Things to Do in İskenderun: 6 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in İskenderun

• 1 Historic
• 1 Nature
• 1 Beach
• 2 Attraction
• 1 Other

1 📸 Attraction

İskenderun Seafront and Promenade

The İskenderun seafront on the Mediterranean coast, with its palm-lined promenade, is a suitable area for evening walks and enjoying the sea views.

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i Photo: Nidayi (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

2 🏛️ Historic

Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Complex

Designed by Mimar Sinan in the 16th century, the complex consists of a mosque, a hammam and a madrasa. It is the most important Ottoman architectural work in İskenderun.

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i Photo: nurettingülay(from T… (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source

3 🌳 Nature

Arsuz Beach

Arsuz beach, south of İskenderun, with its long sandy strip and clear sea, is a beach preferred by holidaymakers in the summer months.

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4 📸 Attraction

Atatürk Boulevard

A coastal boulevard running parallel to the shore, around the Atatürk statue.

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5 🏖️ Beach

İskenderun natural beaches

Natural beaches and picnic areas around the district.

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6 📍 Other

İskenderun Port

The port in the district, described as the second-largest port on the Mediterranean coast.

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While you are in İskenderun, you can also see the highlights of Hatay province. These places are in other districts.

• Hatay Archaeology Museum — 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.
• Church of St Peter — 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.
• Habib-i Neccar Mosque — 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.
• Titus Tunnel — 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.
• Harbiye (Daphne) Waterfalls — Small 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.
• Bakras Castle — 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.

Practical Information for Visiting İskenderun

Suggested time

1–2 days

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn (March–May, September–November)

Places to visit

6 places

• 🐟

  İskenderun Balık Ekmek (fish sandwich)

  Freshly caught Mediterranean fish served in bread. It is served at the fish restaurants around İskenderun port.

• 🧀

  Künefe

  Künefe, made by placing fresh cheese between thin strands of kadayıf, baking it and sweetening it with syrup, is the most popular dessert in İskenderun too.

• 🥣

  Hummus

  Hummus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is an essential part of İskenderun's meze tables.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of İskenderun

• ⚔️

  Alexander the Great Heritage

  İskenderun was founded in 333 BC after Alexander the Great won the Battle of Issus. The city's name comes from Alexander the Great (Alexandretta).

• ⚓

  Port Culture

  İskenderun has one of Türkiye's most important ports. A city that has been the centre of maritime trade for centuries, it has a cosmopolitan port culture.

Local Products

• İskenderun Seafood — Fresh seafood, especially shrimp, sea bass and sea bream caught in the Mediterranean, is one of İskenderun's important natural products.
• Citrus Fruit — Oranges, lemons and mandarins grown around İskenderun are the region's important agricultural products.

Economy

İskenderun is the second-largest district in Hatay and an important industrial centre. İskenderun Port, the iron and steel industry (İSDEMİR) and trade are the main economic activities. The reconstruction process following the 2023 earthquake is ongoing.

How to Get to İskenderun

İskenderun is 40 km from Hatay Airport. It is 130 km from Adana. İskenderun Port provides sea transport. Intercity bus services are available.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Hatay

İskenderun: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in İskenderun Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Hatay The province's 12 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Hatay

• Altınözü 3 places Yarseli Dam, Kuseyr River and Asi River
• Antakya 8 places Habib Neccar Mountain, Asi River and Hatay Archaeology Museum
• Arsuz 10 places Amanos Mountains, Arsuz Ancient City and Arsuz Beach
• Belen 5 places Belen Pass, Amanos Mountains and Bakras Castle
• Defne 6 places Harbiye Waterfalls, Defne Forests and Harbiye Waterfalls (Daphne)
• Dörtyol 6 places Nur Mountains, İlk Kurşun Anıtı (First Bullet Monument) and Dörtyol Coast
• Erzin 5 places Erzin Coast, İssos Aqueducts and Erzin İçmeleri (Erzin spring waters)
• Hassa 8 places Amanos Mountains, Akbez Castle and Amanos Dağları Nature Park
• Kırıkhan 6 places Amik Plain, Kırıkhan Castle and Kırıkhan Bazaar
• Kumlu 5 places Amik Plain View, Kumlu Plain Bird Watching Area and Kaletepe Mound
• Payas 5 places Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Complex, Payas Kalesi (Cin Kulesi) and Payas Coast
• Reyhanlı 4 places Reyhanlı Çarşısı (Reyhanlı Bazaar), Amik Ovası Manzaraları (Views of the Amik Plain) and Yenişehir Gölü (Yenişehir Lake)
• Samandağ 7 places Titus Tunnel (Vespasian Tunnel), Mount Musa (Jebel Akra) and Vakıflı Village
• Yayladağı 9 places Yayladağı Border Gate and Panoramic View, Topraktutan Village (Türkiye's Southernmost Point) and Yayladağı Mountain Forests