Turkey
Oct 2022
1 week

Adana

A destination you can safely keep towards the bottom of your must-visit list.

[Local Time}
{Temperature}
°C ·
[Description}

An ancient gateway to Anatolia's heartland for millennia.

From the majestic stone bridges built by the Romans to the bustling bazaars of its Ottoman-era quarters, Adana's landmarks bear witness to its enduring role as a cultural and economic crossroads.

Verdict:
Avoid

Unless already in close proximity, no compelling reason to visit. Fine for an overnight stop and half a day's exploring.

🌎
Verdict:
Avoid

Unless already in close proximity, no compelling reason to visit. Fine for an overnight stop and half a day's exploring.

Verdict:
Avoid

Unless already in close proximity, no compelling reason to visit. Fine for an overnight stop and half a day's exploring.

👎
Verdict:
Avoid

Unless already in close proximity, no compelling reason to visit. Fine for an overnight stop and half a day's exploring.

🛫
Turkish Lira (TRY)
1.7 Million
⚠️ Would avoid
💰 Great value

Summary

Having enjoyed all my previous trips to Turkey, in the Autumn of 2022 I wanted to visit as many places on the southern coast, doing a week stint in each place. Adana was the next natural stop on from Antalya.

Total:
Accommodation
Bad
Ok
Good
Great
79
%

Airbnb experiences in Turkey, Adana included, can be inconsistent. On this occasion when I arrived, the apartment I had booked turned out to no longer exist.

Opting for hotels proves to be a reliable alternative, offering good value for short stays. The likely inclusion of a Turkish breakfast with your room makes it an even more compelling option.

New legislation introduced by the Turkish government has made short-term rentals for under 100 days more restricted. Keep an eye on Reddit threads for up-to-date assessments of how the new legislation is impacting short-term rentals in practice.

info
New legislation
Recent changes introduced by the Turkish government has made short-term rentals for under 100 days more restricted. Keep an eye on Reddit threads for up-to-date assessments of how the new legislation is impacting short-term rentals in practice.
Places to work
Bad
Ok
Good
Great
54
%

There are limited options for dedicated coworking locations in the city but there are numerous high quality coffee shops to work from that are open late into the night.

Value
Bad
Ok
Good
Great
72
%

As a less touristy destination than many others in the south of the country, eating out and general day to day expenses are particularly good value.

info
The yen is currently at a 34-year low
While this is undoubtedly a negative for the Japanese, it makes for an exceptionally good time to visit Japan from abroad. Although this trend is unlikely to reverse significantly in the short term, it's still worth checking before visiting.
Read more
Excitement
Bad
Ok
Good
Great
57
%

As an industrial and agricultural center, Adana is surprisingly busy, but it’s far from being an engaging destination. While, like anywhere in Turkey, there are excellent food options, there isn't much else to explore beyond the region's well-known cuisine.

Working hours

Turkey adheres to GMT+2 in summer, reverting to GMT+3 in winter due to the absence of daylight saving time practices.

🇪🇺 Consider working European hours from Asia?
I've written a guide on how to structure your day to get the most out of the time difference.
Do you need to speak Spanish?
Without doubt, being able to speak Spanish with a degree of fluency is a huge asset when visiting South America. I had always put off visiting the continent due to my Spanish skills not extending beyond requesting a "cerveza grande".

But even with my incredibly primitive linguistic capabilities, it was not in any way to the detriment of the trip. English is spoken sparsely, but armed with a few phrases, some polite enthusiasm and a translator, it shouldn't deter you from visiting.
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🔎
November 2024 Fact Check
Given the instability in Argentina over the past few years, I found that most advice on key topics, even if written within the last 12 months, bordered on being dangerously outdated.

I have attempted to summarise some of the most misleading points I encountered.
"Nowhere accepts card"
Incorrect
Card availability is now excellent across the city. Even if you are purchasing a single empanada, bananas from a greengrocer, or buying cans of beer off a man in the street before a football match. Some businesses may offer a 10% discount if you use cash, or charge a small surcharge for card payments.
"It's difficult to get a SUBE card"
Incorrect
This was true in recent years, as there had been a shortage of the cards across the city due to a lack of the plastics needed to create the card. I had no problems going to the nearest off-licence and getting a card on my first attempt. It's worth asking your Airbnb host who may have a spare.
"Buenos Aires is cheap"
Incorrect
The biggest misconception that may still linger, even if you are reading articles from 2023. If planning on eating out heavily, then expect European prices or even higher on more imported day-to-day goods. Eating out aside, day-to-day expenses are still good value by global measures.
"Bring dollars with you"
Partially true
This advice would continue to make sense for Americans who already have dollars, but I wouldn't recommend making an effort to purchase with the intent of exchanging them on the ground. Collecting money via Western Union was convenient and good value, which I would recommend to anyone visiting from outside the US.
"Make sure you get the blue-dollar rate"
Partially true
The dramatic stabilisation of the peso by late 2024 means that this difference is nowhere near as significant as it was 12 months ago. At the time of writing, there was only a 10% difference between the official and blue rate. If you are only in the city for a short period you may not even have to grapple with this.
"Restaurant service is poor"
Partially true
I did see some evidence of this, especially in cheaper,  traditional restaurants. In comical fashion, drinks would not appear or the bill would never materialise. In more contemporary outlets, it was never a problem.
"It is a football mad city"
True
There is absolutely no doubt that this is as true as ever in 2024.

