Ankara
Temperature
12°
Time
5:08 PM
Ankara
The heart of the Turkish Republic, Ankara, is the second largest city of Turkey after Istanbul. The city lies on the border where east between west. The European and Middle Eastern cultures merged and coloured the city's architecture, food, wine, nightlife, fashion and arts. Drop the anchor in Ankara, as its name suggests, cross the border between tradition and modernity.Find your trip
This early medieval castle offers a great view of the city from Ulus, the historic district. Within its walls, there is a small village with shops and restaurants in wooden beamed houses and the Old Turkish House Museum.
Located on the south side of Ankara Castle, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations houses a huge collection of Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, Roman and Lydian treasures. It was elected as the first "European Museum of the Year" in 1997.
At the Museum of Painting and Sculpture you can find a major permanent collection of modern Turkish paintings, featuring works by Osman Handi and Hikmet Onat. This space also features temporary exhibitions of international works.
The Museum of Ethnography focuses in the Ottoman period, especially its textiles, metalwork and carved wooden doors. The museum will give you a solid understanding of Turkish history and identity.
Kocatepe Mosque is a huge, white mosque built in the late 20th century. The beautiful mosque has four minarets making it visible from almost anywhere in the city of Ankara.
This mausoleum honours the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The mausoleum hall is a colonnaded temple with huge bronze doors. Every day, Turks from all around the country and foreigners come to pay their respect to the founder of the Republic.
With beautiful scenery in winter and autumn, this is a local favourite for picnics in nature. You can walk along one of the many trekking routes along the mountains, as well as canoe in the lake — outdoor activities are certainly not lacking.
This 125-metre high observation and communication tower is located in the heart of the city, in Çankaya district. The tower also doubles as a shopping mall, just perfect to do some shopping after contemplating the sun setting over the city.
This early medieval castle offers a great view of the city from Ulus, the historic district. Within its walls, there is a small village with shops and restaurants in wooden beamed houses and the Old Turkish House Museum.
Located on the south side of Ankara Castle, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations houses a huge collection of Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, Roman and Lydian treasures. It was elected as the first "European Museum of the Year" in 1997.
Known for serving a hearty tripe soup, this 24-hour restaurant is the right place to end up after a night out. They also serve traditional Turkish food and grilled meat dishes.
The interior of this restaurant might be simple and not extravagant, but the food is exceptional. Here you can order seafood, meze, meatballs, kibbeh, or, for those who are into exotic cuisine, kokoretsi, lamb intestine stuffed with lamb heart, liver. or kidneys. Reservation is required and remember to bring cash.
Located in a building once owned by the famous actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, this building now serves as a restaurant. Here you can have a Turkish and international dishes, and listen to live music on the weekends.
If you want a break of the deliciously addictive Turkish cuisine, Trilye is the place to go. Its magnificent seafood, savoury dishes will make your taste buds travel to the Mediterranean.
No4 Restaurant Bar Lounge is a stylish restaurant that also serves as a lounge and bar. Here you can enjoy some great food while listening to some great music in a relaxing atmosphere, just perfect for a romantic dinner.
This restaurant serves a great variety of tasty Turkish kebabs. Your meal can be enjoyed either inside or outside in the cosy, outdoor garden area. It is also a great place to have a taste of other Turkish dishes, such as pide and hummus.
Claimed by the many to serve the best doner in Ankara, this place is a “must-eat” if you fancy kebabs. Pop in at one of the locations spread throughout the city for a quick meal and enjoy a culinary experience in the Turkish way.
This popular Asian cuisine restaurant has five branches spread throughout the city. Dishes are inspired by Eastern Asia gastronomy, and you can try them either at the restaurant or order them for takeaway.
Known for serving a hearty tripe soup, this 24-hour restaurant is the right place to end up after a night out. They also serve traditional Turkish food and grilled meat dishes.
The interior of this restaurant might be simple and not extravagant, but the food is exceptional. Here you can order seafood, meze, meatballs, kibbeh, or, for those who are into exotic cuisine, kokoretsi, lamb intestine stuffed with lamb heart, liver. or kidneys. Reservation is required and remember to bring cash.
