladağı are popular at this time. December–February are the wettest months. The beaches at Samandağ and Arsuz are suitable for swimming from June to September.
By air: Hatay Airport (HTY) opened in 2007; it is about 25 km from Antakya and about 45 km from İskenderun. Its runway was damaged in the 2023 earthquakes and it returned to service after repairs. The airports at Adana and Gaziantep are also alternatives.
By road: Hatay is reached by the Adana–Osmaniye–İskenderun motorway, and the road descends to Antakya over the Belen Pass. It connects to Gaziantep via Kırıkhan and Islahiye. İskenderun can also be reached by rail.
Day 1 — Antakya: The mosaics of the Hatay Archaeology Museum and the Church of St Peter; kağıt kebabı or tepsi kebabı for lunch, künefe in the evening. Find out the current situation in the historic bazaar, which is being rebuilt, on the spot.
Day 2 — Samandağ: The Titus Tunnel and Beşikli Cave, Vakıflı village; Samandağ beach at sunset.
Day 3 — The north: The Harbiye waterfalls, the Belen Pass and Bakras Castle; on the way back, the Sokullu Complex at Payas and the İskenderun seafront promenade.
Hatay cuisine is where the Mediterranean, Arab, Turkish and Armenian kitchens meet; in 2017 Hatay joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of gastronomy, and it has more than 80 registered products in the TÜRKPATENT records. The symbol of the city is Antakya künefesi, baked with unsalted cheese between layers of shredded kadayıf; the Antakya künefelik peyniri (Antakya cheese for künefe) used in it is also registered.
Kebabs: Antakya kağıt kebabı (kebab baked in paper), Hatay tepsi kebabı (tray-baked kebab), Hatay ali nazik (kebab on smoked aubergine purée), Hatay arap kebabı, Hatay halavet kebabı and Hatay yoğurtlu kebap (kebab with yoghurt). Mezes and breakfast items: Hatay humusu, Hatay muhammarası (walnut and pepper dip), Hatay haydari, Hatay zahter salatası (thyme salad), Hatay zeytin salatası (olive salad), Hatay abugannuş (aubergine dip), Hatay bakla ezmesi (broad bean paste), Antakya sürkü (spiced curd cheese) and mouldy sürk, Antakya carra peyniri (carra cheese) and Antakya tuzlu yoğurdu (Antakya salted yoghurt). Pastries and doughs: Hatay kaytaz böreği, Hatay oruğu and Antakya fış oruk, Hatay tepsi oruğu, Antakya külçesi, Antakya simidi and Hatay kömbesi. Desserts: Antakya künefesi, Hatay kabak tatlısı (pumpkin dessert), Hatay müşebbek tatlısı (fried syrupy dessert), Hatay haytalı (milk pudding), Hatay şam tatlısı (Damascus syrup cake), Antakya sakal kaldıran tatlısı (a sweet pastry) and Hatay peynirli irmik helvası (semolina helva with cheese). Products: Hatay nar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses), Hatay biber salçası (pepper paste), Hatay halhalı zeytini (Halhalı olives), Altınözü zeytinyağı (Altınözü olive oil), Dörtyol mandarini (Dörtyol mandarins), Samandağ biberi (Samandağ peppers), Kırıkhan kavunu (Kırıkhan melons) and Hatay defne sabunu (laurel soap).
Laurel soap (defne sabunu), one of Hatay’s most deep-rooted products, has a registered geographical indication. Hatay silk (Hatay ipeği) and Hatay yellow silk (Hatay sarısı ipeği), from the silk-farming and weaving tradition kept up in Samandağ, and the Samandağ ney (reed flute), among instruments, are registered handicrafts.
Hatay province has 15 districts. Explore the places to visit, local dishes and transport in each one.
A dessert with a registered geographical indication, baked with unsalted cheese between layers of shredded kadayıf.
A kebab with a registered geographical indication, cooked on greaseproof paper.
A registered kebab of minced meat baked in a tray.
A meze made with chickpeas and tahini, with a registered geographical indication.
A börek with a registered geographical indication.
A registered oruk, similar to içli köfte.
The main stops are the Hatay Archaeology Museum, the Church of St Peter, the Titus Tunnel, the Harbiye waterfalls, Vakıflı village, Bakras Castle, the Belen Pass, the Sokullu Complex at Payas, Samandağ beach and the İskenderun seafront promenade.
Künefe, kağıt kebabı, tepsi kebabı, hummus, muhammara, oruk, kaytaz börek, sürk and zahter salad. Hatay has been a UNESCO City of Gastronomy since 2017.
According to Christian tradition it is the cave church where the first Christians of Antioch met, and it is counted among the oldest churches in the world.
The assembly of the State of Hatay, founded in 1938, voted to join Türkiye on 29 June 1939.
Reconstruction is continuing in Antakya after the 2023 earthquakes. Some museums and historic buildings may be closed; check the current situation before you go.
April–May and October–November are the best periods; June–September is suitable for the sea.
The information in this guide has been compiled from and checked against the sources below (last checked: 7 October 2026). If you spot an error, please let us know.