Ankara

I arrived in Ankara on the high-speed train from Istanbul with modest expectations and left having spent three hours in one of the finest archaeological museums I have encountered anywhere in the world. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is the reason to come to Ankara — everything else is a bonus — and it is the kind of institution that would be world-famous if it were in Paris or London. In Ankara, in a 15th-century Ottoman bedesten in the citadel district, it is largely unknown outside archaeology circles.

The city itself is a planned capital — Atatürk chose it deliberately in 1923 to make a point about the new Turkey being built from the Anatolian interior outward, not from Ottoman Istanbul — and it has all the virtues and limitations of planned cities: efficient, orderly, and less characterful than Istanbul. The Kızılay district has good restaurants and the urban cafe culture that Ankara’s educated government-worker population sustains. The Çankaya district around the Presidential Palace has European embassy residences and leafy boulevards. None of this is essential for visitors.

The Anıtkabir — Atatürk’s mausoleum on a hilltop — is essential for understanding Turkey. The reverence in which Atatürk is held in Turkey is unlike anything in contemporary Western Europe; it is closer to how Americans might feel about Lincoln, but more recent and more personal. At 9:05am on November 10 (the anniversary of his death), the entire country pauses for a minute of silence, with car horns and ship horns sounding simultaneously. The Anıtkabir is where this national relationship with its founding father finds its fullest physical expression.

Why Ankara deserves your attention

Ankara is not a beautiful city in the way that Istanbul is beautiful, and it should not be compared to Istanbul. It is a working capital that happens to contain two extraordinary things: the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (voted Europe’s most successful museum in 1997, housing 500,000 years of Anatolian history) and Anıtkabir (the mausoleum that reveals everything about Turkey’s national identity in one visit).

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations alone justifies a stop on the Istanbul–Cappadocia route. The Hittite Empire controlled much of Anatolia from 1700 to 1200 BC, built one of the ancient world’s most sophisticated civilizations, and signed the world’s first known peace treaty with Egypt in 1259 BC. Most of what we know about the Hittites comes from excavations at sites in Turkey, and most of the finest objects from those excavations are in this museum.

The high-speed train from Istanbul makes the visit convenient: four hours from Pendik station, arriving in central Ankara, with enough time to do both the museum and Anıtkabir in a single long day before taking the overnight train to Cappadocia.

What should you do in Ankara?

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations — The world’s finest collection of Hittite and Anatolian Bronze Age artifacts, displayed in a 15th-century Ottoman bedesten. Entry approximately 150 TL. Budget 2–3 hours; rent the audio guide for the Hittite section. The carved stone reliefs, cuneiform tablets, and bronze figurines from Çatalhöyük and Alacahöyük are extraordinary.

Anıtkabir — Atatürk’s mausoleum on a hilltop in the Çankaya district. The Lion Road processional, the colonnaded hall, the sarcophagus room (where visitors maintain genuine solemnity), and the museum containing Atatürk’s personal effects and the documents of the early Republic. Free entry; allow 90 minutes. Essential for understanding modern Turkey.

Ankara Citadel (Hisar) — The basalt citadel dating to at least the 3rd century AD, with intact walls and a residential neighborhood of old Ankara houses inside. Craft workshops, tea houses, and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations at its base. Free to enter; the best panoramic views over the city.

Hamamönü District — The restored Ottoman-era district north of the citadel, with 19th-century buildings converted into cafes, craft shops, and restaurants. Quieter and less touristy than Istanbul equivalents. Pleasant for an afternoon.

Kocatepe Mosque — The largest mosque in Ankara, built between 1967 and 1987 in a neo-Ottoman style. Free entry; impressive interior. Beneath it, improbably, is a supermarket and a shopping center — a very Ankara juxtaposition.

Atatürk Forest Farm (Atatürk Orman Çiftliği) — The experimental farm Atatürk established to model modern agricultural practices for the new republic. Now a public park and recreation area with a beer garden (brewing introduced by Atatürk as part of his modernization program). The history is interesting; the beer is Ankara’s best.

Where should you eat in Ankara?

• Kınacı Kahvaltı Salonu (Citadel district) — The finest Turkish breakfast in Ankara: fresh-baked breads, local honeys, cream, cured meats, white cheese, and eggs, eaten in a historic building in the citadel. Approximately 200–300 TL per person.

• Citadel district restaurants — The restaurants inside the Ankara Citadel (Hisar) serve Central Anatolian cuisine at significantly lower prices than comparable Istanbul establishments. Lamb dishes, testi kebab, and regional mezzes at 300–500 TL for a full meal.

• Uludağ Kebapçısı — The reference Ankara kebab restaurant, serving Ankara-style döner and şiş in the traditional setting. Full meal approximately 250–350 TL per person.

• Hamamönü cafes — The Ottoman-era houses converted into cafes serve good tea, börek, and light lunch menus in characterful settings. Budget 150–200 TL for a café lunch.

• Kavaklıdere district restaurants — The embassy and government district has Ankara’s most cosmopolitan restaurant scene — good mezze restaurants, Turkish wine bars, and several restaurants specializing in Anatolian regional cuisine.

Where should you stay in Ankara?

Budget ($30–55/night): Several budget hotels in the Ulus (old city) district are close to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the citadel. The Kızılay district has more options at similar prices with better metro access.

Mid-range ($70–140/night): Gordon Hotel in Kavaklıdere is consistently well-reviewed; Hotel Angora in Kızılay offers good central access. Ankara’s mid-range hotels are significantly cheaper than Istanbul equivalents.

Luxury ($150–350/night): JW Marriott Ankara and Sheraton Ankara are the established luxury properties with the full-service amenities expected by the diplomatic and business clientele who are Ankara’s primary international visitors.

When is the best time to visit Ankara?

April–June and September–November offer the most comfortable temperatures (15–25°C) for the outdoor elements — the Anıtkabir walk and the citadel exploration. Ankara’s continental climate means cold winters (snow is possible) and hot, dry summers (35°C+).

Ankara works as a 1–2 day stop on the Istanbul–Cappadocia high-speed rail circuit rather than a primary destination. The museum and mausoleum fill a full day; a second day adds the citadel and Hamamönü. The Turkey destinations page has the full national overview, and the travel planner helps structure the Istanbul–Ankara–Cappadocia route.