Northern Adana Mountains: Kozan (Sis) Castle, Anavarza and Küp Waterfalls

If you are driving north-east from Adana to Anavarza Ancient City, continuing just twenty minutes further north to the citrus-ringed foothill town of Kozan (and into the pine canyons of Aladağ) unlocks the medieval royal capital of Cilician Armenia and a series of ten roaring mountain waterfalls.

1. Kozan (Historical Sis): The 44-Tower Mountain Citadel & Yaverin Konağı (25 km north of Anavarza)

Known in antiquity and the Middle Ages as Sis, the town of Kozan sits at the exact gateway where the flat Çukurova plain meets the steep Taurus passes leading to Kayseri and Cappadocia. From 1198 until 1375, Sis served as the royal capital of the Kingdom of Cilician Armenia (and until 1921 as the seat of the Catholicosate of Sis):

• Kozan Castle (Sis Kalesi): stretching for nearly one kilometre along the knife-edge crest of a sheer three-sided limestone mountain directly above the town, the fortress is fortified by 44 stone towers, vaulted underground cisterns, secret rock-cut sally ports and a southern royal keep (İçkale). Climb to the upper terrace for an eagle's-eye panorama looking south all the way to Anavarza.
• Historic Kozan Streets, Hoşkadem Mosque (1448) & Yaverin Konağı: at the foot of the castle rock, walk through streets lined with two-storey 19th-century stone-and-timber Kozan mansions (staying or dining at restored Yaverin Konağı overlooking the town), step inside the 1448 Mamluk-built Hoşkadem Mosque, and taste Kozan's famous local citrus honey, carob molasses and dried ciğer.

2. The 10 Cascades of Küp Waterfalls (Aladağ Küp Şelaleleri, 1.5 hours north of Adana)

Deep in the forested valleys of the Aladağ district north of Adana (37 km beyond Aladağ town near Meydan Kale), the icy snowmelt of the Göksu branch of the Seyhan River plunges through a 1.5-kilometre limestone canyon in ten consecutive waterfalls (Küp Şelaleleri). Connected by wooden forest stairs, suspended viewing platforms and natural emerald swimming pools framed by red pine and fir trees, the canyon stays a refreshing 20°C even in the middle of August.