Dishes you should try in Yayladağı: Zeytinyağlı Yemekler (olive oil-based vegetable dishes), Kaytaz Böreği (Hatay pastry with meat) and Dağ Keçisi Tandır (mountain goat from the tandır oven). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Yayladağı is famous for.
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Oil from olives grown on the mountain slopes of Yayladağı forms the basis of the local cuisine. Dishes such as olive oil artichokes, beans and stuffed vine leaves are at the head of the tables.
A traditional Hatay pastry made from dough of eggs, flour and milk, with minced meat inside, fried in a pan. It is often eaten at breakfast and as a snack in Yayladağı.
The meat of goats grazing on Yayladağı's mountainous terrain is prepared by slow-cooking in a tandır oven. The soft texture and natural aroma of the meat make it one of the most distinctive flavours of the local cuisine.
These dishes are known throughout Hatay province; see the provincial food guide for details.
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.
Because Yayladağı lies on the Syrian border, it has been a meeting point of different cultures throughout history. Turkmen, Arab and Armenian communities lived together for centuries, and this diversity is reflected in the region's cuisine and handicrafts.
Traditional activities such as goat grazing, olive harvesting and bay leaf picking are still carried on in the mountain villages of Yayladağı. Village weddings and holiday celebrations are colourfully celebrated with local music and dances.
Yayladağı is known for 3 local dishes, above all Zeytinyağlı Yemekler (olive oil-based vegetable dishes), Kaytaz Böreği (Hatay pastry with meat) and Dağ Keçisi Tandır (mountain goat from the tandır oven). Oil from olives grown on the mountain slopes of Yayladağı forms the basis of the local cuisine. Dishes such as olive oil artichokes, beans and stuffed vine leaves are at the head of the tables.
Yayladağı is known for Zeytinyağlı Yemekler (olive oil-based vegetable dishes), Yayladağı Olives and Olive Oil and Border Life Culture. Its best-known sights include Yayladağı Border Gate and Panoramic View and Topraktutan Village (Türkiye's Southernmost Point).
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Yayladağı include Yayladağı Olives and Olive Oil and Mountain Thyme and Bay Leaf.