Iskenderun (Alexandretta), Turkey

Iskenderun's 15 minutes of fame came with its cameo appearance in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but in fact this is quite a historic port.

Originally called Alexandretta, Iskenderun (eess-KEHN-deh-roon, pop. 175,000), at the far end of the Turkish Mediterranean coast, was founded by Alexander the Great (Büyük Iskender in Turkish) as a port. It's still an important port today (map).

But unless you're passing through by ship, there's little to detain you, although the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Caravanserai in nearby Payas, 22 km (14 miles) to the north, and its neighboring Fortress of the Genies (Cin Kalesi) are worth a look.

Otherwise you're probably on your way to or from Antakya (Antioch) and its famous Roman mosaics and cave-church of St. Peter. Bus is the best way to go.

I've written about my adventures in Iskenderun and the province of Hatay in two excerpts from my travel memoir Bright Sun, Strong Tea entitled What's in a Name? and The Bile Green Color Wasn't the Worst of It.

Distances & Travel Times

Adana: 130 km (81 miles) SE, 2 hours

Antakya: 58 km (36 miles) S, 1.25 hours

Gaziantep: 152 km (94 miles) NE, 3 hours

Maps of Mediterranean Turkey

Mediterranean Coast

Where to Go

Turkey Travel Planner Homepage

Above, the waterfront drive in Iskenderun.
Below, French Mandate headquarters building.