Host City: Ankara

Very familiar to most people as the capital of Turkey, Ankara is actually only the country's second-biggest city, although considerably smaller than Istanbul. However, Ankara is actually a very large and presentable Turkish city, constantly expanding and offering a rather sophisticated and modern character. Many wide streets are now lined with coffee shops and eateries, particularly around the energetic Kavaklidere, Bahceli and Kizilay areas.

Various tourist hotspots present themselves around the city of Ankara and in particular, along the Ataturk Bulvari, which serves as a prominent artery. The Ulus Meydani, known simply as 'Ulus', is another important tourism hub in the city and this central square is close to a number of leading museums.

Although Ankara is somewhat overshadowed by the enormous Turkish city of Istanbul, it does compete well in with the quality of touristic attractions it provides. The city's Citadel walls are ancient and comprise a mixture of different architectural styles through the ages. Also of a great age and much visited are the Roman Baths of Ankara, which are still in a good state of repair, considering that they are more than 1,700 years old. The Ataturk Mausoleum is yet another major sight, while for families, the attractions within the Ataturk Forest Farm and Zoo and Aquapark Club Watercity come highly recommended. 

Head to the Old Town 'Ulus' area of Ankara to find the most historical landmarks and imposing mosques. These include both the Lion's Den Mosque (Aslanhane Camii) and the Yeni Mosque (Cenab Ahmet Pasa Camii), with the ancient Column of Julian (Queen of Sheba Monument) also standing within this part of the city. For the best views of Ankara, head to the Cankaya area and climb to the top of the Atakule Tower, where the panorama are quite unbeatable.

There are several very notable museums to be found within Ankara, offering a broad spectrum of information on a range of different topics, including the city's rich Ottoman history and even of the founder of the Republic of Turkey himself, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The award-winning Museum of Anatolian Civilizations should certainly feature at the top of any sightseeing itinerary, along with the Ankara Ethnography Museum.

If you are planning to head outside of Ankara and looking for possible day trips, then you will be pleased to find endless appealing Turkish delights within easy reach of the city itself. Many will favor excursions to the historical town of Beypazari. For something very different and quite extraordinary, be sure to check out the unique, moon-like rock formations of Cappadocia.  

  • Area: approximately 971 square miles / 2,516 square kilometers
  • Population: approximately 3.9 million
  • Currency: Turkish Lira (TR)
  • Time zone: UTC + 2, summer UTC + 3
  • Country Dialing code: +90
  • Telephone Area Code: 0312
  • Average daily Ankara July temperature: 28°C / 82°F

Getting Around Ankara

Ankara has a big public transportation system with two connected underground systems, and two type bus systems (According to the types of bus you can either purchase your ticket from a ticket kiosk (Tr. büfe) or ride a bus for which you pay after you get onto the bus), There is also a "dolmuş" system (These are mini-buses with an fixed route and fixed fee). and operate till 00:00. Taxis work all day.

click for more...