Iskenderun
Introduction
İskenderun, historically known as Alexandretta and Scanderoon, is a city in Hatay Province on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. It sits on an alluvial plain, and its past is bound up with the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean.
Be aware that İskenderun was heavily damaged by powerful earthquakes in February 2023, along with the aftershocks, floods and fires that followed. Any visit should be planned with that recent history in mind.
Before you go
Iskenderun sits on the coast at the foot of a mountain pass leading towards Antakya and Syria, and it is one of several cities named for Alexander the Great — his victory at the Battle of Issus in 333 BC took place on the plains nearby. Medieval travellers knew it as Alexandretta, "the smaller one", to tell it apart from its greater namesake in Egypt. The city has long been industrial, with petrochemical plants and steelworks in its northern suburbs, so set your expectations accordingly and plan around the working port character rather than a resort one. The region of Hatay passed to the Ottomans in the 15th century, but after the First World War it was awarded to France rather than incorporated into the new Republic of Turkey, remaining part of French Syria until 1938, when it was briefly independent before being absorbed into Turkey. That layered history is worth reading up on before you arrive, since it shapes the local sense of place. If you know the 1989 film *Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade*, note that its climactic scenes are set in Hatay during independence — but the location scouts took one look at Iskenderun and chose to film in southern Spain instead.Getting there
Most travellers reach İskenderun by air or road. Hatay Airport (HTY) has several flights a day from Istanbul, both IST and SAW, and daily flights from Ankara. The airport sits 45 km south near Antakya; driving from there takes 45–60 minutes as the highway snakes over the Belen pass.
- From Adana, take the toll motorway O-52 east onto O-53 / E91, then south — 133 km, roughly 1 hr 40 min.
- From Gaziantep, follow O-52 west past Osmaniye to join O-53.
- The coast road D817 flanks O-53: it's toll-free but congested with trucks and far from scenic.
- South of İskenderun, O-53 joins D817 and then D825 towards Antakya, a good divided highway that twists and turns over Belen Pass through the Amanos Mountains. From Antakya, highways continue towards Syria — south for Latakia, Tartus, Tripoli and Beirut, east for Aleppo, Hama and Damascus.
Buses from Istanbul run every couple of hours and take 13 hours via Ankara, Niğde and Adana, heading to Antakya; operators include Metro Turizm, Kamil Koç (now part of Flixbus) and Has Turizm. Buses no longer run from Beirut or Aleppo. İskenderun Otogarı, the bus station on Sanayi Cd, was already a tatty, crumbling place before the earthquake and now has only makeshift facilities; many Turkish cities have moved their terminals to the highway edge of town, but there's no word on where or when a new station might be built here. Trains to İskenderun are suspended long-term because of interminable engineering works around Adana, leaving İskenderun Garı a forlorn place. The port facilities were wrecked in the 2023 earthquake, and ferries no longer sail from Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus — the nearest route is via Mersin. The ferry port was at Madenli, 22 km southwest along the road to Arsuz, and it's not known when it might be rebuilt.
Getting around
İskenderun is a compact city on an alluvial plain along the coast, so walking is the natural way to cover the centre, where the main streets hold most of what you'll need day to day. Bear in mind that routes heading inland and uphill are more strenuous than the flat coastal streets, since the city sits at the foot of the Nur (Amanos) Mountains — the old name "Alexandria Scabiosa," or "Alexandria the Mountainous," reflects that rough, hilly surroundings. There is no metro or tram network, and no working rail service for visitors: trains to İskenderun are suspended long-term because of engineering works around Adana, leaving İskenderun Garı a forlorn place rather than a functioning transport hub, so plan your trip without relying on rail.
The main local public transport is the dolmuş — shared minibuses that ply the main streets and run out to outlying villages. There's no single central source of route information, so the practical approach is to ask your accommodation about the local routes that serve where you want to go; the same goes for taxis, which the source material doesn't describe in detail, so ask your accommodation to arrange or call one and confirm the fare or meter arrangement before setting off. For longer-distance travel, İskenderun Otogarı on Sanayi Cd handles intercity services, though it was already a tatty, crumbling place before the earthquake and now has only makeshift facilities. Long-distance buses from Istanbul run every couple of hours and take around 13 hours via Ankara, Niğde and Adana, heading on to Antakya; operators include Metro Turizm, Kamil Koç (now part of Flixbus) and Has Turizm, while buses no longer run from Beirut or Aleppo. If you're arriving by air, Hatay Airport sits 45 km south near Antakya, roughly 45–60 minutes away by road because the highway snakes over the Belen Pass through the Amanos Mountains. Don't plan on reaching İskenderun by ferry: the port facilities were wrecked in the 2023 earthquake, ferries no longer sail from Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus, and the nearest ferry route is via Mersin. Expect post-earthquake conditions throughout — some facilities and services may still be disrupted or operating in makeshift form when you visit.
