The Van corporate breakfast and heritage programme is a two-day itinerary with one overnight stay that begins at the breakfast table that has made the city famous and goes on to explore Urartian, Armenian and Ottoman-era monuments around Lake Van. A boat crossing on the lake, castles and museums are all visited with a guide. The programme is planned for department and project teams of 8-35 who want to get to know Eastern Anatolia at first hand.

What is in the programme?

The first stop is a traditional Van breakfast laid out with herbed cheese, murtuğa, kavut, cacık and herb pastries. The group then climbs to Van Citadel, which stands above Tushpa, the capital of the Kingdom of Urartu; the guide explains the cuneiform inscriptions, rock-cut tombs and the view over the lake. After a visit introducing the Van cat, lunch features Van köfte and keledoş. In the afternoon the group crosses by boat to Akdamar Island, where the reliefs of Jonah and the whale and of David and Goliath on the outer walls of the 10th-century Church of the Holy Cross are examined.

On the way back there is a nature stop at Muradiye Waterfall on the Bendimahi river, and a visit to Hoşap Castle, built in the 17th century and overlooking the Güzelsu valley. On the second day the group visits Van Museum, where Urartian metalwork and tablets are on display, the remains of the Old City of Van and the Perili Köşk mansion; after shopping for herbed cheese and honey in the bazaar, the group transfers to the airport.

Highlights

• Experiencing Van's distinctive breakfast culture where it originated
• Akdamar Island by boat and the stone reliefs of the Church of the Holy Cross
• A continuous view of Urartian civilisation through Van Citadel and Van Museum
• A lakeside route taking in Muradiye Waterfall and Hoşap Castle

Who Is It For?

Suitable for department and project teams of 8-35, and for organisations that want to get to know Eastern Anatolia closely or plan a reward or team trip combining food and nature with culture. The physical effort is moderate; the climb to Van Citadel involves steps and slopes, and boarding and leaving the boat requires care.

Planning Notes

• Van is a high-altitude city; the best period is May to October, as winters are harsh and snowy.
• Boat crossings to Akdamar depend on the weather and lake conditions; on windy days the order of visits may be changed.
• Flights, meals, the boat fare and entry to archaeological sites and museums are not included in the package.
• The volume of water at the waterfall varies with the season; late spring is preferable for a full flow.