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It is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van (Van Gölü), a salt lake which is locally known as Van Denizi (“the sea of Van”). Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey.
The region is well-known to archealogists since it was the birthplace of Mitanni and Urartu kingdoms, and perhaps as well of their ancestors, the mysterious Hurrians.
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By bus
Buses leave to most destinations in Turkey. A ticket to [wiki=17798a1082dd5d81395688c33fb27cee]Diyarbakir[/wiki] costs 20 TL (09:00, 12:00 and 23:00, 6 hours), to [wiki=00772b2fb92df11ee3a090ab53c4e2ae]Malatya[/wiki] costs 25 TL (08:30, 9 hours) and [wiki=40aec01670b2c59fa791bbfc440a2d2b]Trabzon[/wiki] costs 50 TL (07:30 and 12:00, 12 hours).
Remember that most departure times are from the Otogar, a few km's out of town. Free shuttle buses run from the main ticket offices in the town centre but remember to be there at least half an hour before the scheduled departure time. As always, check details when buying the ticket.
Minibuses to [wiki=0cb7acd88fb5a3c81df5267da5a37223]Doğubeyazıt[/wiki] and Yuksekova for border crossings to Iran. It is also possible to cross at Kapikoy-Razi. There are also two buses a day to and from [wiki=cc3c67c8fd1a6513e8d6f125db90bbff]Urmia[/wiki] in Iran costing only 15 Euros.
Currently (late-August 2015) the only border crossing of the three that is open is at Dogubeyazit, a consequence of the local situation. It is expected to remain the situation for 6 months. Things change, so check with minibuses and buses in Van.
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By train
From [wiki=0ef8f876d62a45352e28410454e3634b]Istanbul[/wiki]’s Haydarpaşa station (on the Asian side) there are trains direct to [wiki=4ba2c53aeee3865a0bb8ae4d403ee073]Tatvan[/wiki], a town on the west side of Lake Van, two times a week, on Mondays and Fridays. This train (Vangölü Express) departs from Haydarpaşa at 10:55PM and calls in a number of cities and towns across Anatolia, including [wiki=632bf6e4254a0fad039d56f8411d76ab]Eskişehir[/wiki], [wiki=9221413dd904c157938b397753a8b4bb]Ankara[/wiki], [wiki=39ee0ab78d87f8f7be433f11d07b9fb2]Kayseri[/wiki], [wiki=874508d000420ba3f53660c93b6c2514]Sivas[/wiki], and [wiki=00772b2fb92df11ee3a090ab53c4e2ae]Malatya[/wiki] among others. According to the timetable all the way between Istanbul and Tatvan takes almost 40 hours (arriving in Tatvan at 2:17PM on Wednesdays and Sundays), frequent and probably long delays discluded. This is the longest (both in terms of miles traveled and time spent inside the train) non-international train journey in Turkey and gives a through panorama of almost all regions of inland Turkey. [wiki=8825fa95518755b7eb51c5f42d9b2f67]Inter Rail[/wiki] pass is accepted in this train. Once arrived in Tatvan, you can take the ferry which crosses the lake to Van.
International train from [wiki=0ef8f876d62a45352e28410454e3634b]Istanbul[/wiki] to [wiki=ed7b37ce943e144f5bd8bdbbb8d47062]Tehran[/wiki] (Trans-Asia Express) calls in Van once per week (on Thursday evening, around 10pm, as of April 2011), see [url=http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/ortadogu_ing.htm]](note that this link is not up-to-date as of April 2011, despite being the official website, the Van-Tabriz train leaves Van on Tuesday evening, not Wednesday)
Apart from Trans-Asia, there is also another international train service once a week (on Tuesday evening as of April 2011) between Van station and [[Tabriz[/url]] in NW Iran.
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By plane
There is an airport (Van Airport) located about 5-10 km away from the city. There are flights from [wiki=0ef8f876d62a45352e28410454e3634b]Istanbul[/wiki], [wiki=87da1803d79be02847802fb26ee3f961]Izmir[/wiki], [wiki=9221413dd904c157938b397753a8b4bb]Ankara[/wiki] and [wiki=fbf55ec2f75ae0ee54a2c55b49eef828]Antalya[/wiki].
Outside the airport there are taxis to the city costing 20 YTL, but you can also walk for the main road where dolmuses stop and take you to the city only for 1 YTL. A bus run by the municipality operates from the airport to the centre - look for a bus with "Van" in big letters on its windscreen on exiting the airport building, across the roadway.
To get to the airport from the city centre, dolmuses marked Hava Alani leave nearby Hotel Akdamar (Kazim Karabekir Caddesi). Drive takes about 15 minutes, making weird detour becouse of the major roadworks.
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By boat
There is a ferry line in the Lake Van, between [wiki=4ba2c53aeee3865a0bb8ae4d403ee073]Tatvan[/wiki] on the western shoreline and Van on the eastern shoreline. The ferry going to Tatvan leaves three times a day, morning, noon and evening, though departure times are not fixed. 5TL. It takes four hours to cross the lake.
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The castle, located on a high hill towards the waterfront from the town with great vistas over the town and the lake. Take a Dolmus to Kale; if you walk to and around the first small building you reach on the road you can find a path up behind it, otherwise go through the official entrance further down to road towards the water and pay the fee.
