Few international food cultures are as storied as that found in Türkiye. From city to city, village to village, visitors can expect a charismatic convergence of traditions that play out across dishes and recipes that embody both people and place. Set between mountains and sea, the Mediterranean region is defined by a vibrant cuisine of fresh vegetables, fruit and seafood, as well as celebrated dishes such as the kebab – which is the focal point of a particularly passionate debate.

The so-called "battle of the skewers" refers to an age-old friendly rivalry between the people of Tarsus and Adana. These two cities, just an hour apart, each pride themselves on signature dishes that feature expertly seasoned, charcoal-grilled skewers centred around minced lamb. To the untrained eye they may seem similar but, to locals, they're worlds apart. In the city of Tarsus – the birthplace of St Paul – the kebabs come thicker, coarser and richer in fat, delivering a melt-in-your-mouth texture. This sits in contrast to the Adana kebab, which is spicier, leaner and packed with bold flavours, reminiscent of the city's 8,000-year history spanning empires and civilisations. Each city swears by its own version, with locals in friendly disagreement as to why theirs wins out. Yet both, kissed by charcoal smoke and served best with pide, charred peppers and tomatoes, cacık (yogurt and cucumber salad), red cabbage and hummus, shine a light on these near neighbours' flavourful food cultures.

Journeying into the Mediterranean's rich history with Dr Candemir Zoroğlu, director of culture and tourism for Antalya, travellers can witness evidence of the region's cultural significance that exists around every corner.

"Many visitors associate the Mediterranean with sun, sea and sandy beaches but are often astonished by its depth of cultural richness," says Dr Candemir Zoroğlu from Türkiye's Ministry of Culture & Tourism on the area's considerable cultural clout. "This land holds an extraordinary accumulation of human heritage, from some of the earliest traces of civilisation to the dynamics of modern life."

In and around Antalya, ancient monuments sit close to a striking Seljuk caravanserai, a roadside hostelry along the Silk Road that allowed for exchange of goods and ideas, as well as Ottoman mosques and traces of the Republican era. Meanwhile, in the historic centre of Kaleiçi and the ancient city of Side, Ottoman-era houses and ancient columns lie just steps away from buzzy bars, cafes and restaurants, while Aspendos is home to one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman stages in the world, which continues to deliver international performances today.

The region is also significant in terms of religious history. Born in the western city of Patara, St Nicholas was the bishop of Myra (what we now know as modern-day Demre) and became known for his acts of generosity, prompting the modern Santa Claus. His life and legacy can be explored at the St Nicholas Memorial Museum in nearby Demre, where he served as a bishop. As the seat of the Lycian League, Patara also proved an early model of democratic governance, while its endless golden beach – one of the longest and most pictureque in Türkiye (18km long and 500m wide) – is a sanctuary for endangered Caretta caretta turtles, comes into its own at sunset.

Nearby, a boat trip from Kekova reveals the fascinating sunken ruins of ancient civilisations beneath the sea, while – further afield – Zoroğlu adds that a detour to the Karain Cave, north-west of Antalya, is a must. One of the few sites in the world that provides an uninterrupted record of the Lower, Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods, it contains evidence of human presence that dates back a staggering 500,000 years.