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Cilicia
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Explore Cilicia in southern Türkiye for ancient cities, Taurus landscapes, Mediterranean coves, Adana cuisine and layered coastal history.

Cilicia is the historic Mediterranean region of southern Türkiye, extending from the sheltered Gulf of İskenderun and the upper Çukurova plain westwards along the coast towards Anamur, and north into the Taurus Mountains. It is best understood as two contrasting landscapes: Flat Cilicia, the fertile alluvial plain around Adana and Mersin, and Rough Cilicia, where mountains descend sharply towards coves, forests and ancient coastal settlements. Modern administrative boundaries do not entirely match the historical region, but its principal travel centres include Adana, Mersin, Tarsus, Silifke, Anamur and parts of Osmaniye.
Read more about Cilicia
The coastal and lowland districts combine productive agriculture with a long maritime history. Citrus groves, cotton fields, banana plantations and greenhouses occupy much of the plain, while the Mediterranean coast alternates between developed resort areas, fishing communities, wooded headlands and archaeological sites. Mersin provides the region's principal urban waterfront and port, while Adana, inland on the Seyhan River, is its major cultural and commercial city. Tarsus, slightly east of Mersin, preserves a particularly layered identity, with ancient religious traditions, Roman remains and later Ottoman-era streets.
Cilicia's archaeology is unusually varied. Tarsus was an important ancient city; Soli-Pompeiopolis, near modern Mezitli, preserves a monumental colonnaded street; and the hilltop fortress of Kızkalesi faces a ruined castle offshore. Further west, the remains of ancient Seleukeia on the Calycadnus stand above the Göksu valley, while Anemurium combines a broad Roman settlement with a Mediterranean shoreline. In the hills, remote ruins at places such as Olba and Diocaesarea reveal the political and religious landscape of Rough Cilicia, where temples, theatres, aqueducts and tombs survive among pine-clad slopes.
The region's history also appears in its food and daily landscape. Adana is associated with its finely seasoned kebab, while the wider Çukurova is known for citrus, bulgur, tahini-based dishes, künefe in the eastern Mediterranean tradition, and an extensive culture of breakfast rooms, bakeries and open-air markets. Mersin's urban life centres on its seafront, markets and restaurants, whereas smaller coastal towns tend to become busier in summer and quieter outside the main holiday season.
Cilicia rewards a route-based itinerary rather than a single-city stay. Urban museums and historic quarters can be combined with ancient sites around Tarsus and Mersin, while the western coast and Taurus foothills require more time because roads are often winding and sites are dispersed. Visitors who travel slowly will find a region where Roman engineering, Armenian and crusader fortifications, Ottoman commerce, mountain villages and modern Mediterranean agriculture coexist without forming a single uniform landscape.

Getting to and around Cilicia

How to get there

Çukurova International Airport is located near Tarsus and serves the Mersin and Adana area with domestic and selected international connections, subject to seasonal change. Adana and Mersin are also linked to the national intercity coach network, while the main railway corridor connects Adana, Tarsus and Mersin with other parts of Türkiye. Roads from Ankara and central Anatolia cross the Taurus through major passes, and the Mediterranean coastal highway links Mersin with the western Cilician coast. Check the exact airport, rail and coach arrangements before departure, as transport patterns can change.

Transportation

The urban corridor between Adana, Tarsus and Mersin has the region's most practical public transport, including trains, buses and local services. A car is useful for reaching dispersed ruins such as Anemurium, Olba and Karatepe-Aslantaş, although mountain roads can be winding and journey times longer than distances suggest. Coastal towns are connected by buses and minibuses, but services to small archaeological sites may be infrequent. Taxis are readily available in towns; for remote ruins, arrange the return journey in advance rather than assuming a passing taxi will be available.

Top city travel guides in Cilicia

The cities of Cilicia, and the easiest places to base yourself.

