Tourism in Antakya

2023-09-20

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Table of contents

Information about Antakya City
Tourism in Antakya
- Top 6 Tourist Places in Antakya

Information about Antakya City

Antakya is located in southern Turkey, 67 metres above sea level. According to the 2020 statistics by the directorate of population, Antakya’s population is 383.354. Most of them work in agriculture, industry, and commerce.

Antakya has a historical status, mainly for Christians, as well as tourist importance as it has a wide variety of natural beauty.

Where is Antakya located?

Antakya is located in the far southern Turkey, within the borders of the Hatay governorate on the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and Adana from the west, Syrian cities of Idlib and Aleppo from the east, Gaziantep and Osmaniye from the north, and the Syrian city of Latakia from the south.

The Distance Between Antakya and Istanbul

Antakya is 1114 km from Istanbul and 672 km from Ankara. It has a domestic airport, Hatay Airport. The nearest international airport is Adana International Airport.

How Far is Mersin from Antakya?

Mersin is 280 km from Antakya.

Weather in Antakya

As it is nearby the Mediterranean Sea, Antakya’s climate is relatively mild over all seasons, with reasonable temperatures in summer and winter.

Antakya in Winter

The average temperature in January is 4º, somehow cold, with heavy rainfalls.

Tourism in Antakya

Antakya is known for its tourist attractions: there is a wide variety of tourist places to visit. Here is a list of the most prominent ones:

The Grand Mosque
Habib-i Neccar Mosque
The Monastery of St. Simeon
Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
Catholic Church of Antioch on Kurtulus Street
Antakya Synagogue (Havra)
The Protestant Church on Saray Street
Orthodox Church on Hurriyet Street

Church of St. Peter
Antakya Castle
Diocletian Bridge Antakya
The walls on the slopes of the Habib-i Neccar Mount, 3 km from the city centre
Hatay Archaeology Museum
Iron Gate, Antakya
Bakras Castle

In addition, Hatay is known for its unique cuisine.

Top 6 Tourist Places in Antakya

1. Orontes River

Orontes river springs from Beqaa Plains in Lebanon, 571 km long, 46 km of which is in Lebanon and 525 km in Syria, flowing towards Antakya, with 87 cubic meters / second in abundance, before it ends in the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Hatay Antakya

Hatay is one of Turkey’s governorates, Antakya is its capital city. Hatay is 5.678 km², having many districts, most of its population speak Arabic. It is known for agriculture and agricultural products as well as some coastal tourist places.

3. Hatay Archaeology Museum

Hatay Archaeology Museum is one of Antakya’s tourist attractions, built in 1934. It is famous for its wide-ranging collection of Roman and Byzantine mosaic, date back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods in the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries.

4. Habib-i Neccar Mosque

Habib-i Neccar Mosque is the first mosque in Antakya, built in 638 AD by Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah after the Antakya conquest. The mosque, a must-visit masterpiece, features unique architecture, dates back to the medieval eras.

The mosque has the man’s shrine, the first to believe in Messengers, scarifying his life for that belief. The mosque and the mountain o the northern side of Antakya got his name, Habib-i Neccar.

5. Saka Bath

Saka Bath is a historical bath and building located among the narrow alleys of the Antakya Long Bazaar, comprising three sections: the interior one (hot), two middle parts (medium-hot), and the fireplace.

The bath holds the shrine of Mohammed Saka, which got his name. It is no more in use nowadays, rather a tourist place.

6. Payas District in Hatay

Payas is one of Hatay’s districts and picnic spots, spreads out along the Mediterranean Sea, containing many beaches perfect for swimming and recreation.