Adana and Gaziantep. The place where food meets history. What you can eat and visit in this region of Turkey
- Adana and Gaziantep, two of the most interesting cities in Turkey, are already known in Romania, especially thanks to the Romanian footballers and coaches who have been active in these cities
- But, beyond football, this area has a remarkable tourist potential, which is worth discovering.
- From the unique cuisine that has made the region famous around the world, to the spectacular landscapes and historical sights, Adana and Gaziantep offer an unforgettable experience for any traveler.
A short flight from Istanbul, these cities are within easy reach of each other in a region of Turkey that offers many opportunities for exploration. The area will impress you from the moment you see the snow-covered peaks of the Taurus Mountains from the plane.
Food, the star of the region
Adana is famous for its unique cuisine, especially grilled meats and traditional dishes. Visitors can enjoy local specialties that highlight the culinary heritage of the region.
Good food seems to be the leitmotif of this part of Turkey. Gaziantep is known as the culinary capital of Turkey. In particular, the locals pride themselves on having “the best Baklava in Turkey”.
Adana Kebab
The most iconic dish in the region is undoubtedly the Adana Kebab. This spicy skewer is prepared from finely minced lamb, seasoned with red pepper and salt and cooked over coals. The kebab is usually served with flat bread, grilled vegetables and a spicy salad known as ezme 12. It has received the status of “protected designation of origin”, which ensures its quality and authenticity.
Adana style liver
Walking and exploring the center of Adana, you will feel a specific smell coming from the many grills around, then you will be sure that you have arrived at a place that offers another famous product of the reaction.
Adana-style liver is a very popular dish, often grilled and served with turnips. It has earned its reputation as a street food that locals enjoy at any time of the day.
İçli köfte (stuffed meatball)
It is a complicated dish to prepare, but with a taste commensurate with the effort. It consists of a delicate shell of finely ground bulgur, kneaded into a smooth dough and then filled with an aromatic mixture of minced meat, onions, spices and herbs. The art lies in creating a thin and symmetrical shell that incorporates the hearty filling, resulting in a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
Fish and seafood
The Adana area, due to its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, also offers fresh fish and seafood dishes. The surrounding towns and villages bring daily the catch of the day to the restaurants in Adana and its surroundings.
Banana milk (yes, you read that right)
If you are full of good food. It’s also time for a local drink. Good coffee and tea can be found on any street corner, but one place sells something more special and has earned its reputation for this.
Kazım Büfe is a must visit if you are in Adana. At any time of the day, you can see a line in front of this small buffet which is famous for its banana milk. Milk, which is frozen, is mixed with bananas in a blender to create this simple yet favorite drink in any season.
Desert
Throughout the region you will find a lot of street shops that offer a wide variety of products, but nowhere is “sweet” food better than in Gaziantep.
The city is the capital of baklava. This dessert is very famous all over the world. It is the first Turkish product registered on the list of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications of the European Commission; both aim at promoting and protecting the names of quality agricultural products.
Baklava is a cake made of layers of puff pastry filled with chopped pistachios and sweetened with syrup. Baklava masters in the region say that a good baklava must appeal to a person’s five senses. First of all, the baklava must be well cooked, well puffed and look nice in its golden yellow color. When you take it in your hands, it should be light, not heavy due to excess syrup; it should smell like fresh pistachios and fine butter. When you bite, you should hear the rustling of the thinly rolled dough, and the baklava should leave you with a unique taste at the end.
In the city of Gaziantep you will find a whole street with shops specializing in this legendary product. Also here you can visit the Baklava Museum (Baklava Müzesi) to learn how the baklava master created this work of art, the stages it went through during production and the tricks needed to make a magnificent baklava in terms of appearance and taste.
Bike Bike
This dessert is made of starch, powdered sugar, rose water and shaved ice, decorated with fresh fruit.
Karakus
A combination of crispy dough, nuts, cinnamon and sweet syrup, which offers an explosion of flavors.
After so much food it’s time for many walks
What you can visit in Adana and surroundings:
Adana has the second largest mosque in Türkiye, Sabancı Merkez Mosque.
