Mersin is a city in Turkey, located in the southeastern part of the country on the Mediterranean coast and is one of its largest ports. The total area of the area is almost 16 thousand km², and the population exceeds 900 thousand people. Being a significant port of the country, Mersin has 23 docks and piers, which occupy an area of 786 thousand m². Every year it is capable of receiving more than 3800 ships, so the city bears an important economic importance.
The first settlements in Mersin appeared as early as 7 millennium BC, and for 4,500 years BC there was already a large, walled city. Due to its favorable geographical position, for centuries, being part of one or the other state, it served as an important port and trade center. But with the advent of Constantinople, the city gradually loses its paramount importance, and after prolonged wars with the Mongols, Seljuks and Armenians, it completely declines. The second life was given to Mersin by the Ottoman Empire, which restored and turned it into a large economic center through which trade with Europeans was carried out.
Tourism in Mersin in Turkey is underdeveloped in comparison with popular resorts. Many tourists use it as a transfer point before sailing on a ferry to Cyprus. Despite the fact that the city is located on the seashores and pleases with a pleasant climate, it primarily serves the commercial and industrial, but not the tourist sector of the country. Nevertheless, some travelers who prefer to relax away from crowded resorts have seen good conditions for tourism in Mersin. Firstly, the infrastructure of the city offers a choice of several worthy hotels and restaurants, and secondly, in addition to the picturesque sea panoramas and beaches, you can also find a couple of remarkable cultural sites.
sights
Even the industrial city and port have their own special corners that can cause tourist interest. And although in Mersin they can be counted on the fingers of one hand, they really deserve attention.
The embankment is located in the very center of the city. This beautiful place is ideal for unhurried walks and admiring the picturesque Mediterranean landscapes, where you can take vivid photos of Mersin from memory. On the promenade you will find several shops, cafes and children’s attractions, there is ample parking and a lot of ATMs. A small yacht port settled in here, which harmoniously fits into sea panoramas. The promenade is well equipped for both hiking and cycling. Many travelers prefer to while away hours while waiting for their ferry to Cyprus.
Address: Adnan Menderes Bulvarı, Mersin, Turkey.
Kyzkalesi Castle can rightly be called the most popular attraction of the city of Mersin in Turkey. The object is a medieval Cilician fortress, which is located half a kilometer from the coast of the resort town of the same name. The building was erected in the 12th century and, of course, the history of its construction could not be embellished with a beautiful legend. Once the king of Korikos, the fortuneteller predicted the death of his daughter from a snakebite. To protect his princess, Vladyka ordered the construction of a castle on the island, where not a single reptile could get. But the prophecy nevertheless came true: the king’s daughter was bitten by an insidious snake hidden in a fruit basket.
- You can get to the island by motor boat, plying from the coast to the castle every 20 minutes. Fare 20 TL.
- Opening hours: from April 15 to October 2, the attraction is open from 08:00 to 20:00. In the winter season from October 3 to April 14, the castle is open from 08:00 to 19:00.
- Cost of visiting: the price of admission to the fortress is 6 TL.
- Address: Kızkalesi Mahallesi, 33790 Erdemli / Mersin.
The real gem of the Turkish city of Mersin was the Mugdat Mosque. Named in honor of one of the associates of the prophet Mohammed, Mikdad ibn Aswad, the shrine was opened in 1998 and can accommodate up to 5500 parishioners. The religious complex is built in the classical Ottoman architectural style and has 6 minarets and 3 balconies. It also includes a library, a conference room, a medical center, a dining room and other premises. In addition, the tomb of Mikdad itself is located on the territory of the mosque.
- Opening hours: You can visit the mosque in between prayers in the morning and afternoon.
- Cost of visit: free.
- Address: Gazi Mahallesi, Aliye Pozcu Cami, 33130 Yenisehir, Mersin.
