Antakya (ancient Antioch) was the third-largest city of the Roman Empire, after Rome and Alexandria. It was a centre of early Christianity — Paul and Barnabas preached here, Peter was bishop, and the Gospel of Matthew may have been written here. The city was repeatedly devastated by earthquakes (most recently in February 2023) but its extraordinary archaeological heritage survives.
Hatay’s cuisine is one of the most diverse in Turkey, blending Levantine Arabic, Alevi, Armenian, Greek and Syriac traditions across dozens of dishes almost unknown in the rest of Turkey — künefe, hummus, oruk (bulgur-stuffed meatballs) and a different world of spice use.
- Region
- Mediterranean / Levant border
- Ancient name
- Antioch-on-the-Orontes
- Historical peak
- 300,000 population under Rome
- Known for
- Roman mosaics, St Pierre, Hatay cuisine
Hatay Archaeology Museum
The Hatay Arkeoloji Müzesi holds the largest collection of Roman mosaic floors in the world — over 1,700 m² of extraordinarily preserved floor mosaics from the villas of ancient Antioch. Scenes of Dionysus, Oceanus, Iphigenia, and mythological hunts rendered in millions of tesserae, many in vivid original colours. This museum alone justifies the journey to Hatay; it is one of the great art treasures of the ancient world.
St Pierre Church
The Sen Piyer Kilisesi is a natural cave in a cliff face above Antakya that was converted into a church in the 1st century CE — the place where the Apostle Peter is said to have preached to the early Christian community of Antioch. It is one of the oldest Christian places of worship in the world still in use, with a formal mass celebrated annually on 29 June (feast of St Peter and Paul). The simple interior, with a few ancient mosaics on the floor, has extraordinary atmosphere.
Harbiye (ancient Daphne)
Harbiye, 8 km south of Antakya, was ancient Daphne — a sanctuary grove of laurel trees sacred to Apollo where Romans from Antioch came to escape the heat. Today it is a gorge of waterfalls, restaurants built over running streams, and dense laurel forest. The waterfalls are spectacular after winter rain; the restaurant terraces over the water are one of Hatay’s most distinctive experiences.
Hatay cuisine
Hatay is the only Turkish city whose cuisine has been listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The city’s food blends Arab, Turkish and Levantine traditions:künefe (hot cheese-filled shredded wheat dessert soaked in syrup) was invented here; humus is made daily from scratch; oruk(bulgur torpedoes stuffed with seasoned meat) are sold at every bakery. Breakfast spreads in local restaurants are multi-course affairs.
Samandağ and Titus Tunnel
Samandağ, on the Mediterranean coast, has wide sandy beaches and the extraordinary Titus and Vespasian Tunnel— a 1,380 m channel cut through solid rock by Roman legionaries in 70 CE to divert a river away from Antioch’s harbour. One of the greatest Roman engineering works in Anatolia, entirely open to visitors.
Hatay in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Hatay
3Fly from Istanbul (IST or SAW) to Hatay Airport near İskenderun — 1.5 hour flight, 1–2 daily services. Note: the February 2023 earthquake damaged infrastructure; check current services. Buses from Istanbul take 14–16 hours.
Künefe is a warm dessert of shredded wheat (kadayıf) filled with unsalted cheese, soaked in sugar syrup and often topped with pistachios. It originated in Hatay and spread across the Levant; the Antakya version, eaten warm from the street, is the original and best.
The February 2023 earthquake devastated Antakya and much of Hatay province. As of 2025, significant reconstruction is underway, but many historic buildings were damaged. The Hatay Archaeology Museum and its mosaics survived; check current conditions before visiting.