Things to Do in the Mediterranean Region

In this guide the Mediterranean region consists of eight provinces: Adana, Antalya, Burdur, Hatay, Isparta, Kahramanmaraş, Mersin and Osmaniye. Antalya, Mersin and Hatay lie on the coast; Burdur and Isparta belong to the Lakes District, while Kahramanmaraş and Osmaniye lie close to the eastern edge of the Çukurova plain. As a result, sea, lake, mountain and ancient-city routes are easy to tell apart and plan separately.

Ancient Cilicia, Pisidia and Lycia

The region is very rich in ancient cities. In Antalya you can visit Hadrian’s Gate, Kaleiçi and the Roman theatre at Aspendos, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Xanthos–Letoon, and the sunken city of Kekova. In Mersin there are Kızkalesi (Korykos) standing in the sea, Mamure Castle and Anemurium at Anamur, Uzuncaburç (Olba–Diocaesarea), and the Cennet and Cehennem sinkholes (Heaven and Hell) that descend underground. In Burdur you can see Sagalassos, the capital of Pisidia, the Antonine Fountain, Kibyra and Kremna. In Osmaniye there are the Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum, where the decipherment of Hittite hieroglyphs became possible, and Kastabala. Pisidian Antioch (Yalvaç) in Isparta is a further addition to this list.

Antakya, Adana and Maraş

In Hatay the highlights are Antakya (Antioch), the Church of St Peter, the Habib-i Neccar Mosque, the Titus Tunnel, the Harbiye (Daphne) Waterfalls and the Hatay Archaeology Museum. In Adana the Roman Taşköprü bridge, the Great Clock Tower, the Grand Mosque and the Yağ Mosque stand out. In Kahramanmaraş the castle, the Grand Mosque and Taş Madrasa, the Archaeology Museum and Maraş ice cream, made from goat’s milk and salep, shape the city’s identity.

Lakes and nature

The turquoise Lake Salda in Burdur, Lake Eğirdir in Isparta, Lake Kovada National Park and Yazılı Canyon Nature Park, the Düden Waterfalls in Antalya and the Zorkun Plateau in Osmaniye are the region’s natural stops. Isparta is also known for its rose gardens and rose oil.

Cuisine and local products

• Adana: Adana kebabı, şalgam suyu (turnip and carrot juice), bici bici, ciğer şiş; Kozan oranges.
• Hatay: Antakya künefesi, kağıt kebabı, tepsi kebabı, hummus; Antakya künefe cheese, laurel soap.
• Antalya: piyaz, kabak tatlısı (pumpkin dessert); Finike oranges.
• Mersin: tantuni, cezerye (carrot sweet), kerebiç, Tarsus hummus and kebab; Anamur bananas, Erdemli lemons.
• Kahramanmaraş: Maraş dondurması (Maraş ice cream), eli böğründe, Maraş tarhanası (Maraş tarhana soup mix); Maraş pepper.
• Osmaniye: Zorkun tava, Kadirli sucuk ekmek, bayram kömbesi; peanuts.
• Isparta: kabune pilavı, Yalvaç hamursuzu; Isparta roses, rose oil and rose water.
• Burdur: şiş köfte, ceviz ezmesi (walnut paste), haşhaş helvası (poppy-seed halva), Bucak salebi; Karamanlı walnuts.

Getting There

Adana, Antalya, Hatay, Isparta, Kahramanmaraş and Mersin have air connections, and Antalya, Mersin and Hatay can also be reached by sea. Adana, Mersin, Osmaniye, Isparta, Kahramanmaraş and Hatay are on the railway network. Burdur can be reached only by road. Because the coastal strip between Antalya, Mersin and Hatay is long, it is easier to treat the region as two separate trips rather than seeing it all at once: the Western Mediterranean (Antalya, Burdur, Isparta) and the Eastern Mediterranean (Adana, Mersin, Hatay, Osmaniye, Kahramanmaraş).

Below you will find the guide to each province, along with its districts, food and transport information.