Adana

Adana is a city on the Cilician Plains of central Turkey, on the Seyhan River about 50 km from the Mediterranean coast. It's industrial and mostly modern but with several places of interest in its historic centre. In 2021 the metropolis had a population of 2,263,373.

Understand
Adana has been inhabited for over 8000 years. The name may drive from a proto-European word danu, "on the river", making it an unlikely cousin of the Danube, Dnieper and Doncaster. People known to settle here include the Luwians, Hittites, Sea People, Assyrians, Cilicians, Persians, Selucids, Armenians and Romans - these built the stone bridge (Taşköprü) over the river. Adana changed hands many times after the break-up of the Roman-Byzantine Empire but came under Ottoman control from 1517. In early modern times it developed a cotton industry and had a polyglot population of Muslims, Armenians, Greeks, Syrians and Arabs. But inter-ethnic tensions played into resentment of industrial labour conditions, and the Armenians suffered a massacre in 1908 then genocide in 1915.

The cotton trade has slumped but the economy of Adana remains based on agriculture, plus mixed industries including automobiles, and banking. It nowadays has four districts: Seyhan is the historic core, with the sites of traveller interest. Çukurova, often called "New Adana", is a residential area north along the lake shore. Yüreğir east of the river is industrial and low-rent residential. Sarıçam lies northeast and has the university. A fifth, nominally part of Sarıçam, is İncirlik, where the NATO air base is springboard for operations deeper into Asia. This effort has brought an influx of westerners into Adana, and the town has business hotels and other western-style amenities out of proportion to its size.

Adana lost about 450 of its citizens in a dozen collapsed buildings (mostly high-rise residentials) during a series of powerful earthquakes in early 2023. The local damage was incomparably lighter than that suffered by its eastern neighbours closer to the epicentre.

By plane
The airport is only 4 km west of town, with taxis and dolmuşes to the centre. Bus 135 runs every 30 min to the old centre (15 min), railway station and northwest suburbs. Bus 125 runs hourly past old centre (get off at Sefa Ölzer Cd) to the hospital campus. Buy tickets on board for both. The direct bus to Tarsus and Mersin is axed.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul run every couple of hours and take 13 hours via Ankara and Niğde, for a fare in 2023 of 350 TL.

Three buses a day take 5 hours from Konya. Two per day wind over the mountains from Antalya via Alanya, Taşucu (for Cyprus summer ferry), Silifke, Mersin and Tarsus.

One bus a day runs all the way from Van near the border with Iran, via Tatvan, Bitlis, Batman, Diyarbakır, Sanliurfa, Gaziantep and Osmaniye.

Bus operators on these routes are Metro Turizm and Flixbus.

the bus terminal is 4 km west of town on D-400; it's average-tatty. Taxis and minibuses will take you downtown.

By train
You can reach Adana same day from Istanbul or Ankara by taking the YHT high-speed train to Konya. Change there for the daily Toros Ekspresi, taking six hours via Karaman to reach Adana for 22:00. The return train leaves Adana before 08:00 and likewise connects at Konya with YHT trains to Istanbul and Ankara. The Karaman-Adana line is being upgraded for high-speed trains so disruptions may occur until this is complete (maybe by 2025) but in 2023 it's running normally.

There's also slower mainline trains such as Erciyes Ekspresi that runs daily from Kayseri, taking six hours via Niğde, and Fırat Ekspresi which runs daily from Elazığ, taking 13 hours via Malatya and Osmaniye. Finally there's an hourly regional train from Mersin (for ferries from Northern Cyprus) taking 90 min via Tarsus. Three trains per day continue to Iskenderun, taking 3 hours via Osmaniye.

Other routes are a tale of woe. The Cukurova Express sleeper from Ankara and trains from Gaziantep has been suspended for years or due to construction works. Former international routes from Syria and Iraq are closed indefinitely.



By road
From Ankara it's 500 km, say 5 hours, following O-21 motorway south then O-51 east. In 2022 the tolls totalled 163 TL.

O-52 runs east to Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Mardin by the Syrian border. West is a good highway past Mersin but then a narrow twisty road over the coastal mountains to reach the Med resort strip at Alanya.

Get around

 * Walk: the city sprawls but the area of interest in the old town is compact.


 * City buses — Extensive bus network including city buses and dolmuş.


 * Adana Metro is a single line running 14 km southeast to northwest across city centre: Vilayet is the stop for the railway station. Most visitors are unlikely to use it. An extension to the university main campus is in planning.


 * Taxi prices are comparable to the rest of the country.

