The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 35 km (22 mi) inland from the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative seat of the Adana province, and has a metro population of 1,816,750.
Getting to Adana
Çukurova Airport (COV IATA) is the nearest, 32 km west. It has frequent flights from Istanbul (both IST and SAW), Ankara and Izmir. It opened in 2024 and replaced Adana Airport, which was hemmed in by the city. 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.
- 01Adana
Worth seeing
Tepebağ is the core of Old Town. Most sights are here.
- 01Sabancı Central Mosque
Built in 1998, this huge mosque dominates the skyline with its six minarets, the four inner minarets being 99 m.
- 02Atatürk Museum
Traditional 19th century mansion where Atatürk stayed in 1923, and restored as a museum in 1981.
- 03Grand Mosque
Also known as Ramazanoğlu Mosque, this was built 1513-1541 and extended in a mix of styles.
- 04Great Clock Tower
This was built 1879-82 and is 32 m high, a sturdy brick tower that looks more like a campanile.
- 05Oil Mosque
Built around 1250 AD as the Surp Hagop (St Jacob) Armenian Church, it became a mosque circa 1380, when the Ottomans wrested the city from the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
Things to 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 were relegated in 2025 and again in 2026 so they now play soccer in TFF 2. Lig, the third tier. Their home ground New Adana Stadium (Yeni Adana Stadyumu, capacity 33,500 all seated) is in Balcalı district 15 km northeast of city centre.
Where to 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. Kazancilar, 23002nd Sk 45/A (off Alidede Sk). Daily 10:30-02:00. Trad food near clock tower, vegetarian options.
Getting around Adana the local way
- Get inTwo per day wind over the mountains from Antalya via Alanya, Taşucu (for Cyprus summer ferry), Silifke, Mersin and Tarsus.
- Get inTaxis and minibuses will take you downtown.
- Get inFinally there's an hourly regional train from Mersin (for ferries from Northern Cyprus) taking 90 min via Tarsus.
- Get aroundCity buses — Extensive bus network including city buses and dolmuş.
- Go nextMersin 65 km west is a large port with ferries to Cyprus.
From Wikivoyage: Adana, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.