*The ancient Armenian church (Ahtamar or Akdamar) on a small island in Lake Van is beautiful. Dating from 921, the church has recently been re-opened after an extensive restoration, making its impressive frescoes possible to see. It is possible to take a dolmus, signed Gevas / Akdamar, from the minibus otogar in the north end of Cumhuriyet Cd (past Besyol Road), to the boat dock, which lies 50 km west of Van. The ferry across to the island costs 10 TL/person with 16 persons or more. A private boat costs 150 TL. A short wait at the docks for more passengers may prove fruitful if you are an independent traveller. You may take the return ferry one hour after your arrival, otherwise additional ferries that can take you later (don't have to take the same boat back, just take as long as you want on the island). Cost for entry to site is 5TL (June 2014), and the last ferry leaves around 5:30 or 6pm. The last dolmus back to Van is around 7pm.
* The old city of Tuşpa a few kilometres west of the city.
* Lake Van is the biggest lake in Turkey with four islands in it (including Akdamar island). You can drink tea while overlooking the beauty of the lake and have picnic (check out Iskele). You can also taste the local fish which lives in Lake Va (inci kefali).
* You can also swim in Lake Van. it is very clean and safe. Be aware that many beaches are not 'mixed' for men and women, so ask a local before you head to one.
*See the castles in Hosap (5TL 50min) and Cavustepe (free). The first one is the better preserved; the latter is much older. You can easily reach both by dolmus as they are one the same route. First take a dolmus with a Yüksekoca sign and tell the driver to stop at Hosap (10TL). Take a dolmus back to Van but get out at Cavustepe kalesi(5TL). Hitchhiking also works perfectly because of the friendly people, but the drive can be a strange situation if you don't speak Kurdish or Turkish, as most people here understand little-to-no English.
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Local people mainly speak [wiki=04bcba7f1908e3f4a97456228571409b]Kurdish[/wiki]. The national language, [wiki=1a96ae15852cb301bb47bab58c8ae5b8]Turkish[/wiki], is also very common. People, especially the young generation, understand some basic English. Do not expect more.
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If you like to see beautiful handmade carpets and kilims
you must stop for free presentation.
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The city is famous for its breakfast salons (kahvaltı salonu), in which for about 10 lira, you are served a really filling breakfast including locally produced cheese (different types, including "otlu peynir") and honey, tahini, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, kaymak (similar to clotted cream), and still-warm bread. The price usually includes an unlimited amount of tea. Locals tend to avoid "Breakfast Street", and favor businesses that are just off the main roads. Egg dishes are also prepared upon request, including menemen.
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There are quite a few bars within the Çarsi (downtown area), but travelers--especially women--should be wary of visiting a pub/restaurant hybrid, as it's typically known as a place to find 'companionship'.
Niçe is just off of Maras Street, and offers opera on television, and various western music. Small, loud, and smoky, Niçe has a great 'dive bar' aesthetic. Workers are accustomed to the seeing the occasional foreigner, and do their best to accommodate. In Winter, they serve mulled wine.
The Lop Bar is between Cumhuriet and Sanat Street, on a second floor walk-up. There's live music most weekends, a staff that's helpful, large operable windows, and affordable prices. Be sure to get a 'şişe' (bottle). Decent cocktails are available.
The North Shield is tucked away in the back of Tamara Otel (just between Sanat and Maraş Streets). Upon entering the hotel, head left through a sliding door, down a hall, and up the stairs. While slightly more expensive than other bars, football matches are generally shown in a British pub reproduction and the air has adequate ventilation.
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Plenty of hotels around the northern end of the bazaar.
* A simple hotel with trivial hot showers in the morning. A little noisy outside during the day, but night is silent and with decent staff. No breakfast and no English, but the location is near everything and it's by far the best budget option after the earthquake.
* Simple basic hotel, a bit noisy but with friendly staff. No breakfast.
* Hotel Asur beside the tourist office, offers clean rooms with attached bathroom. Single 60-80 TL, Double 110 TL including breakfast. The staff speak English and are very helpful.
*Clean, spacious rooms, nice views of the green mosque on the upper floors, central location, good breakfast and free wi-fi.
*Merit Sahmaran Hotel is 4 star hotel near the Van Lake
*Clean rooms, only 40 TL for a twin single. Very fast wifi access. No breakfast at that price.
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[wiki=21fc68909a9eb8692e84cf64e495213e]Iran[/wiki] is only 100 kilometres away in the east. It is possible to go by road or rail. (Be sure to have your visa before you arrive in Van)
* [wiki=0cb7acd88fb5a3c81df5267da5a37223]Doğubeyazıt[/wiki] to north, which is near another border gate to Iran, the stunning İshak Pasha Palace, and the legendary Mount Ararat-the highest mountain of Turkey. Doğubeyazıt has fairly extensive bus connections to other destinations in [wiki=c1b4559248fc9671438adcf302a42ee6]Eastern Anatolia[/wiki] and is an easily accessible destination from Van. Make sure to take the de-tour to [wiki=c1b4559248fc9671438adcf302a42ee6#See]Muradiye Waterfalls[/wiki], located off the highway leading to Doğubeyazıt from Van.
[wiki=5c0d8e620f315dd228db7464c021f9c0]it:Van[/wiki]
[[WikiPedia:Van, Turkey]]
[wiki=d3ee32d0da8f0a4c1067ec9681c2448c]Dmoz:Middle_East/Turkey/Provinces/Van/[/wiki]
[wiki=d4ec975ccdd3cc154336a7d4b1c201e8]World66:asia/middleeast/turkey/van[/wiki]
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