4 Best Sights in Antakya (Antioch), The Turquoise Coast

The Catholic Church maintains its presence with a small sanctuary run by Capuchin monks. It is set in a garden on Kutlu Sokak, several winding blocks in from the river. Enter its small courtyard from the side street. You might recognize the image of the church bell, with the minaret of the Sermaye Mosque behind—it's on tourist office brochures as a symbol of religious harmony. Mass is usually held here every Sunday evening at 5 or 6 depending on the time of year; it's a good idea to call ahead and confirm.

Popularly dated from the 7th century, this is called Turkey's oldest mosque. More likely, a church of John the Baptist originally stood here, replacing a temple, and this was converted to a mosque, then back to a church by the crusaders, then destroyed in 1268 by the Mamluk Sultan Baybars, who had the current building constructed. It has since been much restored. A side chamber contains two sarcophagi, labeled as the prophet Jonah and John the Baptist, while downstairs are the tombs of Habib-i Neccar, an otherwise unidentified early Christian martyr mentioned in the Koran, and Sham’un al-Safa (Simon the Loyal), perhaps the Apostle Simon Peter. All presumably survive from the Byzantine church and, with that pedigree, could even be genuine.

Originally called Daphne, this beautiful gorge of laurel trees and tumbling waterfalls was said to have been chosen by the gods for the Judgment of Paris and contained one of the ancient world's most important shrines to the god Apollo. Daphne was also a favorite resort for wealthy Antiochenes and developed such a reputation for licentiousness that it was put off-limits to the Roman army. Nothing ancient survives, but this is still a popular escape, especially in the heat of summer, and there are many open-air cafés and restaurants, all fairly similar, overlooking the streams and cascades. Mark Antony chose Daphne as the venue for his ill-fated marriage to Cleopatra in 40 BC, and many of the mosaics at the Hatay Museum were found in the area's ancient villas.

As historic and lively as the city itself, Antakya’s Uzun Çarşı (Long Bazaar) is a feast for the senses, a maze of covered and open streets full of shops piled high with spices, handmade soaps, clothes, kitchenware, jewelry, and much more. Tucked among them are multiple small mosques, quiet little courtyards, lively eateries, snack vendors, and traditional wood-oven fırıns (bakeries). The restored Kurşunlu Han near the center of the bazaar houses cafés and more tourist-oriented stores selling local handicrafts. At its northern end, the bazaar spills out into Antakya’s open-air produce market.