Where to stay
İskenderun's accommodation is concentrated in the city centre, within a few blocks of each other. La Perla Hotel occupies an early 19th-century building; comfort and cleanliness vary, and the main drawback is music from the bar blasting out late at night. Grand Akçalı Otel sits a short block north of La Perla, and İskenderun Otel a block south. Aykut Palas is a basic place on 98th Sk, on the corner with Ulu Cami Cd.
For a more business-oriented stay, Ramada İskenderun Harbour on 5 Temmuz Cd is mostly efficient and clean.
Food & drink
For a meal, head a block or two back from the waterfront around Şehit Pamir Cd, where the eating places cluster. The cooking is traditional Turkish — döner kebab among it — but the Hatay region carries a Syrian influence, so watch for meze and desserts such as künefe.
- Döner kebab — the standard Turkish option
- Meze — a Syrian-influenced feature of the local table
- Künefe — a dessert worth seeking out
Drinking is relaxed rather than rowdy: this is not a conservative area, and cafes serve alcohol, though you won't find free-standing bars.
What to see and do
Start with the waterfront, Atatürk Blv, which runs along the shore and makes for a pleasant sunset stroll. At its eastern end you'll find the harbour and a statue of Atatürk; midway along is the Naval Museum, which covers the city's maritime history and the incorporation of Hatay into Turkey. Most of the buildings along the boulevard are nondescript, but the Central Bank at the corner of Ulucami Cd has a 1930s Art Deco facade. West of the Nihal Atakaş Mosque, a smart modern building in traditional style, the boulevard becomes Cengiz Topel Cd. Inland, two blocks up from the Atatürk statue on Şehit Pamir Cd, stands the Kaptan Mehmet Paşa Mosque, built in 1864; the Grand Mosque opposite was destroyed in the earthquake and its site has been cleared. On 52nd Sk, the Surp Karasun Manuk Armenian Church dates from 1871 and survived the earthquake, though it is seldom open. The Cathedral of the Annunciation on Mithatpaşa Cd was wrecked in the 2023 earthquake and is unlikely to be rebuilt. For the beach, head about a kilometre west of the Nihal Atakaş Mosque: the city beach is narrow but rarely crowded. Birdwatchers should note that migration flyways from the Balkans and the Caucasus converge on this area. If you want to escape the summer heat, locals head up to the Soğukoluk Plateau, set among pine forests south of town near Müftüler. Further afield, Payas, 25 km north, has a 16th-century Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Caravanserai where merchant caravans once sheltered overnight, along with a castle facing it, an imaret, and an ancient bridge. Near Erzin, 54 km north, are the remains of an ancient aqueduct at Issos, traditionally associated with the site of three major battles. Belen, astride the pass through the Amanos Mountains towards Antakya and Syria, is a possible lunch stop, and Arsuz, 35 km south, is a beach resort from which the coast road twists on towards Çevlik.When to go
Iskenderun has a Mediterranean climate, which means hot, dry summers and mild, moderately rainy winters. In summer, expect heat with little rain to break it, and this is when the surrounding groves are at the peak of their fruit-growing season. Winter stays mild rather than cold, with rain arriving in spells, and conditions gentle enough for the citrus groves that surround the town.
Spring and autumn fall between the wet winter and the dry summer, bringing mixed conditions. At certain times of the year, the strong Yarıkkaya wind can sweep through town, so it is worth keeping that in mind when you plan your visit.
Three days in Iskenderun
Day one: Base yourself in Iskenderun, the city also known as Alexandretta and historically as Scanderoon, on the Mediterranean coast of Hatay Province in Turkey. Begin by getting your bearings in the centre, then use the city as your starting point for the wider province. If you have come by air, Hatay Airport (HTY) is the local gateway, while Istanbul (IST and SAW) and Ankara are the main domestic origins for onward flights.
Day two: Head to Antakya, the provincial capital, to explore its long history. The area's past runs from Alexander the Great and the Battle of Issus in 333 BC through Medieval Egypt and the Ottomans to the First World War, when France took over the region and it later became part of French Syria before joining the Republic of Turkey. That layered past is part of what gives Hatay its character, and it is also why some travellers associate the region with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, though the film's scenes were actually shot in Spain.
Day three: Take a trip out to Belen, a town in Hatay Province, or travel from Adana if you are continuing along the coast. Most visitors use Iskenderun as a comfortable base for exploring the province, and if your time is short you can see the main sights of the city itself in a day before moving on. February is a good month to plan a visit, as the weather is mild and the region is less crowded than in high season.