City Guides in Mersin: Top Places

Cennet and Cehennem are the names of two large sinkholes in the Taurus Mountains, in Mersin Province, Turkey. The sinkholes are among the tourist attractions of the province.

Eski Tarsus Evleri are historical houses in the Tarsus district of Mersin, reflecting 19th and 20th-century civil architecture. Constructed with stone, adobe, and wood, these houses typically feature lower floors used as storage and upper floors as living areas. High walls and courtyards are notable characteristics of Tarsus houses, some of which now operate as boutique hotels, cafes, and restaurants. The houses are within walking distance of Tarsus Museum (258 m), Ancient Road (181 m), and Tarsus Clock Tower (482 m). The nearest public transport is Tarsus train stop (775 m).

Taşkuyu Cave, the cave located in Taşkuyu Village, approximately 10 km northwest of Tarsus district, Mersin province. Taşkuyu Cave developed at the contact of Permo-Carboniferous aged marbles and the overlying Miocene aged limestones. The entrance of the cave is 214 meters above sea level and its known total length is 470 meters.

Eshab-ı Kehf Cave, also known as Ashab-ı Kehf Cave or Seven Sleepers' Cave, is a show cave situated to the north of Tarsus, an ilçe in Mersin Province, Turkey. The cave is named after the Persian word اصحاب کهف itself from the Arabic "aṣḥāb al-kahf", "people of the cave", for the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, a belief in Christian and Islamic tradition. The cave is about 14 kilometres to Tarsus and about 40 kilometres to Mersin, at the foot of a small hill.

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Kırkkaşık Bedesteni in Tarsus was built in 1579 by İbrahim Bey of the Ramazanoğulları Principality. Initially serving as a soup kitchen and madrasa, it is now used as a covered bazaar. The bedesten, named after the spoon decorations on its exterior, is constructed from cut stone and features seven domes and twenty-one rooms. Tarsus Museum (453 m), Ancient Road (416 m), and Donuktaş Temple (618 m) are within walking distance.

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Kubat Paşa Medresesi, located in Tarsus, Mersin, was built in the 1550s by Kubat Pasha of the Ramazanid Beylik. The structure, featuring Seljuk and Ottoman architectural elements, is constructed from ashlar masonry and has an open courtyard and a single-story plan. Today, the madrasa serves as the Tarsus Culture House and Ethnography Museum, exhibiting local ethnographic artifacts such as agricultural tools and kitchen utensils. It is within walking distance of Tarsus Museum (506 m), Ancient Road (449 m), and Donuktaş Temple (528 m).

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Kizkalesi is a historic sea castle located in the Erdemli district of Mersin. Situated on a small islet approximately 600 meters offshore, it is a symbol of the neighborhood it names. The castle was built in 1199 by Leo I and served as an important defensive point during the Byzantine and Armenian periods. Kizkalesi is within walking distance of Kızkalesi (445 m).

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Şahmeran is a monument in Tarsus representing Şahmeran, a mythological creature that is half-woman and half-snake. It is an important part of Tarsus' cultural heritage and holds a significant place in local folklore. The monument is located in the middle of a fountain at a large roundabout, about 100 meters north of the Ulu Cami and the Church of St Paul in Tarsus city center. Tarsus Museum (474 m), Ancient Road (410 m), and Donuktaş Temple (564 m) are within walking distance.

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Tarsus Clock Tower is a clock tower located in the Tarsus district of Mersin. It is situated at the northeast corner of the Grand Mosque, and its construction was encouraged by Ziya Bey, the District Governor of Tarsus at the time. In 1894, Feyzullah Ağa, from the gentry of Frengülüs village, had a clock tower built in Tarsus city center at a cost of 25 thousand kuruş and had a large clock brought from Europe.

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Mustafa Ağa Mescidi, located in Tarsus, is an Ottoman-era mosque estimated to have been built in the late 19th or early 20th century. Also known as Müftü Mescidi, it features a nearly square rectangular prayer hall (harim) and a portico (son cemaat mahalli) added from the north. The mosque is within walking distance of Tarsus Museum (472 m), Ancient Road (417 m), and Donuktaş Temple (562 m).

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