Almost impossible to reach by public transport, the remains of the Urartian Ayarış Kalesi (castle) nevertheless stand in a stunning location overlooking a…
In mid-September Turkey’s schools reopen and the long, hot summer starts to wind down. That doesn’t necessarily mean that all the hotels suddenly…
Walnut Central Population: Driving round the northern shore of Lake Van (Van Gölü) you will…
Site of major Selçuk victory Population: 18,900 Other names: Manavazkert (Armenian), Melezgir (Kurdish) Festival: 26 August Commemoration of Battle of…
Cemetery on Lake Van Population: 27,500 Old name: Khlad Rather oddly, the best-known attraction on the north side of Lake Van…
The Van seaside Other names: Arteme (Kurdish) Driving between Van and Akdamar you might want to pause in Edremit, the decidedly scruffy “beach…
Church on a Lake Van island Festival: 15 August – feast day of St Mary (Meryemana) Just off-shore on the southern side of Lake…
The other Mt Nemrut In the unfair way of things touristic it’s the Nemrut Dağı near Adıyaman – the one with the giant…
Lake Van ferry terminal Population: 66,000 On paper…
Turkey’s largest lake Other name: Gola Wane (Kurdish) A brief glance at a map of Eastern Turkey immediately reveals that its most conspicuous…