Itinerary

1. Day 1: Explore Tarsus and Adana

   • Meet the tour guide at the Adana Airport and start the Tarsus tour. Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul, is now a modern industrial and commercial city on Turkey’s eastern Mediterranean coast just west of Adana. The historic city center holds several buildings of interest: 
     • The 12th century St. Paul's Church, today serving as a museum in Tarsus, is one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, who repeats that he is from Tarsus twice in the Bible. Some sources tell that in 1198, the Pope's envoy, Leon I, was crowned as the Armenian king in this church. The church, which has thick and high walls in Roman style, was repaired by Ramazanoğlu Ahmet Bey in 1415 and turned into a mosque. In the center of the ceiling are frescoes of Jesus, Yohannes and Mattaios in the east and Marcos and Lucas in the west.
     • In the city centre, the church Mosque (Kilise Cami, or Baytimur Camii) was built as a church in about 300 AD. As a mystery, it's dedicated to St Paul. After a thousand years as a church, it was converted to a mosque in 1415 when the city was conquered from the Byzantines by a Turkish Ramazanoğlu.
     • The Roman era Cleopatra’s Gate may have nothing to do with Cleopatra, but it is a monumental remnant of the ancient city’s system of defensive walls. We will have a chance to see the historical Tarsus Houses and Tarsus waterfall, Ulu Mosque, and Seven Sleepers Inn.
     • St. Paul’s Well, an old stone well, may have nothing to do with St. Paul, but it is interesting to see and perhaps the main reason many travellers stop in Tarsus. The few streets of historic houses near St. Paul’s Well are fascinating to walk through, giving a glimpse at what the town looked like for much of its history during the last millennium. 
     • The Tarsus Museum is housed in a 16th-century madrasah (theological seminary). 
     • Proceed to the Kırk Kaşık Bedesten. After that, we will visit the Sahmeran Hamam (bath). 
   • Continue to Adana. We are visiting Stone Bridge, Old Clock, Small Clock, Museum, Sabancı Mosque, Kazancılar Bazaar, Bebekli Church, and Seyhan dam lake. 
   • Take a break to taste Adana kebab (extra). 
   • Return to our hotel accommodation for overnight in Adana.

2. Day 2: See the Highlights of Hatay

   • Have breakfast at the hotel and proceed to Hatay. 
   • Visit the Antakya Archeology Museum, where the most important mosaics of the world are exhibited. 
   • Drive to Saint Pierre Church, which is known as one of the oldest churches in Christian history. We are having our lunch at the restaurant where we can find local examples of Antakya cuisine.
   • Stop at the Habibi Neccar Mosque, known as the first mosque built in Anatolia, Catholic Church and Sarimiye Mosque, which are almost back to back with each other.
   • Head to the Orthodox Church, Protestant Church. Go for free shopping time in the long historical bazaar. 
   • Return to the hotel for overnight in Hatay.

3. Day 3: Visit the Famous Sites in Samandag

   • Have breakfast and leave the hotel in the morning.
   • Move to Samandağ, the place where St.Moses and St.Hizir met. Our first stop was St. Musa Tree, Vakifli Village, the only Armenian Village in Turkey. 
   • Visit a church and have free time in the village bazaar. 
   • Go to the beaches of Samandağ as far as the eye can see. Leave Samandağ after completing our tours of Titus Tunnels and Besik Rock Tombs. 
   • Head to the St. Simeon Monastery at the entrance to Antakya, which sits on a high column and listens to people's problems.
   • Reach Daphne, a completely different face of Antakya, used as a summer resort from mythological times to the present, and Harbiye Waterfalls, the subject of the story of Apollo. 
   • Enjoy free time for shopping (silk, laurel soap, laurel products, etc.), depart to the airport, and end the tour.