Did you know that Adana is one of the few cities in the world that has been continuously inhabited for 8 thousand years? Or that the name has remained the same for 4,000 years? Historically the largest city in Cilicia, Adana is not only full of kebabs and hot weather, but also of natural beauty, ancient cities and Turkish, Armenian and Arab cultural heritage.
In this list you can find some of our favorite good restaurants and places that we associate with Adana:
Restaurants:
Coffee & Breakfast & Bakery:
Cocktail&Pub:
Places we plan to try on future trips
Let’s talk about our 1-day route where we traced the traces of ancient settlements in the immediate vicinity of Adana.
Early in the morning, we have breakfast with turnips and bagels at Kardeşler bakery and after wandering around the bazaar for a while, we recharge our batteries at Güler Kardeşler and hit the road.
The first stop on our route is Misis, about 40 minutes drive away. Overlooking the Ceyhan River, this ancient city is said to have been founded by Mophos, one of the Trojan heroes, and its settlement history dates back to 7000 BC.
The Misis Bridge, which is still in use today, was built by the Roman Emperor Flavius Julius Constantius in the 4th century.
A legend about the bridge is that the paper written by Lokman Hekim, who found the medicine of immortality, flew out of his hand while crossing this bridge.
While we are here, we take a break at Lokman Hekim, right next to the bridge, and taste cubed cubes in butter, hummus and Misis ayran.
Our second stop is a medieval castle on the Silk Road: Snake Castle
The castle has many legends, according to some, the mythological figure Shahmeran lived here, the Seyahatname tells of snakes living in swarms, and in various stories, unprecedented snakes are always associated with this castle.
Although it is difficult to reach the top of the castle, a pleasant view of Çukurova awaits you at every point you can climb. Here we have our tea and continue to the last stop.
One of the largest ancient settlements in Anatolia, where the first settlement is thought to have begun in 5000 BC: Anavarza
Throughout history, the city has been repeatedly rebuilt by wars and earthquakes, and has been damaged by plague and raids, losing much of its population. In 1111 it became part of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and in 1374 it was destroyed by the Mamluk Empire of Egypt;
One of the most important structures still visible in Anavarza is the 28-meter-high Triumphal Arch, built in the 3rd century to commemorate the victory over the Persians; Its restoration started in 2018 and is still ongoing.
The most magnificent structure of the ancient city is Anavarza Castle, built on the rock rising like a huge island in the middle of the land. This castle, the largest in Çukurova, overlooks the city from 200 m above.
Ancient buildings & ruins:
Place of Worship:
Parks
Tarsus, once one of the most important cities of the region, is very suitable for a one-day route from Adana with its historical heritage, food and mansions reflecting the richness of the past.
Every corner of Tarsus, the capital of ancient Cilicia, is full of traces of history: Did you know that Roman general Marcus Antony and Egyptian Queen Cleopatra met in this city? Or St. Paul, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, was from Tarsus? Prophet Danyal is buried here;
As you walk through the city, you find a historical relic on every corner; Remains from ancient Rome, the Great Mosque built by the Ottomans, the historical bedesteni, and the huge mansions built as a result of the fortune made from cotton cultivation…
Tarsus Travel Guide:
-St. Paul’s Church
-Tarsus Great (Ulu) Mosque
-Kırkkaşık Bedesteni
-Old Mosque
-Tarsus Museum and Ancient Road
-Kleopatra’s Gate
-Kubat Pasha Madrasa
-St.Paul’s Well
-Historic Tarsus Houses
-Tomb of Prophet Daniel
The local cuisine is also very good. The hummus is very famous and the bird’s eye lahmacun is delicious. We liked the boiled stuffed meatballs, the shalgam on the street, and the ayran and bagels at Orhan. Künefe should definitely be tried too. We also found the restaurants popular with tourists interesting.
The places we tried:
-Yeşilova Kebab and Lahmacun Salonu
-Ayrancı Orhan
-Künefeci Sadık
-Tarayda
-Kent Lokantası
-Ziya Efendi (coffee & confectionery)
Other recommendations from you:
-Kervan Humus
-Kebapçı Eyüp
-Keleşoğlu Baklavaları
-Akın Humus
-Orhan Humus