8 Best Sights in The Black Sea Coast and Lake Van, Turkey

On the tranquil, uninhabited islet of Akdamar, among the wild olive and almond trees, stand the scant remains of a monastery that include the truly splendid Church of the Holy Cross. Built in AD 921 by an Armenian king, Gagik Artsruni of Vaspurakan, the compound was originally part of a palace, but was later converted to a monastery. Incredible high-relief carvings on the exterior make the church one of the most enchanting spots in Turkey. Much of the Old Testament is depicted here: look for Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, and Jonah and the whale. Along the top is a frieze of running animals; another frieze shows a vineyard where laborers work the fields and women dance with bears; and, of course, King Gagik, almost hidden above the entrance, is depicted, offering his church to Christ. The monastery operated until WWI, and since 2010 annual religious services have been allowed, usually in early September.

There are a handful of small cafés and gift shops on the island, and a few coves that offer the opportunity to swim in the alkaline lake. One of the most charming things about the island may be the large number of gray rabbits scampering about. To reach Akdamar from Van, take a minibus (20 TL) or follow Route 300 to Gevaş, which is about 20 miles away. Just past Gevaş, you'll see ferries waiting at the well-marked landing to collect the required number of passengers—between 10 and 15—for the 20-minute ride. Normally it costs 30 TL per person but if there aren't enough passengers the round-trip is around 300 TL. Boats return to the mainland hourly until 6 pm.

Ayder is also known for its kaplıcaları (hot springs), reputed to cure all types of ailments. Whether this is true or not, the springs, housed in a modern, marble-lined building near the village's mosque, are good for a relaxing soak after a day of hiking. There's a large pool to splash around in and a hammam area where you can give yourself a good scrub. There are separate facilities for men and women, as well as private rooms for couples that want to bathe together.

The Romans left a strong mark on Diyarbakır—not only did they lay the foundations for its famous city walls, but they created the basic layout of the old town: a rough rectangle with two main streets that cross and connect the four gates that are found at each compass point. The walls were constructed by the Byzantine Emperor Constantius in the 4th century and various Arab and Turkish rulers restored and added to them over the centuries, until the local Artukid Turcoman emir al Malik al-Salih Mahmud gave them their current form in 1208. On the whole, the walls remain in good shape along their entire length; indeed, if you feel like a bit of an adventure, the best way to appreciate these great walls is to wander along the top. Of the original 72 towers, 67 are still standing, decorated with myriad inscriptions in the language of every conqueror and with Seljuk reliefs of animals and men; you can also explore their inner chambers and corridors. In 2015, the walls became a UNESO World Heritage sight, along with the surrounding Hevsel Gardens, the greenbelt between Diyarbakir and the Tigris River.

Erected around 9,000 BC, 6,000 years before Stonehenge, before even the invention of agriculture, this series of stone circles on a hill 15 km (9 miles) northeast of the town of Urfa have been popularly declared the "World's Oldest Temple." The stones' purpose has been subject to wide interpretation: some believe this was a burial site; others, a place of ritual initiation, or that each circle belonged to a different tribe that gathered here for ritual and trade. What is clear, though, is that no one lived here, and that it would have taken hundreds of people to transport and erect the pillars. The site consists of a series of circles and ovals formed by large T-shaped pillars of equal height, usually with two larger pillars inside. The pillars are thought to have held a roof. Many of the outer surfaces are carved, some are anthropomorphic, others depict the savage nightmares of a hunter-gatherer's life, such as snakes, foxes, vultures, scorpions, and wild boar. Most curiously of all, the structures were deliberately buried when the site was abandoned. Four structures have been exposed since excavations began in 1995, and another 16 have been identified by geophysicists; excavations continue in spring and fall. The circles themselves are off-limits and enclosed by low fences, but visitors are welcome to follow pathways from which all are clearly visible. Take the old highway the D400 east from Şanlıurfa and look for the marked turning on the left just as you leave the built-up area. This road continues about 15 km (10 miles), crossing over the new highway. Shortly after this is a turn, left for the last few miles up the hill to the site. Alternatively, a return taxi (including waiting time) from Urfa should cost around 80 TL. While the site is open year-round, many of the pillars are covered in winter in order to protect them from the elements.

