Eastern Anatolia

Eastern Anatolia is a region in Turkey. It occupies the mountainous east of the country and has the harshest winters

. If you prefer to have a glimpse of sea after poking about inland regions, though, you are much better heading north to Eastern Karadeniz, the nearest stretch of coastline backed by lush and misty mountains, although much of region's beaches were lost to coastal highway. Travellers heading for major centres of western Turkey will traverse Central Anatolia to west, while those intending to do the overland route to India Can cross the border into Iran to east from a number of border crossings, which are located east of Doğubeyazıt, Van, and Hakkari north to south. Just north of Iran is Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave, with a border crossing from east of Iğdır. There is also a crossing on the Georgian border to north, Türkgözü north of Kars/Ardahan. Although much less crowded than Sarp crossing on the Black Sea coast, it isn't any faster to cross the border there, as, for once, it's much remoter and harder to get a direct transportation to from major centres, and secondly it seems border formalities take longer to finish. If Armenian ruins all over Eastern Anatolia aroused an interest, Armenia to east across the border awaits, although that would require a detour via Iran or Georgia (which has much less complicated visa issues) as the border is currently closed.