Ankara Travel Guide

When Ankara was made capital of the new Turkish Republic in 1923, it was a small hilltop town. It is now Turkey's second-biggest city, full of ministries, universities and broad boulevards. Not many visitors stay long, yet a single day here tells you a great deal about modern Turkey and the ancient history of Anatolia.

Reasons to go

Two sights justify the journey. Anitkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the Republic: an enormous stone complex on a hilltop, with a museum about the War of Independence. Turks feel deeply about it, and the ceremonial guard adds to the mood. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations occupies a restored Ottoman covered market and inn and takes you through Anatolian history from the Palaeolithic to the Roman period, with Catalhoyuk wall paintings, Hittite reliefs, Phrygian bronzes and Urartian metalwork. Few collections of this type anywhere can match it.

How long to stay

A day covers Anitkabir, the museum and the citadel. Plenty of travellers treat Ankara as a stop on the way between Istanbul and Cappadocia, as our 7-day Turkey tour package does.

When to go

The pleasant seasons are spring, from April to June, and autumn, in September and October. Summer is hot and dry, though not as humid as Istanbul, and winter is cold, with snow in some years.

Getting there from Istanbul

The fast train runs between the centres of Istanbul and Ankara in around 4.5 hours and is generally the simplest choice. A flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, but Esenboga airport lies some 30 km outside the centre. The road distance is about 450 km.

Top experiences

• Anitkabir, with its museum about the War of Independence.
• The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
• Ankara's citadel, where old houses stand and the views stretch over the city.
• Hamamonu, a restored Ottoman quarter full of cafes and craft shops.
• The Temple of Augustus, its walls inscribed with the best-preserved copy of the emperor's account of his own achievements, together with the Roman baths.
• Lake Tuz on the road to Cappadocia, a shallow salt lake that goes white in summer.

Where to stay

Stay in Ulus or near the citadel to be close to the museums. Kizilay and Cankaya offer newer hotels plus more restaurants and nightlife.

What to eat

Order Ankara tava, lamb baked with orzo in a pan; doner in one of the long-established Ulus restaurants; and Ankara simit, which local people claim is crisper than the Istanbul version.

Practical tips

• Expect security checks at the Anitkabir entrance and leave extra time for them.
• Keep your voice down at the mausoleum, which is a national memorial.
• Rush-hour traffic in the city centre is heavy.

Ankara also features on our 9-day Turkey tour package and the 12-day Best of Turkey private tour. See every Ankara tour.