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Bitlis... Bitlis stands in a narrow stream valley, just in the middle of a green oasis. Due to its location, it is an important center for tobacco and honey production in eastern Türkiye. A Byzantine castle with polygonal towers dominates the town. There are several mosques in the town, such as the Ulu Mosque of the 12th century and the Serefiye Mosque. The city is surrounded by walnut trees, and if you are traveling through Bitlis in autumn, you will have the chance to buy some of these delicious nuts from the children who sell them by the highway. Local folk dances of Bitlis are also very famous. 25 kms northeast of the city, is the harbour town of Tatvan, from which there are passenger and train ferry connections across the lake to Van. Mount Nemrut, is a perfect opportunity here for mountaineers and nature lovers (not to be mistaken with the magnificent mountain of the same name, which has giant statues on top). This is an inactive volcano with a deep, clear and cold crater lake, also having hot volcanic springs. Ahlat is a very important ancient center of Turkish art and culture, located to the west of Lake Van (44 kms north of Tatvan). The town looks like an open air art museum, with remains from various centuries and civilizations. The mausoleums from the Seljuk period, the Ulu Kumbet, Cifte Kumbet, Baymdir Kumbet and Hasan Pasa Kumbet are several to be visited. Here are also artisticly carved monumental tombstones from the 12th century which deserve the fame they have received. There are fine beaches and restaurants in the town. 25 kms north of Ahlat, there is the ancient Urartian city of Adilcevaz where precious and important remains have been found. The Ulu Mosque, on the shores of Lake Van, and the Kef Castle from the Seljuk period, are to the west of Adilcevaz. The great Mount Suphan is, of course, the most attractive spot in Bitlis. You may climb Suphan in summer when it is perfect for trekking. Some travel agencies have tours to Suphan. The lively city of Bitlis, an important center of tobacco production, stands in the middle of a green oasis. The city's architecture uses the local dark stone, and the masonry monuments include the Serefhan Medrese, the 12th century Ulu Mosque, the Seljuk Gokmeydani Mosque, and the Ottoman Serefiye Mosque. Bitlis Ski center is close to the town's center. From Tatvan on the western shore of Lake Van, you can take a passenger and train ferry across thewater to Van. Nemrut Dagi (Mount Nemrut) makes a challenging climb. In its center a deep crater lake bubbles with volcanic hot springs.

The ruins of Ahlat, 44 km north of Tatvan on the west shore of Lake Van, once an important city of Turkish art and culture, are scattered today among more recent constructions. In the 12^th century this city was the capital of the Turkish state that ruled the Van Basin. Several mausoleums, notably the Ulu Kumbet, the Bayindir Kumbet, the Hasan Pasha Kumbet and the Cifte Kumbets offer a comprehensive overview of Seljuk funerary architecture and decoration. In the Seljuk cemetry are beautifully inscribed monumental tombstones from the 12^th century. The Turkish Art Museum houses a collection of ceramics, ancient coins and jewelry. Modern Ahlat provides lakeside tourist accomodation, beach facilities and restaurants. As you drive around the lake you come to Adilcevaz, where the Ulu Mosque, built of the region's dark volcanic stone, stands on the lake shore. Ten kilometers west of Adilcevaz is Kef castle, and the nearby Urartian temple of Haldi dates from the ninth century B.C. Artifacts from this site can be seen in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. The Adilcevaz High School garden displayssome of the column bases.