Hatay Province · Turkey
Where to stay in Antakya
Antakya is a city in Hatay Province, Turkey, home to about 378,000 people.
- Best months
- April, May and October
- Nearest airport
- HTY21 km · Hatay Airport
- Currency
- TRYTurkish lira
- Time zone
- Europe/Istanbul
- Language
- Turkish
About
About Antakya
Antakya, Turkish form of Antioch, is a municipality and the capital district of Hatay Province, Turkey, with an area of 703 km2 (271 sq mi) and a population of around 400,000 people as of 2022. It is in the Hatay Province, which is the southernmost region of Turkey.
Seleucus I Nicator was a general serving Alexander the Great, who after Alexander died controlled a swathe of Asia stretching clear to India. He fought rivals for territory further south and west, and his war elephants from India helped him win the Battle of Ipsos in 301 BC and gain Syria. He founded four cities in Syria, making Antioch capital of his Seleucid Empire. Indeed he's said to have founded 16 cities called Antioch (plus nine Seleucias and six Laodiceas), but many were later creations associating themselves with his famous name, as others did with his boss Alexander.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Antakya
See
- Cumhuriyet Meydanı
- Büyük Antakya Parkı
- Habib-i Nejjar Mosque
- Necmi Asfuroğlu Archaeological Museum
- Church of Saint Peter
- Demir Kapı
- Hatay Archaeological Museum
- Monastery of Saint Simeon
- Vakıflı
- Hz Hızır Türbesi
- Titus Tunnel
- Harbiye
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Antakya
13 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Anemon Antakya Hotel | 3.4 km | |
| Antique Celtik House | 0.8 km | |
| Buğday Pazarı | 0.4 km | |
| Divan Otel Antakya | 0.4 km | |
| Jasmin Konak Otel | 0.3 km | |
| Kalipso Park Butik Otel | 3.0 km | |
| Kavinn Butik Otel | 0.2 km | |
| Luwi Antakya Boutique Hotel | 0.4 km | |
| Narin Hotel | 0.1 km | |
| Nostaljik Suites | 0.5 km | |
| The Museum Hotel Antakya | 1.5 km | |
| Tütün Han (Antakya) | 0.4 km | |
| Yeni Han (Antakya) | 0.3 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Antakya
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Antakya are April, May and October. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 161 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Antakya: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Hatay Airport (HTY), about 21 km from the city centre in a straight line; Latakia International Airport (LTK, 91 km) and Aleppo International Airport (ALP, 96 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
The centre is walkable, but the Church of St Peter is several km northeast, no fun to walk through industrial areas with the sun beating down. Dolmuşes and taxis are plentiful. You probably want your own car to tour a wider area, especially as so much in the city has been wrecked. Parking in town is plentiful on rubble vacant lots, which used to be people's homes.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
HTY · Hatay Airport
LTK · Latakia International Airport
ALP · Aleppo International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Antakya
Eat
Hatay has the usual Turkish staple foods but also Arab-influenced cuisine. So you'll find humus and tahini here, and künefe a shredded pastry with cheese melted within. City centre restaurants in business in 2026 include Serenat at Gazipaşa Cd 62, Antik Han Plaza at Uzun Çarşı Cd 182, Gariban Kebap at Küçük Sanayi Cd 14, Ahmet Usta'nin Yeri on Abdurrahman Melek Cd, and Pöç Kasap at İzzet Güçlü Cd 28/4. The Fish Market area and eating strip along Hürriyet Cd were utterly destroyed.
Drink
Restaurants and cafes serve alcohol. Antakya before the earthquake had several free-standing bars. Almost all were lost, but one survivor is Antiocha Bar at 6th Sk 7, a block west of Şükrü Güçlü Blv bridge. It's open daily 09:00-00:00.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Antakya: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Antakya?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Antakya are April, May and October. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 161 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Antakya?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Hatay Airport (HTY), about 21 km from the city centre in a straight line; Latakia International Airport (LTK, 91 km) and Aleppo International Airport (ALP, 96 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Antakya?
Turkish lira (TRY).
Nearby
Destinations near Antakya
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.