Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey and the largest soda lake in the world - 3,755 square kilometres of alkaline water at 1,646 metres altitude, surrounded by volcanic peaks. The lake has no outlet to the sea; the alkaline chemistry means fish species are limited but the Van cat (a white semi-longhaired cat with odd-coloured eyes, native to this region) supposedly swims in it. The Akdamar Island church (Church of the Holy Cross, 915 CE Armenian) rises from the lake 4 km offshore with carved bas-reliefs of biblical scenes on its exterior walls - one of the finest examples of medieval Armenian stone carving.
Van city is the main urban centre of eastern Turkey, historically the capital of the ancient Urartu kingdom (9th–6th century BCE) - a pre-Armenian civilisation whose cuneiform inscriptions are found across the region. We have mapped 8 top-rated Van tours below.
Top Van Tours at a Glance
| Tour | Duration | Approx. Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akdamar Island Church Boat Trip | Half day | From $25 | History, boat trip |
| Van Castle and Old Van Ruins Tour | 3 hrs | From $25 | Archaeology, history |
| Van Archaeological Museum and Urartu Artefacts | 2 hrs | From $20 | Ancient history, art |
| Çavuştepe and Hoşap Castle Day Trip | Full day | From $45 | Urartu archaeology |
| Lake Van Sunrise Boat Tour | 3 hrs | From $30 | Photography, landscape |
| Van Breakfast and Bazaar Tour | 2 hrs | From $25 | Food culture |
| Van to Nemrut Crater Lake Day Trip | Full day | From $55 | Volcanic landscape |
| Van Cat House and City Tour | Half day | From $20 | Cultural, families |
For History
Akdamar Island Church Boat Trip
The Akdamar Island boat trip from Gevaş pier (30 km from Van city) crosses the 4-km stretch to the island in 20 minutes. The Church of the Holy Cross (Surb Haç Kilisesi, 915 CE) was built for the Armenian king Gagik I of Vaspurakan. The exterior carved reliefs cover three registers: biblical scenes (Adam and Eve, Jonah and the Whale, David and Goliath, the Sacrifice of Abraham), hunt scenes, and decorative friezes. The carvings survived largely intact because the church was used as a granary by Kurds in the 20th century.
The interior is simpler - restored frescoes are fragmentary. The island also has the ruins of a palace and a monastery church. Mass is held annually on the feast day (a recent revival, since 2010).
Duration: Half day | Price: From approximately $25 | Includes: Boat, guide, island entry | Departure: Gevaş pier (30 min from Van by taxi or tour transport)
For Archaeology
Van Castle and Old Van Ruins Tour
Van Castle (Van Kalesi) is a massive Urartian rock fortress rising 80 metres from the lake shore, with inscriptions of Urartian king Xerxes I carved into the rock face. Below the castle, “Old Van” - the pre-WWI city - was entirely destroyed in 1915; the ruins of the mosque, the market, and the residential grid are visible as mounds and standing walls extending across the lakeside plain.
The Van Castle tour covers the fortress (the rock-cut stairs, the cuneiform inscriptions, and the tomb of king Argishti I at 750 BCE), the destruction ruins of Old Van below, and the lake panorama from the ramparts.
Duration: 3 hours | Price: From approximately $25 | Includes: Guide, castle entry
For Ancient History
Van Archaeological Museum and Urartu Artefacts
The Van Museum holds the most comprehensive collection of Urartian artefacts in Turkey: bronze helmets, shields, cauldrons, and fertility figurines from the 9th–6th century BCE, as well as cuneiform tablets and gold jewellery. The guided museum tour covers the Urartu collection in context - explaining the kingdom’s control of the eastern Anatolian plateau and its conflict with Assyria.
Duration: 2 hours | Price: From approximately $20 | Includes: Guide, museum entry
For Deep Archaeology
Çavuştepe and Hoşap Castle Day Trip
Çavuştepe (30 km south of Van) is a well-preserved Urartian fortified site - a 1-km limestone ridge with palace rooms, a temple, and a wine cellar with cuneiform inscriptions labelling the amphorae. The Çavuştepe and Hoşap day trip combines the Urartian site with Hoşap Castle (20 km further) - a Kurdish-Ottoman fortress of 1643 perched on a rock above the Hoşap River with dramatically intact towers and gateways.
Duration: Full day | Price: From approximately $45 | Includes: Transport, guide, entries
For Food
Van Breakfast and Bazaar Tour
Van’s claim to a specific breakfast culture is genuine - the Van breakfast (Van kahvaltısı) is a substantial spread of 15–20 small dishes: ot peyniri (herb cheese made with wild mountain herbs), kaymak (thick clotted cream), honey, cevizli pekmez (walnut-grape molasses), kavut (roasted grain paste), çökelekli çemen, and several types of locally produced white cheese. Bakeries in Van make otlu ekmek (herb flatbread) and pide from clay ovens from 06:00. The Van breakfast and bazaar tour visits two breakfast restaurants in the bazaar district and the spice section of the covered market.
Duration: 2 hours | Price: From approximately $25 | Includes: Guide, breakfast
Practical Information
Getting to Van: Van Ferit Melen Airport (VAN) has direct flights from Istanbul (2 hours) and Ankara (1.5 hours). The airport is 6 km from the city centre.
Akdamar ferry: Boat service runs from Gevaş pier April–October, weather permitting. The ferry runs roughly hourly in summer; confirm times at Gevaş. The church is free to enter; the boat fare is approximately $5 each way.
Van cat: The Van Kedisi (Van cat) is exhibited at the Van Cat House (Van Kedisi Araştırma ve Uygulama Merkezi) at Yüzüncü Yıl University - one of the few places to see the breed in controlled conditions. The odd-eyed white cats with swimming reputation are real; the swimming is exaggerated.