Lake Van and Akdamar Island

Lake Van fills a high mountain basin at 1,640 metres in Turkey's far east - the country's largest lake, a soda-alkaline sea of unreal sapphire ringed by volcanic peaks, so large it makes its own weather. Its centrepiece is Akdamar Island, a short boat hop from Gevas on the southern shore, where the tenth-century Church of the Holy Cross - built between 915 and 921 for King Gagik I of Vaspurakan - carries some of the finest medieval relief carving in Anatolia: biblical scenes, vines and animals wrapped around warm-toned stone, with almond trees blazing into blossom around it each spring. The lake region stacks its own icons - the swimming Van cats with odd-coloured eyes, a celebrated breakfast culture, castles and island monasteries - and the evening light across the water, with Mount Suphan floating beyond, belongs to a much older world.

What you actually see

• Akdamar's reliefs - biblical carvings wrapping the 10th-century church.
• The soda-blue water - alkaline sapphire that keeps swimmers afloat.
• The almond blossom - the island in white-pink bloom each spring.
• Van's fortress and cats - the ancient citadel and the odd-eyed swimmers.

When to go

May to September is the season - spring brings Akdamar's almond blossom, high summer brings genuinely swimmable water. Winters are long, snowy and beautiful in a punishing way.

Honest expectations

This is remote Turkey: fly to Van and plan real drives - the lake's shoreline runs over 400 km. Boats to Akdamar fill to demand outside summer. The sun at altitude is fierce, and the alkaline water stings eyes and cuts.

Nearby

Van city and its fortress, the Muradiye waterfalls and the breakfast houses of Van.