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KCF / 00536° 04' 53" N / 35° 56' 50" E

Guide / Samandağ

Samandağ: places to visit.

Where to go in Samandağ, Hatay — ancient tunnels, the turtle beach, Çevlik, Vakıflı — what to eat, and where to stop for a coffee in between.
Places
7 stops
Updated
September 2026

Places to visit

Coordinate by coordinate.

  1. 01Beach · Sea turtles

    Samandağ Beach

    Around 14 kilometres of sand and one of the most important nesting beaches for green sea turtles in the Mediterranean. Nesting starts in May and hatchlings reach the sea through the summer; watch from a distance and leave marked nests alone.

  2. 02Çevlik · Roman

    Titus Tunnel

    A huge water tunnel cut through the rock to protect the ancient city of Seleucia Pieria from floods. Named after Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus, under whom it was built; on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List since 2014.

  3. 03Çevlik · Necropolis

    Beşikli Cave

    A few hundred metres past the Titus Tunnel. Despite the name it is not a cave but a Roman-era necropolis carved into the rock; the cradle-shaped graves (beşik means cradle) give it its name.

  4. 04Ancient harbour · Seaside

    Çevlik & Seleucia Pieria

    The remains of Seleucia Pieria, the harbour of ancient Antioch, lie in Çevlik. Together with the Titus Tunnel and Beşikli Cave it makes a half-day route, with fish and sea views on the shore.

  5. 05Seafront · Shrine

    Hızır Shrine

    A shrine on the Samandağ shore, held to be where Hızır (Khidr) and Moses met. Visited by people of different faiths, it is one of the town's spiritual centres.

  6. 06Hıdırbey village · Monumental tree

    The Moses Tree

    A giant plane tree believed to be around 3,000 years old. Legend says it grew where Moses struck the ground with his staff; the spread of its trunk and branches is remarkable.

  7. 07Foot of Musa Dağı

    Vakıflı Village

    On the slopes of Musa Dağı, known as Türkiye's only Armenian village. Famous for organic farming, citrus and homemade jams; the square and church make for a quiet stop.

Some sites affected by the 6 February 2023 earthquakes may still be under restoration; check before you go.

Local flavours

What to eat in Samandağ

  • 01Samandağ pepper: hot and fleshy — pickled, as paste or as flakes on every table.
  • 02A Hatay breakfast: za'atar (zahter), walnut pepper spread, sürk cheese and olives.
  • 03Fresh fish by the sea in Çevlik.
  • 04Künefe for dessert — and a cup of coffee to end the day.

Coffee stop

Between two stops, a coffee.

Both Koordinat Coffee branches are open every day, 07:00 – 02:00 — breakfast before Çevlik, a cold brew after the beach, dessert late at night.

See the menu