Best attractions in Cilicia

Cilicia's attractions range from major urban museums and historic quarters to isolated ruins in pine-clad hills. Adana's museums and riverfront provide an introduction to the plain's archaeology, agriculture and modern history, while Tarsus brings together Roman remains, religious associations and later townscape. Around Mersin, visitors can explore the prehistoric mound of Yumuktepe, the ancient colonnade at Soli-Pompeiopolis and the coastal sites of Kızkalesi. West of the city, Silifke and the Göksu valley lead towards the ancient centres of Olba and Diocaesarea, where temples, theatres and aqueducts occupy a mountainous setting. Anemurium, near Anamur, is notable for its extensive Roman streets, baths, houses and necropolis beside the sea. In the north-eastern part of historical Cilicia, Karatepe-Aslantaş offers an important Iron Age archaeological landscape within a wooded reservoir setting. Beaches, coves, river valleys and Taurus trails add outdoor variety, but many sites are dispersed and are better approached as parts of a carefully planned route than as quick stops between cities.

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Best landmarks in Cilicia

Cilicia's most recognisable landmarks express its position between mountains, sea and ancient empires. The offshore Kızkalesi, or Maiden's Castle, rises from the Mediterranean opposite the coastal settlement of the same name and is one of the region's defining views. In Mersin, the surviving colonnaded street of Soli-Pompeiopolis marks an ancient port city that was reshaped under Roman rule. The remains of Anemurium near Anamur form another major visual landmark, with Roman baths, mosaics, streets and a large necropolis set beside the coast. Inland, the monumental gateways and bilingual inscriptions of Karatepe-Aslantaş preserve the political presence of an Iron Age ruler in a wooded Taurus landscape. The hilltop ruins of Olba and Diocaesarea, near Uzuncaburç, are distinguished by temples, columns and dramatic mountain surroundings, while Tarsus's historic core retains the imprint of a city repeatedly rebuilt over ancient foundations. Further north, Kozan and the surrounding Cilician plain recall the medieval Armenian kingdom whose capital, Sis, stood in this part of the region.

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Best restaurants in Cilicia

Cilician food reflects the fertile Çukurova plain, Mediterranean agriculture and the region's links with Arab, Anatolian and Levantine culinary traditions. Adana kebab is the best-known local speciality: minced meat is seasoned, shaped around a broad skewer and traditionally served with flatbread, grilled peppers, herbs and salads. Across the region, look for citrus, seasonal vegetables, bulgur dishes, gözleme, tahini-based preparations, fresh yoghurt and bakery products. Mersin is particularly associated with tantuni, a finely chopped meat dish served in bread or lavash, while cezerye, a sweet made chiefly from carrot, sugar and nuts, is a characteristic Mersin purchase. Coastal towns serve fish when available, alongside meze and simple grilled dishes. Markets and breakfast rooms are often as revealing as formal restaurants, while rural roadside establishments may specialise in regional produce, soups and grilled meats. Künefe and other syrup-based pastries are common in the wider eastern Mediterranean food culture, rather than being exclusive to Cilicia.

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Best bars in Cilicia

Evening life is concentrated in Adana and Mersin, where restaurants, cafés, hotel bars and contemporary venues stay open later than in smaller towns. Adana's dining culture often carries into the evening, with kebab restaurants, tea gardens and riverside areas providing a sociable setting without requiring a formal nightlife itinerary. Mersin has the region's broadest choice of seafront cafés, bars and live-music venues, particularly during the summer season. Tarsus offers a quieter evening rhythm centred on cafés, restaurants and historic streets. Along the western coast, resort areas around Kızkalesi and nearby towns become livelier in summer, while smaller communities generally rely on family restaurants, tea houses and traditional pubs or cafés rather than nightclubs. Alcohol is available in licensed establishments, but evening culture also includes tea, coffee, desserts and late meals, so visitors need not centre their plans on drinking.