Ulus, located in the historic district, has an indoor maze of market stalls under selling unbelievably affordable goods. The area is also to most of the town's antiques dealers.
For quality tourist souvenirs, handicrafts, carpets, and kilims, head over to Dösim, run by the Ministry of Culture. With an unmatchable quality, its products will definitely make for perfect souvenirs to your loved ones.
Izmir Street is famous for leather and shoe shops. The street lies on the Kizilay, the central district of Ankara, where the main shopping and business buildings are located.
Karum is one of the shopping malls you may not want to miss. With over 330 shops on three floors, you will certainly find anything you look for.
Armada is one of the most modern shopping centres in Ankara, with over 125 stores. There is also an abundance of movie theatres, cafës, and restaurants, granting a great time for all sorts of personalities.
Ankamall is a huge and central mall in Ankara right next to the Akkopru metro. It hosts stores all the popular international fashion brands, and a small outdoor amusement park for children as well. Be aware that this is a very popular mall so it might get overcrowded.
You will find this little gem just outside the Citadel gates. This is the perfect store for non-kitschy gifts and provides a selection of items for the home, bath and kitchen such as soaps, olive oils, Turkish towels and a variety of other lotions.
Located right next to the aquarium, this huge shopping centre will get you lost for hours – it has stores for all tastes and ages.
Ulus, located in the historic district, has an indoor maze of market stalls under selling unbelievably affordable goods. The area is also to most of the town's antiques dealers.
For quality tourist souvenirs, handicrafts, carpets, and kilims, head over to Dösim, run by the Ministry of Culture. With an unmatchable quality, its products will definitely make for perfect souvenirs to your loved ones.
Ankara Esenboga Airport is located approximately 33 kilometers north of Ankara. Airport shuttle buses run regularly to and from the city. The buses for the city centre do not operate between 9.30pm–3am. There are also public city buses operating shuttle services to and from the airport. Taxis are also an option – even though they are more expensive, taxi service is available 24 hours a day.
Ankara's inland location grants the city a continental climate. From June to September is the peak tourist season since the warm weather makes for a pleasant summer with refreshingly cool nights. Winters in the city can reach negative temperatures with occasional snowfall. It rains during spring and autumn.
Tourists from the majority of countries belonging to the Schengen Area can enter Turkey without a visa for periods of 30 up to 90 days. Other countries that benefit from visa-free access are Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Ecuador, Iran, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Morocco, Qatar, Russia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. There are 42 countries that have permission to apply for an e-Visa online, among which are Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Ireland, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, the UK, and the US. National identity cards are accepted instead of passports for citizens of Belgium, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Northern Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine. If you're not sure whether to apply for a visa and how long you can stay in Turkey, it is advised that you visit the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or contact the embassy or consulate in your country.
In Ankara, transportation is varied, cheap, and easy. The Metro is the fastest way to get around most parts of the city. The city buses are also very convenient and reliable. Asti Bus Terminal is the main bus terminal for long distance coaches.
In all Turkish cities, it is not hard to get a taxi, and they are also the easiest way to get around. Look for the yellow taxis with the sign “Taksi” on top. In Ankara and Turkey in general, you can also find Dolmuş, a cheap taxi service with cars and minibuses, stopping at requested stops.
Post offices are generally open from 8:30am–5:30pm, and some branches close for lunch between 12.30pm-1.30pm. Some of the major post offices stay open until 12am. A few branches are also open on Saturdays.
Pharmacies, called Eczane, are plenty and easy to spot. You can find pharmacies open during the night in every neighbourhood. Their names and addresses are written on the windows of all pharmacies. Pharmacies are normally open 9am–7pm.
Country code: +90 Area code: 0312
Ankara Esenboga Airport is located approximately 33 kilometers north of Ankara. Airport shuttle buses run regularly to and from the city. The buses for the city centre do not operate between 9.30pm–3am. There are also public city buses operating shuttle services to and from the airport. Taxis are also an option – even though they are more expensive, taxi service is available 24 hours a day.
Ankara's inland location grants the city a continental climate. From June to September is the peak tourist season since the warm weather makes for a pleasant summer with refreshingly cool nights. Winters in the city can reach negative temperatures with occasional snowfall. It rains during spring and autumn.
