History buffs may know Antakya better by its ancient name, Antioch, while the town’s acclaimed archaeology museum, its collection of sparkling mosaic works from the end of the Roman Empire, and some seriously striking engineering marvels bearing the name of Flavian emperors perhaps goes even further to belying its truly long and enthralling past. However, Antakya isn’t just about looking backwards; today the dusty city, sandwiched between the rugged Nur Mountains, the winding Orontes River and the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean Sea exudes a raw multiculturalism that’s difficult to find anywhere else in the region. Here, Ottoman mosques, like the Habib-i Neccar Camii, give way to wondrous Christian pilgrimage sites, like the chiselled Church of St Peter. Bubbling souks occupy the alcoves of the old town kernel, scented with pomegranate syrups and potent harissa pastes, while mouth-watering eateries beckon with the aromas of Levantine coffees and flat breads as youngsters mingle on the banks of the Orontes at sunset. In short, as any Antakya tour guide would be right to say, this one really is a jewel of Anatolia as a whole.