Accommodation in Mersin
The city and port of Mersin offers a fairly good selection of hotels of different categories. Here you will find both elite five-star hotels and three-star options at reasonable prices. The city also presents very budgetary institutions represented by motels. When choosing a hotel, it is important to pay attention to its location: many hotels are located tens of kilometers from the center of Mersin.
Prices for a double room per night in 3 * hotels start from 110 TL, and as a rule, breakfast is included in this amount. On average, the cost of renting a room in institutions of this category ranges from 150-250 TL. If you need the most economical option, then you can stay in a motel for 70 TL per day for two. Well, for lovers of comfort, elite hotels with pools and spas function in the port, where prices do not exceed 340 TL per night in a double room.
Food
Mersin has a very rich selection of catering establishments, including gourmet restaurants and ordinary canteens. In most cafes, you can enjoy dishes of national and European cuisine. In general, prices in institutions are very moderate. So, dine together in a diner will cost 25-30 TL. In a mid-range restaurant for a dinner for two you will pay approximately 50 TL. For a fast food menu, you will give away 16 TL per person. In institutions with street food, you can eat at dayner or dyurum for only 6-10 TL.
The prices for drinks in restaurants are also very affordable:
- Local beer 0.5 – 13.5 TL
- Imported beer 0.33 – 12 TL
- Cup of coffee – 10 TL
- Pepsi / Cola 0.33 – 3 TL
- Water 0.5 – 2 TL.
Weather and climate. When is it better to come
The port of Mersin in Turkey is characterized by a temperate warm climate. In winter, there is a large amount of rainfall, while in summer their number is minimal. The warmest and sunniest months in the city are July, August and September, when the thermometer does not drop below 30 ° C. In the same period, water in the sea is most comfortable for swimming: its temperature fluctuates between 28-29 ° C.
The coldest and wettest months in Mersin are December, January and February. In winter, temperature during the day varies between 11-14 ° C. You will find more information about the weather in the port in the table below.
| Month | Daytime average temperature | Average temperature at night | Sea water temperature | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11.7 ° C | 5,4 ° C | 18 ° C | nineteen | 5 |
| February | 14.3 ° C | 6.6 ° C | 17 ° C | twenty | 3 |
| March | 17.3 ° C | 8.2 ° C | 17 ° C | 24 | 2 |
| April | 21.7 ° C | 11.5 ° C | 18.6 ° C | 26 | one |
| May | 25.6 ° C | 15.3 ° C | 22 ° C | 28 | 3 |
| June | 30 ° C | 19 ° C | 25.5 ° C | 28 | 2 |
| July | 33 ° C | 21.8 ° C | 28.4 ° C | thirty | 0 |
| August | 33.6 ° C | 22.2 ° C | 29.5 ° C | 31 | 0 |
| September | 30.7 ° C | 19.8 ° C | 28.8 ° C | thirty | one |
| October | 25.9 ° C | 16.2 ° C | 26.1 ° C | 29th | one |
| November | 19.5 ° C | 11.5 ° C | 22.5 ° C | 25 | 2 |
| December | 14.1 ° C | 7.3 ° C | 19.6 ° C | 22 | 3 |
How to get there
If you are traveling to the city of Mersin in Turkey, how to get to the port will be your primary question. There is no airport in Mersin, and the nearest air harbor is 65 km in the city of Adana. There is no international flight connection with Adana, so you can get to the place from Istanbul or Ankara, from where several Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines flights depart daily. The flight time takes a little more than an hour, and the cost of a round-trip ticket is approximately 250 TL.
You can get from Adana to the port either by bus or by train. At the airport, there is a stop at the exit from the terminal, from where Havaş buses leave at least once per hour from 01:45 to 22:00. The cost of the trip is 18 TL, travel time can take up to 90 minutes.
You can also get to Mersin by train: trains leave Adana Garı railway station daily from 06:00 to 22:30 at intervals of 30-60 minutes. The ticket price is 7.5 TL, the journey takes about 45 minutes. The train is the fastest and cheapest way to get to Mersin, a city in Turkey.
