Fodor's Expert Review Van Kalesi

Steps—considerably fewer than the 1,000 claimed in local tourist handouts—ascend to Van Kalesi, the sprawling Urartian fortress on the outskirts of town. A path branches right to Urartian tombs in the sheer south rock face; an impressive cuneiform inscription here honors King Xerxes, whose Persian troops occupied the fortress early in the 5th century BC (look for the red metal fence on the southeast side).You may need to pay a local a tip to show you these. The crumbling ramparts are still impressive (more so than the parts that have been heavily restored), but as is often true in these parts, it's the view—sweeping across the lake and mountains—that makes the steep climb worthwhile. A taxi from the new town should cost no more than 30 TL one way. Cheaper dolmuş (shared taxis) depart regularly from the north end of Cumhuriyet Caddesi and are marked "Kale."