See
Tepebağ is the core of Old Town. Most sights are here.
 * Central Park is the relaxing riverside area north of Sabancı Central Mosque.
 * is a Roman bridge over the Seyhan River, probably built around 120-135 AD, on the trade routes from Persia and Anatolia to the Mediterranean. Until 2007 it carried motor traffic but is now a footbridge and popular hanging-out spot. Its names have included Saros Bridge, the Bridge of Justinian and al-Walid Bridge; the present Taşköprü (stone bridge) says what it is.
 * is a Roman bridge over the Seyhan River, probably built around 120-135 AD, on the trade routes from Persia and Anatolia to the Mediterranean. Until 2007 it carried motor traffic but is now a footbridge and popular hanging-out spot. Its names have included Saros Bridge, the Bridge of Justinian and al-Walid Bridge; the present Taşköprü (stone bridge) says what it is.
 * is a Roman bridge over the Seyhan River, probably built around 120-135 AD, on the trade routes from Persia and Anatolia to the Mediterranean. Until 2007 it carried motor traffic but is now a footbridge and popular hanging-out spot. Its names have included Saros Bridge, the Bridge of Justinian and al-Walid Bridge; the present Taşköprü (stone bridge) says what it is.
 * is a Roman bridge over the Seyhan River, probably built around 120-135 AD, on the trade routes from Persia and Anatolia to the Mediterranean. Until 2007 it carried motor traffic but is now a footbridge and popular hanging-out spot. Its names have included Saros Bridge, the Bridge of Justinian and al-Walid Bridge; the present Taşköprü (stone bridge) says what it is.
 * (Yeni Cami) was built in 1724 in Mamluk style.
 * (Yeni Cami) was built in 1724 in Mamluk style.
 * (Yeni Cami) was built in 1724 in Mamluk style.
 * (Yeni Cami) was built in 1724 in Mamluk style.
 * (Yeni Cami) was built in 1724 in Mamluk style.

Further out

 * Seyhan Barajı is the lake created north of the city in 1955 by the Seyhan Dam. There are several recreation areas around it, and beneath its waters lies the Roman city of Augusta.


 * is managed by the university. The public are free to stroll here - no barbecues or picnics, though the amount of trash suggests otherwise.
 * is the 1575 m bridge across the west arm of the barrage lake. It carries traffic but it's a relaxing spot with restaurants both sides.

Do

 * Hamams, traditional Turkish baths, are at over a dozen central locations.
 * Lunapark is a funfair by the Seyhan lake dam, north edge of town.
 * Football: Adana Demirspor play soccer in Süper Lig, Turkey's top tier. Their home ground New Adana Stadium (Yeni Adana Stadyumu, capacity 33,500 all seated) opened in 2021. It's in Balcalı district 15 km northeast of city centre. Adanaspor share the stadium and play in TFF 1. Lig, the second tier. Demirspor women's team play in the Women's Super League, their top tier, at Muharrem Gülergin Stadium north by the O-50 motorway bridge.
 * Beach: Karataş is the closest, 55 km south, but Mersin is better. Karataş also has the ruins of the ancient city of Magarus: the amphitheatre is the best of these but they're not worth a special trip.

Buy

 * Optimum is the biggest central shopping mall, east across the bridge from Sabancı Mosque.
 * Galleria is on the riverbank east of the railway station.
 * M1 mall is at the west edge of the city and has a Carrefour, open daily 10:00-22:00.

Eat

 * Adana Kebab the town specialty is a skewer of minced lamb.
 * Old town places are round its rim rather than central. Try Kebapçı Şeyhmus, Eyvan Kebap, Erciyes Kebap, Abidin Usta, Sirdanci Bedo, Kazancılar (below) or Oz Asmaalti Kebap Salonu.
 * Station area has Eski Dostlar, Paşalimanı, Saki Meyhane, House of Kamer, Tokana, The Sopranos, Makarnos, Elem (below), Yüzevler and Zeynel Ocakbaşı.
 * Lake shore has Dalyan Balik, Bigfish, Yeşilçam Meyhanesi and Sercan (below).
 * Mado's is a dessert chain with outlets on Cemal Paşa, Kurttepe, Toros St, Carrefour Mall, and M1 Mall.
 * Lake shore has Dalyan Balik, Bigfish, Yeşilçam Meyhanesi and Sercan (below).
 * Mado's is a dessert chain with outlets on Cemal Paşa, Kurttepe, Toros St, Carrefour Mall, and M1 Mall.
 * Mado's is a dessert chain with outlets on Cemal Paşa, Kurttepe, Toros St, Carrefour Mall, and M1 Mall.

Drink

 * Far more pubs here than in most Turkish towns, mostly north towards the railway station.



Sleep

 * Otel Seyhan opposite Şirin Park gets poor reviews.
 * Otel Seyhan opposite Şirin Park gets poor reviews.
 * Otel Seyhan opposite Şirin Park gets poor reviews.
 * Otel Seyhan opposite Şirin Park gets poor reviews.
 * Otel Seyhan opposite Şirin Park gets poor reviews.
 * Otel Seyhan opposite Şirin Park gets poor reviews.
 * Otel Seyhan opposite Şirin Park gets poor reviews.

Connect
Adana has 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Jan 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Karataş is the closest beach resort, 55 km south. The ruins of Magaros are here, with a Roman amphitheatre.
 * Yumurtalık is another resort east. It has an old castle.
 * Tarsus has sites associated with St Paul and the Roman era.
 * Mersin 65 km west is a large port with ferries to Cyprus.
 * Karaisalı and Pozantı are small towns on the passes through the Taurus mountains with several historic sites.
 * Ceyhan is a grubby oil town east, but Yılan Castle rears up from its plains. Anavarza 30 min north is the ruins of a small Roman town.
 * Osmaniye is a modern town with historic sites nearby.