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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Antakya
Go for 1–2 nights if you want Roman and early-Christian sites and Hatay food; skip if you expect a rebuilt old town — much of the centre is still rubble in 2026.
Antakya is the old Antioch-on-the-Orontes, capital of Hatay province and one of the first Christian communities. The 2023 earthquake wrecked the historic centre, so 2026 travel here is about a handful of surviving sights, the mosaic museum, the Church of Saint Peter and Hatay's Arab-Turkish food, not strolling a bazaar. One full day covers the city; add a second for the coast and Titus Tunnel.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, humid), winter rain
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid ₺2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High ₺3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea | ₺40–100 |
| Künefe (shredded pastry with cheese) | ₺120–250 |
| Kebab or humus plate | ₺200–450 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | ₺250–400 |
| Church of Saint Peter entry | €8 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₺300–700 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HTY · Hatay Airport
- 25 km (16 mi) north of the centre; Turkish Airlines and Pegasus fly from Istanbul, about 1 h 50 min. Basic facilities; bus or taxi into town.16 mi (25 km) north of the centre; Turkish Airlines and Pegasus fly from Istanbul, about 1 h 50 min. Basic facilities; bus or taxi into town.
Typical fares
- HTY airport → city centre
- bus or taxi, about 1 h by bus (check)
- Dolmuş in the city
- about ₺30 (check)
- Taxi across the centre
- ₺250–400 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is walkable, but the Church of Saint Peter and the archaeological museum sit several km out, across industrial ground. Dolmuşes and taxis are plentiful; a car helps for the coast and outlying sites.
See and do
Known for
- Antioch-on-the-Orontes, early Christian centre
- Church of Saint Peter
- Roman mosaics
- Hatay cuisine: künefe, humus, tahini
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Titus Tunnel and Çevlik | Drive or dolmuş west via Samandağ, about 30 km (19 mi)Drive or dolmuş west via Samandağ, about 19 mi (30 km) | About 1 h |
| Monastery of Saint Simeon | Drive 22 km (14 mi) southwest off the D420 to SamandağDrive 14 mi (22 km) southwest off the D420 to Samandağ | About 45 min |
| Vakıflı and Moses' Tree | Drive into the hills north of Samandağ | About 1 h |
| Iskenderun | Drive over Belen Pass on the D817, about 60 km (37 mi)Drive over Belen Pass on the D817, about 37 mi (60 km) | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Kurtuluş Cd and around
- The old spine of the city, north and south of Habib-i Nejjar Mosque; most surviving hotels cluster here.
- Cumhuriyet Meydanı
- Central roundabout; walkable to the river park and the museum, but civic buildings around it were destroyed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamer-hah-BAH |
| Thank you | Teşekkürlerteh-shek-kewr-LER |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?neh kah-DAR |
| The bill, please | Hesap, lütfenheh-SAP lewt-FEN |
| Where is the toilet? | Tuvalet nerede?too-vah-LET NEH-reh-deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?KART-lah ur-deh-yeh-bee-LEER mee-yim |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Large parts of the historic centre are still rubble or fenced off; expect construction and dust.
- The Hatay Archaeological Museum is temporarily closed for repair — check before you plan around it.
- The intercity bus station (otogar) is 5 km northwest and was badly damaged; facilities are makeshift.
- Trains from Adana and Mersin are suspended; the nearest station is İskenderun.
- Koz Castle and some hillside ruins are unstable after the earthquake — take care approaching.
Antakya is a working recovery zone, not a dangerous city: the real risks are unstable ruins, construction traffic and summer heat. Use 112 for anything, and don't walk into fenced or rubble-strewn sites.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Antakya yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Antioch-on-the-Orontes, early Christian centre
- Church of Saint Peter
- Roman mosaics
- Hatay cuisine: künefe, humus, tahini
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Antakya municipality: www.antakya.bel.tr/
- Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism — museum portal: muze.gov.tr/
- Wikivoyage: Antakya, revision 5296987 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5296987
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Antakya
Bu adrese, lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Antakya; most countries keep embassies in Ankara and consulates-general in Istanbul. Check your own country's list.
Antakya is not Antalya — check your ticket.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/antakya). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.