Tatvan

As the latest in a series of popular tourist rail trips, the Tourist Tatvan Train has completed its first journey with an almost two-day voyage to highlight the touristic value of the southeastern town.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced the inauguration of the "Touristic Tatvan Train," set to commence operations between Ankara and Tatvan on June 24.

The train will carry 140 passengers on its 1,262-kilometer journey, which will take approximately 28 hours and feature a unique travel experience aimed at enhancing Türkiye's tourism sector.

In response to the burgeoning demand for the iconic Eastern Express among avid travelers, two new tourist trains are set to embark on their inaugural voyages to southeastern routes next week, with one destined for Diyarbakır and the other for Tatvan, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has said.

As the beloved Touristic Eastern Express continues to captivate travelers and culture enthusiasts, anticipation builds for two exciting alternative routes to Türkiye's southeast set to debut in April, offering immersive experiences to explore more of the country's rich landscapes.

The Lake Van Express, stretching from the capital Ankara to the eastern province of Bitlis' Tatvan district, has become a focal point for photographers, particularly during the winter months.

A group of divers have uncovered areas that bear traces of both a cemetery and a village at the bottom of Lake Van.

New ruins have been discovered at the bottom of the 3,712 square kilometer Lake Van, the country's largest saline soda lake.

As part of the "Van Sea Swimming Festival," organized by the Van Municipality to promote Lake Van and to boost tourism, professional swimmers have swum in Nemrut Crater Lake, Türkiye's largest crater lake.

A protester outside the Turkish embassy in Berlin, Germany, May 2017. Photo: EPA/CLEMENS BILAN

On June 17, Aygul, who is also the chairperson of the Bitlis Association of Journalists, wrote on Twitter that security guards employed by the mayor of the eastern Turkish city of Tatvan, Mehmet Emin Geylani, physically assaulted him in the street.

Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the assault on journalist Sinan Aygül in the eastern Bitlis province's Tatvan district.

Yücel Baysali, an employee of Tatvan Municipality, and police officer Engin Kaplan were detained and subsequently taken into custody.

Lake Nemrut, Türkiye's largest and the world's second-largest crater lake, has become one of the best locations in the country for autumn photography, luring nature lovers with its riot of colors.

The lake, located in the eastern province of Bitlis's Tatvan district, is a "heaven for shutterbugs."