It is spectacular, with 6 huge minarets and a huge dome. Located right on the river bank, it looks even more beautiful at night, when it is illuminated.
The Adana Museum is an essential place to visit to understand the rich history of the city and region. The museum was established in 1924. As a regional museum, artefacts discovered in archaeological excavations in the cities of Adana and its surroundings, as well as in Kahramanmaraş, Tarsus and Mersin are exhibited.
Saint Paul’s Church
Located in the Tepebağ district, on Çakmak Caddesi in the city of Seyhan, the Bebekli Church (Bebekli Kilise) is an Italian Catholic church built on a basilica plan in the name of Saint Paul between 1880-1890. On the roof of the entrance facade of the church, there is an acroterium with a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, 2.5 m high. It is known as “Bebekli Church” because the public associates this statue with a child.
The Great Clock Tower
The Great Clock Tower (Büyük Saat Kulesi) is located on Ali Münif Street in the city of Seyhan. Its construction was started by Ziya Pasha in 1881 and was completed in 1882, during the governor of Adana, Abidin Pasha. The clock tower, 32 meters high, built of brick and cut stone, is popularly known as the “Great Clock”. Next to the Great Clock Tower, you can visit one of the oldest and most traditional covered markets in Anatolia, the Kazancılar Bazaar.
The road between Adana and Gaziantep is “paved with history”
After you have eaten well and visited everything you set out to do in Adana. The natural road will take you to Gaziantep, but on the way you will most likely make many stops to admire castles and sites full of history.
Toprakkale Castle
Toprakkale Castle (Toprakkale Kalesi) dates back to 2000 BC. The castle has a rectangular plan, 12 bastions and a fortified outer court and was restructured under the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (8th century) using black stones. Toprakkale Castle is built on an artificial hill at the intersection of Osmaniye-Adana and Hatay roads. In the Ottoman period, it was called Kınık Castle (Kınık Kalesi).
Kastabala (Castabala) site of ancient Hierapolis
Kastabala, called Hierapolis in ancient times, is an important ancient city in the Çukurova region. The city is worth seeing with its old theater, castle, baths and colonel boulevards. The city was a vital religious center during the Roman and Eastern Roman (Byzantium) periods.
Karatepe-Aslantaş open-air museum (my number 1 recommendation)
Located in the 4341-hectare national park of the same name, the Karatepe-Aslantaş Archaeological Site (Karatepe-Aslantaş Arkeoloji Alanı) is a perfect example of successful archaeological conservation. It welcomes visitors as the first and largest open-air museum in Turkey. The site is surrounded by natural beauty, history, wildlife and the Aslantaş Dam. The Karatepe-Aslantaş archaeological site was included in the Indicative List of UNESCO World Heritage (UNESCO Dünya Mirasları Geçici Listesi) in 2020.
Karatepe is a unique example of defensive architecture as a frontier castle of Adanava – a late Hittite city-state in Anatolia. Its construction was ordered by the “sovereign of the region” Azatiwada in the 8th century BC. to defend the city against attacks from the north. The archaeological importance of Karatepe-Aslantaş is due to its bilingual inscriptions (in Phoenician and Luwian) – also known as the bilingual Karatepe inscription and the Azatiwada inscription; it is frequently compared to the Rosetta Stone. The basalt stars and the reliefs on its doors have written notes in the Phoenician alphabet and the Luwian hieroglyphs (the most extensive text of this combination). This played an essential role in deciphering the Luwian language.
Gaziantep
The ancient city of Gaziantep is located along the historic Silk Road and at the crossroads of Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean Sea. It has been the cradle of civilizations for centuries and has embraced different cultures and lifestyles for generations.
When Gaziantep is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is its cuisine. The diversity of Gaziantep’s cuisine comes from the civilizations it has hosted. The culture and history of Gaziantep is so rich that it has countless museums, from mosaics to toys, from baths to pistachios, from the National Struggle of the War of Independence to Mevlevism, from zoology to gastronomy, from the history of Islamic sciences to ancient culture of the city. Once you arrive in Gaziantep, prepare for a journey where you will learn beyond what you already know.
Source: www.mediafax.ro
