Van

Ancient city on the eastern shore of Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake, with the Urartian Van Fortress, the Armenian church on Akdamar Island and the famous Van breakfast.

Van lies in eastern Turkey on the eastern shore of Lake Van, the country's largest lake, at about 1,700 m above sea level. It is the capital of Van Province, and its population is mostly Kurdish. From the 9th to the 6th century BC it was Tushpa, capital of the Kingdom of Urartu, and in the Middle Ages it was the centre of the Armenian Kingdom of Vaspurakan, giving it rich layers of history. Key sights include the Van Fortress on the rocky ridge west of town and the ruins of the old city below it to the south, the newly opened Van Museum, and the 10th-century Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island in the lake — its exterior reliefs are a masterpiece of Armenian art and the highlight of any visit. To the southeast, Çavuştepe and Hoşap Castle, and to the northeast, the Muradiye Waterfall, make good day trips by hired car. Van has two more claims to fame: a breakfast street lined with dozens of breakfast restaurants, and the white Van cat, known for its odd eyes — one blue, one amber — and its love of swimming. June–September brings pleasant weather and lake swimming; in April, apricot trees blossom against snowy peaks reflected in the lake; winters are long and harsh, often below −10°C. Getting there: Van Ferit Melen Airport has direct flights to Istanbul and Ankara; you can also take the Lake Van Express (Vangölü Ekspresi) train from Ankara (about 1.5 days), prized for its scenery. Sights are spread out; minibuses reach the main spots, but a taxi or hired car saves time for the fortress and the island ferry pier. Plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

• Van Fortress – The limestone citadel of Tushpa, capital of the Urartian kingdom, with cuneiform inscriptions and royal tombs carved into the cliffs, offer…
• Akdamar Island & Cathedral of the Holy Cross – A 10th-century Armenian church on a small island in Lake Van, its exterior covered in relief carvings of biblical stories, making it the mo…
• Van Breakfast Street – An entire street of breakfast restaurants, with tables laden with cheeses, honey cream, scrambled eggs with sausage and herb cheese, often…
• Old City of Van – Ruins of the old city south of Van Fortress, destroyed after 1915, now with crumbling walls and restored Ottoman mosques.
• Van Museum – A new museum at the foot of Van Fortress, displaying Urartian bronzes, gold ornaments and cuneiform inscriptions.
• Van Cat House – A research center breeding purebred Van cats, where you can see white cats with mismatched blue and gold eyes that love swimming up close.
• Hoşap Castle – A 17th-century Kurdish castle on a rocky hill, with finely carved gates and an ancient stone arch bridge below.
• Çavuştepe Castle (Sardurihinili) – A ridge fortress built by Urartian king Sarduri II, with temple foundations and cuneiform stone carvings.
• Muradiye Waterfall – A broad basalt waterfall on the Bendimahi River, spanned by a swaying suspension bridge, with tea gardens and grilled-fish restaurants near…
• Halime Hatun Tomb – A 14th-century Seljuk-style domed mausoleum in the Gevaş Seljuk cemetery, surrounded by finely carved tombstones.
• Varagavank (Yedi Kilise) – The ruins of an 11th-century Armenian monastery on the slopes of Mount Erek, once an important religious and cultural center.
• Çarpanak Island (Ktuts Monastery) – A small island in the northern part of Lake Van, home to a 15th-century Armenian monastery. Boats must be chartered to reach it, and visito…
• Lake Erçek – A saline lake about 30 km east of Van, with open shores where flamingos and large numbers of waterbirds gather in spring and summer.
• Ayanis Fortress – A late Urartian fortress on the northeastern shore of Lake Van, where finds include decorated temple walls and cuneiform inscriptions.

Where to eat

• Sütçü Kenan Breakfast House – A long-standing breakfast spot on Van's breakfast street, best known for Van herb cheese and a table full of Van breakf…
• Bak Hele Bak Yusuf Konak – A mansion-style Van breakfast house with generous homemade cheese, honey and walnut jam, and one of the city's breakfas…
• Kervansaray Restaurant – A long-running family restaurant in the city center, best known for tandır lamb, perde pilavı (“curtain rice”), and pap…

Itineraries

• Eastern Anatolian Highlands & Borderlands – Journey from Erzurum to Kars, pass beneath Mount Ararat, and end at Lake Van to see ruined capitals, palaces, and islan…