BITLIS

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 Gökmeydani 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 the water to Van. Nemrut Dagi (Mount Nemrut) makes a challenging climb. In its center a deep crater lake bubbles with volcanic hot springs.