Eastern Anatolia Region is the biggest region in the terms of the area it covers while Southeastern Anatolia Region is one of the smallest regions in Turkey. Since Turkey’s top touristic locations are in mostly western Turkey, these regions are not visited by tourists as much as the rest of Turkey. Still, that doesn’t mean it is because there is nothing interesting. Actually, this part of Turkey is a real mixture of Asia and Europe, Europe and Middle East, Asia and Middle East. If you know where to go, you can experience an unforgettable holiday in this region. Let’s see some options;
First of all, Lake Van, the biggest lake of the country, is in this region. Lake Van is where nature meets history. From Armenian Kingdoms, to Seljuk Empire, the surrounding of lake is rich. Recently restored holy church in Akdamar Island and nearby town of Tatvan with the gorgeous Mount Nemrut and breathtaking Nemrut Crater Lake are among the must-see places.
Ahlat, located on the shores of Lake Van, is famous for its cemetery from Seljuks. Suphan Mountain is also in this part of the region and the mountain is the third biggest in Turkey. At the foot of this mountain, you will experience real ‘escapes’ since there are natural beauties like forests and lakes.
Bingöl, which means ‘thousand lakes’ in Turkish, deserves its name because of the countless glacier lakes made up by the melting glaciers. The region has beautiful landscape and some interesting caves.
Tunceli has got the Munzur Valley Natural Park and it is one of the most beautiful in the whole country. It has got a rich flora and fauna and they are unspoilt.
Hazar Lake is located in the borders of Elazığ and the lake in the mountainous region is absolutely beautiful. Harput, a very close town to Elazığ, dates back to very old times and has much to offer to tourists.
Erzincan is a city surrounded by mountains and this can make you understand how interesting and nice the city’s surrounding is. Together with the city of Malatya, Erzincan is one of top cities of Turkey in terms of rich architecture. Since Malatya is in the middle of a fertile plateau, it has many natural beauties to show.
Hakkari may have a security problem from time to time but this doesn’t change the fact that it has beautiful and interesting flowers and water springs. Zap Valley has eye-catching beauties including Zap Stream.
Ishak Pasha Palace in Doğubeyazıt, Ağrı is one of the great examples of the historical Turkish palaces. The highest peak of Turkey is located in Ağrı; Mount Ağrı (Mount Ararat) which is a gorgeous mountain with full of snow and ice at the top all the time.
Sivas, lying in the broad valley of Kızılırmak river, has many monuments from Seljuks including Mavi Medrese, Şifaiye Medresesi, Çifte Minare Medresesi. Thermal springs of Sivas are believed to cure many illnesses.
Kars, which is described in detail in Nobel-prize winner Turkish author Orhan Pamuk’s ‘Snow’, is a rich city in terms of culture since Turkish, Russian, Armenian, Caucasian and Kurdish affected much of Kars’ architecture and lifestyle. The medieval city of Ani’s ruins near Kars attract many people today. But it may be more exciting to go there as a part of your escape!
Erzurum is another city to enjoy in this region. Rich cuisine and beautiful landscape are effective to make the city more attractive. Palandöken Mountain range is often frequented by ski lovers and the city will host 2011 Winter Universiade. Iğdır and Ardahan are other cities in this region. Ardahan has a wonderful landscape which makes it a hot spot for escapers.
Photo: Earthling Plus
Click here to see the list of hotels in Eastern Anatolia Region
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