When I said “the most beautiful” and “in Turkey”, most of you already have guessed where I’m talking about: of course Adana City.
“Adana? I don’t even know where the hell is it?”
Everybody who has a bit of knowledge or relations about Turkey must have heard of Adana. Yeap, the kebab city one. I already explained how the REAL kebab is made and it originally come from Adana.
You’re traveling to Turkey, don’t miss the chance to see Adana.
Why?
Here are the reasons:
1. Warm Climate
A climate distinguished by warm, wet winters under prevailing westerly winds and calm, hot summers.
2. Very cheap
If you think that Istanbul is a cheap city, you should go to visit Adana. You know that the currency in Turkey is Turkish Lira. If you have Dolars or Euros, you are 3.5 times richer than locals. You can stay with 25 Euros in 4 stars hotel and eat the best food with ridiculous prices.
3. Land of the vegetables & fruits
Adana is the agricultural region, where cotton, wheat, corn, soy bean, barley, grapes and citrus fruits are produced in great quantities. Therefore the colors of the city are orange (from citrus fruits) and white (from cotton).
Because of the Adana the most agriculturally productive area, you can eat vegetables and fruits fresh and with very low prices.
4. Besides the best kebab, you can have the varieties of the best Turkish cuisine
Adana has fame with its dishes. Spicy and sour dishes made of meat (usually lamb) and bulghur are common. Bulghur and flour are found in all Adana kitchens. Some local Turkish travel to Adana for food tourism, and they enjoy eating kebab and rich menu of dishes.
There are also local dishes such as şırdan a kind of home-made sausage stuffed with rice, sıkma; local dessert bicibici that is eaten in summer and local drink şalgam. Sıkma is my favourite food and I just loveeee it! I was very surprised when we were having conversation in Istanbul with my teacher friends who are from different regions of Turkey, didn’t know what is sıkma. So sad for them!
5. Huge history
Adana is the fifth largest and very historical city in Turkey. The history of the city dates to the Neolithic Period, 6000 B.C., and the time of the first human settlements. Hittite Empire, Persians, Alexander the Great, Roman Empire, Ottoman Empire and many other civilizations took control and ruled Adana.
6. A lot to see & do
Aside from old city and museums, there are a lot to see and visit in Adana. There is a beautiful lake and canyon that you can hike. One of the most ancient and important town for Christianity Tarsus is only half an hour away from Adana. Mersin is 1 hour, Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep is 2 hours, Antakya (Hatay) is 3 hours away.
7. The people are very educated, modern and friendly
Probably that’s the Mediterranean effect that the people from Adana (Adanalı) are very friendly. If you have any friend from there, you know what I’m talking about.
Not only people are friendly, but they are also educated and modern. Education is important thus you can find Adanalı people all around the world. The city university called Çukurova University -founded in 1973- has one of the best campus across the country.
Adana is a very liberal city. Thus, you can go around with t-shirt, short, and mini skirt in the city without any problem unlike some other cities.
8. First carnival of Turkey
The first carnival of Turkey called Orange Blossom Carnival (Portakal Çiçeği Festivali) is an annual celebration held every April in Adana.It is an inspiration to the blossom scent that covers the orange tree lined streets during early April. While some of the carnival celebrations occur at organized, large-scale events, others are simply spontaneous street celebrations.
The only thing you have to avoid travelling to Adana is HOT
Other fame of the city is the high temperature it gets in summer time. It’s known as “the hottest city in Turkey” and believe me it deserves its reputation.
The temperature starts to rise in April and when June comes, it can be over 40°C. Because of the hot summer, most of the folk has either mountain house or summer house near seaside to spend summer.
It’s definitely not recommended to travelling, visiting, passing, doing any activity in Adana.
Did you know about Adana City? What’s your favorite city in Turkey? Share your opinions!!
I’ve travelled the West Coast of Turkey from Efes up to Istanbul but haven’t managed to get to Adana. The photographs look amazing, makes me really curious to go check it out. Wish you all the best for 2017!
xx finja | http://www.effcaa.com
Thanks for introducing Adana to me. It certainly looks like it is worth a visit. Your photos make me want to go there.
I haven’t been to Turkey yet but it’s high on my travel list. Thanks for sharing all this information about Adana – I would really enjoy buying fresh fruits & vegetables at the local market!
Hello everybody.
I had the fortunate opportunity to visit this city in february, three years ago.
I can confirm the weather is very nice during winter.
I remember a huge pretty new mosque in the middle of an immaculately beautiful public garden.
There is also an immaculately impressive ancient roman bridge crossing the river. I really recommend to visit it and get some nice pictures.
I definitely recommend a tour in the very center of Adana, so you can taste the very good and extremely affordable food.
You can find also some nice pubs to have drinks and dance with the locals. If in London you spend 12£ for a “single-shot-shit” drink, here you can get 3 real drinks, more spanish style if you understand what I mean.
You can also find an interesting museum dedicated to local history and nice markets to visit.
And maybe…if you are lucky enough…you could meet “him”. The “presence”. He’s here with you, and two minutes later you find someone saying he was with him at the same time… You could meet him in the corridor checking everything is ok, and after taking the stairs to go upstairs you could cross “him” also coming down from the UPPER floor…you could see “him” in the reception when you leave, destination the pub, and find him in the corridor of the 3rd floor at 4:30 AM checking everything is ok…at lunch you talk with your brother and he swears to have seen “him” at breakfast hall of floor 1 at 10 am but you had seen “him” at the reception at the same time…oh my God!!!
“Him”…the Hotel Manager…he never sleeps, he never rests, he never stops…he always checks!
He’s everywhere, everywhen, at the same time with different people!!!
“Him”…
…”HIM”…
I already know some people from Adana: they are warm-hearted and funny. And I already know some of the delicious specialties of Adana, like Adana kebap and şalgam, which I’ve had the chance to taste several times. I’m curious to visit this city, a city that must be really colorful, tasty and full of people worth meeting!
Turkey in generall is such a beautiful country with a deep history and lovely people. It´s such a vivid place 🙂
My girlfriend and I spent 9 months last year traveling and hitchhiking around Turkey and as you said, people are so friendly!We got the chance to visit Adana but only briefly.Now that I read your article, I got the feeling we should have stayed a lot longer.The Kapıkaya Canyon looks like a really gorgeous place to visit.Can’t wait to be back in this country.
I am visiting Turkey this fall, I had no idea Adana existed. I hope it’s not too hot in fall, it’s looks pretty severe in summer! I like the idea of cheap hotels and food, I could stay there a while!
While it looks like a good place to visit. I am not very sure if i would like to visit this more than istanbul. It looks like a good country place not much frequented by tourists but also seems to lack some iconic places and monuments istanbul is famous for
I’ve never heard about Abana , but thanks for introducing me to such a beautiful city.
I can see the culture and highlights of history in your photographs! The mosque’s architecture looks stunning.
I would definitely visit Abana whenever I visit to Turkey.
Hola! I was there 3 years ago, for a wedding. A real special event! I was there only 2 days really. I liked these city. Was really cheaper, beautiful old city, good turkish restaurants. Nice to visit, no pressure like in the city. I have a good memory of this city. Thanks, by Emil
Marhaba! Adanana is only one of the eastern Mediterranean city which is absolutely awesome but you should also visit Mersin which is west of Adana and the Hatay Iskenderun.
Adana one of the hottest city in Turkey but not the hottest. If you are after scorching heat and history make sure you go to Hatay,Urfa ,Mardin and Cizre.