Ankara
Not been yet
At a glance
- Country
- Turkey
- Region
- Central Anatolia
- Population
- 5.8 million
- Best time to go
- April to June, September to October
- Main airport
- Ankara Esenboğa (ESB)
- Coordinates
- 39.93°N, 32.86°E
Visited Still to go Click a pin or country to read more. Zoom with + and −, a double-click or a pinch.
Overview
Ankara was a small Anatolian town until Atatürk made it the capital of the new Turkish Republic in 1923. Today it is a large, orderly city of ministries, universities and leafy avenues, more workaday than Istanbul.
But it holds two of Turkey's most important sights, an atmospheric old citadel and good food, and it is the natural base for the Hittite capital of Hattusa.
Things to see
-
Photo: William Neuheisel from DC, US, CC BY 2.0 Anıtkabir
Atatürk's monumental mausoleum, approached along a lion-lined avenue, with a museum on the founding of the republic.
-
Photo: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0 Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
A superb collection from Neolithic Çatalhöyük to the Hittites and Phrygians, in an old Ottoman market hall.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 Ankara Castle
The walled hilltop citadel, with old houses and lanes inside and views across the city.
-
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 Temple of Augustus and Rome
Roman ruins carrying the most complete copy of the emperor's own account of his achievements.
-
Photo: A.Savin, FAL Kocatepe Mosque
A huge modern mosque in classical Ottoman style, prominent on the skyline.
Things to do
-
Photo: Omer Unlu from Ankara, Turkey, CC BY 2.0 Wander Hamamönü
Restored Ottoman wooden houses now full of cafés, crafts and tea gardens.
-
Photo: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0 Day trip to Hattusa
The remains of the Hittite capital, with its Lion Gate and rock sanctuary, about three hours away.
Find tours -
Photo: Gordion Archive, Penn Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0 Day trip to Gordion
Ancient Phrygian capital of King Midas, with a huge burial mound you can enter.
Find tours
Where to stay
Kızılay
The central hub, with transport, shops and plenty of mid-range hotels.
Hotels in KızılayUlus
The old town near the citadel and museum, good value.
Hotels in UlusKavaklıdere
Upmarket and leafy, with restaurants along Tunalı Hilmi Avenue.
Hotels in Kavaklıdere
Getting around
The metro and buses are efficient; use an AnkaraKart. Taxis are plentiful and metered.
Havaş buses run from Esenboğa airport to the centre in about 40 minutes. High-speed trains from Istanbul take around four to five hours.
When to go
Spring and autumn are mild and bright. Summers on the Anatolian plateau are hot and dry, and winters are cold, often with snow.
Plan your trip to Ankara
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.