Things to Do in Samandağ: 7 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Samandağ

• 4 Ancient City
• 2 Nature
• 1 Cultural

i Photo: Htkava (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source

1 🏺 Ancient City

Titus Tunnel (Vespasian Tunnel)

An ancient tunnel structure built by the Roman Emperor Vespasian and completed by his son Titus.

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2 🌳 Nature

Mount Musa (Jebel Akra)

An important mountain surrounding Samandağ.

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3 🎭 Cultural

Vakıflı Village

The only Armenian neighbourhood in the world outside Armenia.

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4 🌳 Nature

Hıdırbey Musa Tree

The legendary Hıdırbey Musa Tree in Samandağ.

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5 🏺 Ancient City

Titus Tunnel

An ancient tunnel in Samandağ, near the Çevlik archaeological site.

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6 🏺 Ancient City

Beşikli Cave

Beşikli Cave, near the Titus Tunnel, known for its rock tombs.

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7 🏺 Ancient City

Seleucia Pieria

An ancient port city, the former name of Samandağ.

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While you are in Samandağ, 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.
• 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.
• Belen Pass — 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.

Practical Information for Visiting Samandağ

Suggested time

1–2 days

Best time to visit

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

Places to visit

7 places

• 🧀

  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 Samandağ too.

• 🐟

  Fish Soup

  A soup prepared with fresh fish from the Mediterranean, reflecting Samandağ's fishing tradition.

• 🥣

  Humus

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

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Samandağ

• 🏛️

  Ancient Seleukeia Pieria Heritage

  The Çevlik area of Samandağ contains the remains of the ancient city of Seleukeia Pieria. The first capital of the Seleucid Empire, the city was an important port city in the Roman period.

• 🤝

  Multicultural Life

  Samandağ is a multicultural district where Arab Alawite, Christian and Sunni communities live together. This diversity is reflected in cuisine, music and traditions.

Local Products

• Samandağ Pepper — Samandağ Pepper was registered as a protected designation of origin on 13 September 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 887). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruits and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• Samandağ Ney-i — Samandağ Ney-i was registered as a protected designation of origin on 23 November 2020 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 605). Product group: handicrafts other than carpets, kilims and textiles. Registered by: Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Economy

Samandağ's economy is based on agriculture, fishing and tourism. Citrus, olive and vegetable production are the main sources of income. The Titus Tunnel and the ancient port of Çevlik offer cultural tourism potential.

How to Get to Samandağ

Samandağ is 25 km from Antakya. It is approximately 50 km from Hatay Airport. There are regular minibus services to Antakya by road.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Hatay

Samandağ: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Samandağ 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
• İskenderun 6 places İskenderun Seafront and Promenade, Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Complex and Arsuz Beach
• 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)
• Yayladağı 9 places Yayladağı Border Gate and Panoramic View, Topraktutan Village (Türkiye's Southernmost Point) and Yayladağı Mountain Forests