Things to Do in İpekyolu: 4 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in İpekyolu

• 1 Ancient City
• 1 Religious
• 2 Cultural

While you are in İpekyolu, you can also see the highlights of Van province. These places are in other districts.

• Akdamar Church — An Armenian church rising on Akdamar Island in Lake Van, also known as Surp Haç (Holy Cross); it is renowned for its rich reliefs.
• Van Castle (Tuşpa) — A fortress built in the 9th century BC by Sarduri, looking down like a bird's-eye view over Tuşpa, the Urartian capital; it is 1,800 metres long and 80 metres high, and lies 5 km from Van.
• Lake Van — Türkiye's largest lake, covering 3,713 km²; its water is salty and rich in soda, so it does not freeze.
• Hoşap Castle — A castle rising on a steep slope at Güzelsu, on the Van–Başkale road; it was rebuilt in 1643 by the Mahmudi bey Sarı Süleyman.
• Çavuştepe Castle — An Urartian castle at Gürpınar, 25 km from Van, built by Sarduri II between 764 and 734 BC and made up of a lower and an upper fortress.
• Muradiye Waterfall — A waterfall dropping 18 metres, 8 km north of the Muradiye district centre; it takes its name from Murad IV.

Practical Information for Visiting İpekyolu

Suggested time

2–3 days

Best time to visit

Summer months (June–September)

Places to visit

4 places

• 🍳

  Van Kahvaltısı

  Van breakfast, made up of herbed cheese, kaymak, honey, butter and dozens of kinds of jam, is best enjoyed in the breakfast halls of İpekyolu.

• 🥚

  Murtuğa

  A traditional breakfast dish made by cooking flour, eggs and butter together, an essential part of Van breakfast.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of İpekyolu

• 🐫

  İpek Yolu Mirası

  The district takes its name from the historic Silk Road. For centuries Van lay at the junction of the trade routes between East and West, and this shaped the multicultural character of the city.

Local Products

• Van Otlu Peyniri — Herbed cheese made from sheep's milk and flavoured with local herbs, produced in the dairies of İpekyolu.

Economy

İpekyolu is the most populous district of Van. Trade, the service sector and construction are the main sources of income. Shopping centres and commercial areas are concentrated in the district.

How to Get to İpekyolu

İpekyolu forms the western bank of Van city centre. Van Ferit Melen Airport is 10 km away. Local transport is provided by municipal buses and dolmuş minibuses.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Van

İpekyolu: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in İpekyolu Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Van The province's 9 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Van

• Bahçesaray 12 places Bahçesaray Valley, Bahçesaray Castle and Mir Hasan-ı Veli Zaviyesi (Sufi lodge)
• Başkale 4 places Başkale Castle, Hoşap Castle and Albayrak St. Bartholomeus Church
• Çaldıran 3 places Çaldıran Plain, Çaldıran Battlefield and Çaldıran Kübik Village Tombs
• Çatak 5 places Çatak Valley, Sorkin Çayı Bridge and Çatak Castle
• Edremit 5 places Şamran Kanalı, Edremit Coast and Akdamar Island
• Erciş 6 places Erciş Castle, Çelebibağı Tomb and Zernaki Şehir Kalıntısı
• Gevaş 6 places Akdamar Island Pier, Gevaş Seljuk Cemetery and Halime Hatun Tomb (Kümbet)
• Gürpınar 6 places Hoşap Castle, Gürpınar Waterfall and Çavuştepe Castle
• Muradiye 5 places Muradiye Waterfall, Muradiye Castle and Saint Stefanos Church
• Özalp 4 places Özalp Castle, Akgöl and Özalp Plateaus
• Saray 3 places Kapıköy Border Gate, Saray Castle and Saray Plateaus
• Tuşba 5 places Van Castle, Mollakasım Beach and Van Museum