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Best nightclubs in Cilicia

Evening life is concentrated in Adana and Mersin, where restaurants, cafés, hotel bars and contemporary venues stay open later than in smaller towns. Adana's dining culture often carries into the evening, with kebab restaurants, tea gardens and riverside areas providing a sociable setting without requiring a formal nightlife itinerary. Mersin has the region's broadest choice of seafront cafés, bars and live-music venues, particularly during the summer season. Tarsus offers a quieter evening rhythm centred on cafés, restaurants and historic streets. Along the western coast, resort areas around Kızkalesi and nearby towns become livelier in summer, while smaller communities generally rely on family restaurants, tea houses and traditional pubs or cafés rather than nightclubs. Alcohol is available in licensed establishments, but evening culture also includes tea, coffee, desserts and late meals, so visitors need not centre their plans on drinking.

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Best shops in Cilicia

Shopping in Cilicia is strongest in the markets and established urban streets of Adana, Mersin, Tarsus and Silifke rather than in purpose-built luxury districts. Food is the most rewarding regional purchase: look for citrus products, cezerye, tahini, spices, bulgur, dried fruit, local honey and packaged ingredients associated with Çukurova cooking. Adana's covered-market traditions and Mersin's busy central shopping areas offer household goods, clothing, sweets and everyday produce, while Tarsus combines practical shopping with small stores near its historic centre. Silifke and the western coastal towns are useful for seasonal fruit, village products and simple beach-market goods. Craft and souvenir options vary, but ceramics, woven items, copperware and locally made food products are more meaningful choices than generic trinkets. Farmers' markets change by town and day, so ask locally for the next market rather than relying on a fixed regional schedule.

