Ancient Cilicia — today’s Mersin province — was one of the most important regions of the ancient world: a fertile coastal plain flanked by the Taurus mountains, traversed by Silk Road trade routes and dotted with the ruins of Greek, Roman and Byzantine cities.
Modern Mersin is Turkey’s largest Mediterranean port, but the province stretching west to Kızkalesi and east to Tarsus and Silifke rewards careful exploration with some of the country’s most dramatic coastal archaeology.
- Region
- Mediterranean / Cilicia
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Ancient region
- Cilicia
- Known for
- Kızkalesi, Tarsus, sea
Kızkalesi — the sea castle
Kızkalesi(Maiden’s Castle) is one of Turkey’s most dramatic medieval monuments — a Byzantine/Armenian fortress built on a small island 200 metres offshore, reachable only by boat. Its twin, Korykos Castle, stands on the mainland directly opposite. The beaches around Kızkalesi are among the best on this coast.
Tarsus — birthplace of St. Paul
Tarsus is one of the most historically significant cities in the Mediterranean world — birthplace of Saul of Tarsus (St. Paul), the meeting point of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, and a major Roman provincial capital. The St. Paul’s Well, the old bazaar and the Makam mosque mark the key sites.
Cennet ve Cehennem — Heaven and Hell
Two enormous natural sinkholes 30 km east of Mersin near Silifke: Cennet(Heaven) is a 200-metre-deep sinkhole with a Byzantine chapel at its floor, reached by 452 steps. Cehennem (Hell) is a smaller, deeper, vertical abyss — impossible to descend, haunting to look into.
Mersin in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Mersin
2Mersin is famous for Kızkalesi (a sea castle on an island), the birthplace of St. Paul in Tarsus, the Cennet ve Cehennem sinkholes, and its Mediterranean seafood and tangerine production.
Yes — particularly for travellers interested in ancient history. The stretch of coast from Kızkalesi to Silifke has extraordinary density of ruins, castles and natural wonders.