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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 taxi3.1 mi 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 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 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)
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 kmDrive or dolmuş west via Samandağ, about 19 mi | About 1 h |
| Monastery of Saint Simeon | Drive 22 km southwest off the D420 to SamandağDrive 14 mi 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 kmDrive over Belen Pass on the D817, about 37 mi | 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.