Where to stay

Adana is a large city and In the likely scenario that you'll only be passing through for a few days, you would be best off being as close to the centre as possible.

Would avoid
Recommended
Kurtuluş
By far the best area to be located in town. Plenty of options for food and drink and with close proximity to the train station.
Would avoid
Recommended
Old Town
There were no benefits to staying in the old town part of the city. Would avoid.

Where to work

Dreamwork Offices
Top Choice
☕️ Good Coffee
📍 Top Location
🥗 On Site Cafe
🧍Community Focused
⭐️ Quality Fit Out
🌳 Outdoor Space

Situated opposite the train station, Dreamwork Offices provided a great base to work from. Desk space was plentiful, internet was reliable and it features an outdoor terrace for food and coffee.

Day passes were incredibly good value coming it around €5, with a number of places for lunch available within a 2 minute walk. I don't know why I would ever end up back in Adana, but should that happen I would definitely return.

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Remote work visa

Remote work visa coming soon
A dedicated remote work visa is available for this country.
This country is actively working on a visa support for remote workers.
There is currently no remote work visa available for this country.
Visa length
Visa cost
Earning requirements
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To the best of my knowledge this information was correct as of December 2024. If you notice something has changed drop me a message and I'll update it!

Citizen Remote is a great source of up to date knowledge for everything to do with remote work visas.

Safety

Off work

Visit the Sabanci Central Mosquea

The second largest mosque in Turkey dominates the landscape of the central part of the city. Inspired by Ottoman and Seljuk architecture, it features six minarets, making it one of the few mosques worldwide with this unique feature. The surrounding park is also ideal for morning runs before the heat rises

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Eat an Adana Kebab

As you would expect, Adana is the home of the Adana Kebab which you are likely to see across Turkey. It's created from heavily seasoned minced lamb and cooked over a charcoal grill. Did it taste radically different from what I sampled in other cities? No. But regardless, it's a tasty dish and a good box to tick whilst you are there.

Sample 'Şalgam'

Şalgam is a traditional Turkish beverage crafted from fermented purple carrots and bulgur, originating from this region. It has a distinct tangy and spicy flavor, with a deep, rich purple hue. The first few times I sampled it, I honestly hated it. But after this visit I have become hooked.

Visit Seyhan Dam Lake

Large dam created in the north of the city, with shaded areas to escape the sun and dedicated areas to BBQ meats.

Duration & season

Like the rest of the southern coast of Turkey, it can be uncomfortably hot in summer. With no immediate access to the beaches or coastline, you'd be best off visiting outside of peak summer. Even in October, A/C was much needed.

Food & drink

Mosque Run
·
Run
Convenient park next to the city centre which makes it an ideal place for a morning run. Would avoid running in the city centre due to the volume of traffic.
City Loop
·
Walk
Some nice views from Seyhan Dam with the surroundings parks ideal for a BBQ. Very little of note on the entire journey, but the walk river is pleasant to follow on the way back in.

People

I don't know true it would necessarily be, but it feels like you could be the only remote worker passing through town so there is little in the way of a remote community present.

Local people were friendly and accommodating, if not a little confused why you happened to be in the city.

Exercise

Mosque Run
Convenient park next to the city centre which makes it an ideal place for a morning run. Would avoid running in the city centre due to the volume of traffic.
keyboard_arrow_down
City Loop
Some nice views from Seyhan Dam with the surroundings parks ideal for a BBQ. Very little of note on the entire journey, but the walk river is pleasant to follow on the way back in.
keyboard_arrow_down
Mosque Run
Convenient park next to the city centre which makes it an ideal place for a morning run. Would avoid running in the city centre due to the volume of traffic.
City Loop
Some nice views from Seyhan Dam with the surroundings parks ideal for a BBQ. Very little of note on the entire journey, but the walk river is pleasant to follow on the way back in.

Verdict

Positives
  • A busy city with a working feel.There is little in the way of international tourism in Adana, so it provides something of a seemingly authentic experience.
  • A great city for kebabs.As you would expect, if you are a fan of Adana Kebabs there are few better destinations.
Negatives
  • By no means a remote hub.I would say there is a moderate to high chance you may be the only person working from there.
  • Super hot with no access to beaches.Not ideally where you want to be in 35 degrees.
Tips
  • Mersin is worth a visit.A neighbouring city, easily reachable via train.
  • Ensure you have A/C.Even in late October there were hot evenings.
  • The bus to Ankara is pleasant.Takes around 5 hours and provides great views of the Anatolian countryside.
  • Eid al-Adha is a major holiday usually around June.Expect many offices to be closed during this time in a similar manner to Christmas in the UK.
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