The region's most famous mountain is actually an extinct volcano covered with snow even in summer and soaring dramatically 16,850 feet above the arid plateau and dominating the landscape. According to Genesis, after the Great Flood, "the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry." The survivors, as the story goes, had just landed on top of Mt. Ararat. Many other ancient sources—Chaldean, Babylonian, Chinese, Assyrian—also tell of an all-destroying flood and of one man who heroically escaped its consequences. The truth is that people have been searching for the actual ark since medieval times, and nothing has ever been found. The mountain can be easily viewed from Doğubeyazıt, although actually climbing it requires a permit that can only be obtained by a licensed agency and usually takes at least a few days to acquire. Be prepared for a lot of walking on gravel, and be forewarned that the summit is often shrouded in clouds. Local tour offices will take you on a day trip that includes a visit to a village at the base of the mountain, which is the closest you can get to Ararat without a permit.

Clinging to the side of a sheer cliff, the Sumela Monastery (also known as Meryemana, which is Mother Mary in Turkish, because it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary) is stunning to behold. Orthodox monks founded the retreat in the 5th century, living in clifftop caves surrounding a shrine that housed a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary painted by St. Luke. The labyrinth of courtyards, corridors, and chapels date from the time of Emperor Alexius III of Trebizond, who was crowned here in 1340—the monastery continued under the Sultans, remaining until the Greeks were expelled from Turkey in 1922. Although the icon and other treasures have been removed, extensive frescoes done between the 14th and 18th century remain. Though sections have been chipped away or scribbled over with graffiti, they are impressive nonetheless in their depictions of Old and New Testament images—look for an Arab-looking Jesus, an almost African Virgin, and a scene of Adam and Eve, expelled from Eden, taking up a plough.

The first, lower, parking lot is beside the river (and the Sumela Restaurant). From there a well-worn trail to the monastery is a rigorous 40-minute uphill hike. Farther on is a second, upper parking lot, at the level of the monastery, a 15-minute walk away on a level path. Most organized day excursions from Trabzon drop you at the upper lot and collect you from the lower one. An extensive restoration process was completed in 2021 and the monastery was reopened, but as of December 2021 it was again under restoration and closed to visitors. Though still visible from the outside, visitors should call in advance and inquire about the restoration status.

Urfa's fantastic archaeological museum reopened in 2015 in an imposingly large building amid leafy open space. It still has an impressive collection covering the area's long history, interspersed with lifelike recreations of the living conditions in prehistoric times. Especially interesting are sculptures from Göbekli Tepe and the full-size re-creation of one of its temples, but the star of the show is a white, alien-looking statue with obsidian eyes, found in the Gölbaşı lake in 1993. Nearly 13,500 years old, it is the world's oldest full-size man-made human figure. There are also Hittite sculptures from the area, a collection of exquisitely carved antique wooden doors, and a classical sculpture garden.

Also included in the ticket price is entry to the neighboring Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, which houses an incredible array of mosaics that would have once formed part of a Roman-era palace. These include mosaics depicting the life of Achilles, including his mother holding him by the heel and dipping him into the waters of the River Styx. and a magnificent scene of Amazon queens hunting wild beasts.

What claims to be the largest mosaic museum in the world houses a stunning collection of Roman-era mosaics rescued from a nearby archaeological site called Zeugma, which was previously submerged under the waters of a man-made lake. The intricate mosaics—some portraying scenes from Roman mythology, others more artistic geometric designs—are dazzling to behold. The fragment of a mosaic depicting a young woman with an enigmatic gaze (called "The Gypsy Girl") is quickly earning Mona Lisa–like iconic status across Turkey. Many of the mosaics depict less common myths, such as that of Achilles, hidden by his mother before the Trojan War and disguised in women's clothing but tricked into showing interest in a sword, and Parthenope and Metiochus, the Romeo and Juliet of the ancient world. Destruction by illegal excavations is also highlighted, and several of the mosaics on display did time in private collections in the United States before being recovered.