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Cilicia essentials

Currency and Payment
Cilicia uses the Turkish lira (TRY), the national currency of Türkiye. Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in hotels, supermarkets, transport hubs and established restaurants in Adana, Mersin and larger coastal towns. Cash remains useful at rural cafés, small shops, local markets, minibuses and archaeological sites with limited facilities. Carry modest lira notes and do not rely exclusively on a single card or mobile-payment method, particularly when travelling through mountain districts.
Safety
Normal urban precautions are appropriate in busy markets, transport stations and crowded waterfront areas. Summer heat is a significant practical consideration on exposed ruins and beaches, while rough ground, loose stones and limited shade require care at archaeological sites. Mountain roads may be narrow or poorly lit, and driving standards can vary, especially after dark. Follow local warnings at the coast, respect barriers around excavations and avoid entering unstable structures. In rural areas, tell someone about longer walks and carry enough water.
Emergency Situations
The national emergency number in Türkiye is 112, which coordinates ambulance, police, fire and other emergency services. English-language assistance may be available but cannot be assumed in every location, so keep your accommodation details and a written location nearby. At remote coastal or mountain sites, describe the nearest town, road or archaeological landmark as precisely as possible. Travel insurance should cover medical treatment and any planned outdoor activities.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress respectfully when entering mosques and religious buildings, remove shoes where required and follow local instructions about photography. At ancient sites, do not climb walls, remove stones or cross protective barriers. Queueing, modest public behaviour and asking permission before photographing people are courteous practices throughout Türkiye. In villages and smaller coastal communities, avoid treating working landscapes as photo props. Tipping is discretionary but appreciated for good service, and restaurant bills should be checked before payment.
Local Tips
The hottest part of the day is better spent in a museum, shaded market or long lunch, especially between June and September. Start open-air ruins early and combine nearby sites geographically rather than attempting the whole coast in a day. Tarsus is best approached as a historic town with several separate points of interest, while Mersin and Adana offer more reliable evening transport and dining. In the Taurus foothills, ask locally about road conditions after heavy rain, and allow time for village cafés and roadside produce stalls.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloMerhaba[Mehr-bah]
GoodbyeHoşça kal[Hosh-cha kal]
YesEvet[Eh-vet]
NoHayır[Hah-yuhr]
Please/You're welcomeLütfen[Loot-fen]
Thank youTeşekkür ederim[Teh-shehk-kur ed-er-im]
Excuse me/SorryAffedersiniz[Ahf-feh-der-sin-iz]
How are you?Nasılsınız?[Nah-suhl-sin-iz]
Fine. And you?İyiyim. Ya siz?[Ee-yee-yim. Yah siz?]
Do you speak English?İngilizce biliyor musunuz?[Eeng-ee-liz-jeh bee-lee-yor moo-sun-uz]
I don't understandAnlamıyorum[Ahn-lah-muh-yor-um]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseMenüyü görebilir miyim, lütfen?[Men-oo-yoo go-reh-bee-lir mee-yim, loot-fen?]
I don't eat meatEt yemiyorum[Et ye-mee-yor-um]
Cheers!Şerefe![Sheh-reh-feh]
I would like to pay, pleaseÖdemek istiyorum, lütfen[Oh-deh-mehk ees-tee-yor-um, loot-fen]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Yardım edin![Yahr-dum eh-din!]
Go away!Defol![Deh-fol!]
Call the Police!Polisi arayın![Poh-lee-see ah-rah-yin!]
Call a doctor!Doktor çağırın![Dok-tor chah-uh-rin!]
I'm lostKayboldum[Kai-bol-dum]
I'm illHastayım[Has-tah-yim]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Satın almak istiyorum...[Sah-tuhn ahl-mahk ees-tee-yor-um]
I'm just lookingSadece bakıyorum[Sah-jeh-deh bah-kee-yor-um]
How much is it?Bu ne kadar?[Boo neh kah-dahr?]
That's too expensiveBu çok pahalı[Boo chohk pah-hah-luh]
Can you lower the price?Fiyatı düşürebilir misiniz?[Fee-yah-tuh doo-she-reh-bee-lir mee-sin-iz?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Saat kaç?[Sah-at kahch?]
It's one o'clockSaat bir[Sah-at beer]
Half past (10)On buçuk[On boo-chook]
MorningSabah[Sah-bah]
AfternoonÖğleden sonra[Uhr-leh-den sohn-rah]
EveningAkşam[Ak-shahm]
YesterdayDün[Doon]
TodayBugün[Boo-goon]
TomorrowYarın[Yah-rin]
1Bir[Beer]
2İki[Ee-kee]
3Üç[Ooch]
4Dört[Durt]
5Beş[Besh]
6Altı[Al-tuh]
7Yedi[Yeh-dee]
8Sekiz[Seh-keez]
9Dokuz[Doh-kooz]
10On[On]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Nerede...?[Neh-reh-de...?]
What's the address?Adres ne?[Ah-dres neh?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Haritada gösterir misiniz?[Hah-ree-tah-dah goh-ster-ir mee-sin-iz?]
When's the next (bus)?Sonraki (otobüs) ne zaman?[Sohn-rah-kee (oh-toh-boos) neh zah-mahn?]
A ticket (to ....)Bir bilet (....)[Beer bee-let (....)]

History of Cilicia

Yumuktepe and the First Settled Communities

The mound of Yumuktepe, within modern Mersin, records settlement from prehistoric times and is among the most important archaeological sites in the Cilician plain. Its successive layers illustrate the development of farming, craft production, storage and fortified settlement in a fertile corridor between the Mediterranean and the Taurus. Cilicia's position made it a meeting ground between Anatolia, northern Syria and the eastern Mediterranean. Long before the classical cities emerged, communities here benefited from river valleys, cultivable soils and access to coastal and overland routes.

Hittite and Neo-Hittite Cilicia

During the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages, Cilicia was influenced by the Hittite world and by the successor polities often called Neo-Hittite states. The most visible legacy is at Karatepe-Aslantaş in the hills of modern Osmaniye, where a fortified settlement founded in the eighth century BCE preserves monumental gateways and bilingual inscriptions. These texts, written in Phoenician and Luwian, have been important for understanding the region's languages and political culture. Cilicia was already a strategic frontier linking the Anatolian interior with Syria and the coast.

