ANTAKYA
On the way to Antakya, off the main road, is the mountain resort of Soğukoluk where you can retreat from the summer blazing sun.After you can cross the Belen Pass, stop at Bagras Castle, which was held at varius times by the Byzantines, Mamluks and Crusaders.The castle was orginally built to control the route to Arabia.
The Antakya Museum houses one of the richest collections of Roman mosaic in the world.These fantastic mosaics in stone were uncovered mostly at excavations in Antakya and nearby Daphne.Outside the town is the Grotto of Peter the apostle.In 1983 the church was declared a sacred site by the Vatican.Other places of interest include a bustling bazaar and the Mosque of Habib Neccar.
South of the grotto, the Iron Gate was one of the actual entrances of biblical Antioch.Strolling through the old part of town, you can not help recalling that Paul, Peter, Barnabas, and others walked these streets, for little has changed since that time.The Castle of Antioch, set high above the city, offers a magnificent view over the city and the plan.
South of Antakya is Harbiye, the ancient Daphne, where according to mythology, Apollo tried to make the wood nymph, Daphne, his lover.To escape him, she changed into a laurel tree.
Samandağ, 25 km from Antakya, is aresort town with a pristine beach.Seleucia Peria (Çevik), north of town, was founded around 300 BC. And by the time Paul and Barnabas started on their first missionary journey from here it was a buys port.The most interesting monument to see is the Tunnel of Titus, built to divert rain water.Even by today's standarts it is a tremendous engineering achievement.You should also drive to the Temple of Zeus at Kapısuyu village for a spectacular panorama of the ancient harbor, sandy beach and fertile plain.