5 Days Southern Turkey Tour: Adana, Antakya, Tarsus & Mersin Heritage Private Tour

Your journey begins at Cukurova International Airport, where your representative meets you and drives you to your hotel in Adana. Once you have checked in, the rest of the day is yours. You might rest after the journey, wander the city at your own pace, or choose a local restaurant for a first taste of Adana's much-praised cooking. A traditional Turkish bath or a cooking and shopping experience can be arranged in advance if you wish, subject to availability and at an extra cost, and these are not part of the standard programme. There is no scheduled sightseeing today, which makes it an easy way to settle in before the busier days ahead. Overnight in Adana.

After breakfast you leave Adana for a full day of fortresses, Ottoman heritage and coastline. First come Yilankale and Toprakkale, two castle sites guarding the Cukurova plain; how far you can explore them depends on conditions on the day. You then reach Payas and the Ottoman complex commissioned by Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmet Pasha, where a mosque, caravanserai, hamam and market street sit side by side. You then reach the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun for sightseeing and lunch. In the afternoon you continue to Antakya and meet its archaeological and religious past, with planned stops at the Church of Saint Peter, the Hatay Archaeology Museum and the Great Mosque wherever they are open and accessible. The final schedule is confirmed according to restoration work and opening arrangements. Your night is spent in Antakya or nearby in Hatay province.

After breakfast and check-out, your guide spends the morning on the multicultural story of Antakya. Your guide introduces the long-standing Christian and Jewish congregations of Antakya, with visits to the Catholic church, the Orthodox church and the synagogue depending on access permission and restoration status, so interior visits cannot be promised. If the old streets are accessible, you get some free time among stalls of spices, local desserts, fabrics and crafts. After lunch you set off for Mersin, where you check in to your hotel and can relax for the evening. Overnight in Mersin.

Today is devoted to Tarsus and the ruins beyond it. The day starts at Gozlukule Mound, where your guide explains the earliest layers of Tarsus, before you continue to the Saint Paul church museum, the Grand Mosque and a preserved length of Roman street paving. Saint Paul's Well and the surrounding lanes of traditional Tarsus houses come next, followed by a pause beside Tarsus Waterfall. Lunch showcases regional cooking, and you may try tantuni if the restaurant's menu offers it. After lunch the route leads to Kanlidivane, an ancient town built around a deep, sheer-sided sinkhole; you walk among its ruins and tombs, then drive back to the hotel. Expect several stops and some road time, and your guide may adjust the order of visits. Overnight in Mersin.

After a last breakfast and hotel check-out, you are transferred to Cukurova International Airport in time for your flight. The journey ends with memories of historic towns, regional food and the communities who give southern Turkey its varied character. If you are flying out early or late, tell us when booking so the transfer time can be set to your flight schedule. Please confirm your itinerary and airport transfers before buying flight tickets, and keep any last souvenirs or snacks within easy reach for the drive.