Persian and Hellenistic Kingdoms

Cilicia came under Achaemenid Persian influence before the campaigns of Alexander the Great transformed the political order of the eastern Mediterranean in the late fourth century BCE. Hellenistic dynasties and local rulers developed or refashioned cities including Tarsus, Soli and Seleukeia, while ports and mountain passes supported trade and military movement. Greek language and urban forms became influential, although older Anatolian and Near Eastern traditions continued. The region's harbours and agricultural plain made it valuable to competing kingdoms based in Syria, Anatolia and Egypt.

Roman Cilicia and the Prosperity of Tarsus

Rome gradually incorporated Cilicia during the first century BCE, after a period in which piracy and rival powers troubled the coast. Tarsus became a major city of the Roman East and the capital of the province of Cilicia, while roads, bridges, ports, aqueducts and theatres connected the plain with the mountain districts. Anemurium, Soli-Pompeiopolis and other centres prospered through agriculture, commerce and maritime exchange. The extensive ruins scattered through Rough Cilicia preserve the scale of Roman urban life beyond the region's modern cities.

Christianity and the Byzantine Frontier

Cilicia became an important Christian landscape during late antiquity and the Byzantine era. Tarsus was associated with Saint Paul, who was born there according to the New Testament, although the surviving city has been shaped by many later periods. Churches, monasteries and episcopal centres developed alongside older Roman settlements. The Taurus passes also gave the region military importance, as Byzantine authorities defended routes between Anatolia and Syria. Earthquakes, changing trade patterns and political instability altered many ancient towns, but Cilicia remained a contested frontier.

The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

From the late eleventh century, Armenian political power became firmly established in Cilicia, and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia flourished from the twelfth to the fourteenth century. Its rulers controlled ports, mountain fortresses and commercial routes while negotiating with Byzantines, Crusader states, Muslim powers and European merchants. Strongholds such as Lampron and the castles around the western Cilician coast illustrate the defensive landscape of the period. The kingdom's capital was at Sis, modern Kozan, whose location in the northern Cilician plain remains a significant part of the region's medieval history.

Ottoman Integration and the Çukurova Transformation

Cilicia was incorporated into the Ottoman political order in stages, and Adana and Tarsus developed as centres of administration, trade and agriculture. In the nineteenth century, the Çukurova plain underwent intensified cultivation, with cotton becoming especially important and new transport links strengthening connections to the Mediterranean ports. The region experienced major demographic and political upheavals during the final years of the Ottoman Empire and the early Turkish Republic. Modern Adana and Mersin grew from this combination of agriculture, industry, migration and port commerce.

Cilicia in Photos

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Evendo - Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Cilicia, Turkiye

Discover Cilicia with Evendo: A 100% free app-based travel guide covering top attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more. Plan, book, and explore effortlessly.

  • Detailed information on top attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities
  • High-quality images and descriptions for each location
  • Local tips and advice
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Explore Cilicia, Turkiye like never before with Evendo, the free app-based travel guide. Find the best attractions, restaurants, and experiences, all in one place.

  • Interactive maps and contact details
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  • Historical insights and travel essentials
  • User-friendly navigation
  • 'Near Me' feature to discover nearby attractions
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Imagine you are a traveler venturing into the historic and vibrant region of Cilicia in Turkiye. With Evendo, your journey transforms from ordinary to extraordinary. Evendo is your comprehensive travel companion, providing detailed information on all the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities in Cilicia.

Visit iconic landmarks like Anavarza Castle with its ancient ruins, or the bustling Mersin Marina for a blend of modernity and tradition. Dive into the rich history at the Roman Theatre of Soli-Pompeiopolis and enjoy local delicacies at renowned restaurants like Kebapçı Halil Usta. Each location on Evendo is enriched with images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details, making it effortless to plan and organize your trip.

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