Ankara Travel & Vacation Guide

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.

At Aqua Vega you can step into a world full of exotic fish and other creatures from the ocean. This is a wonderful place to bring the children, who will be amused by the underwater aquarium tunnel.

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 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.

Like every big city, Ankara needs its own Museum of Modern Art. Holding exhibitions in old, restored industrial buildings, Cermodern has artworks for all tastes.

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.

This park is located in the centre of the city and is a great retreat for a relaxing walk or run. Gençlik Park is the perfect place to bring the children for a entertaining fun day out.

This beautiful mosque is located in the heart of Ankara. Built in the 15th century, the mosque and its magnificent wood roof with floral motifs will not cease to amase you.

Checkpoint Lounge & Terrace is the place to go to for live music and live DJ acts. With a big outdoor terrace and a dance floor, you can easily mingle around while sipping a fabulous cocktail.

During the weekend, eSkiyEni's two floors are flooded by funky and pop music that will make it difficult for you not to dance. There is also an outside terrace, just perfect for a nighttime beer.

IF Performance Hall is a popular venue where both international and Turkish artists perform regularly. This vibrant and crowded place hosts various concerts every week.

At Manhattan Bar you can enjoy live performances of jazz, alternative rock, blues, and ethnic music. You won't find another venue in Ankara as unique as Manhattan Bar, the heart of the city's jazz scene.

The Soul Pub is a great spot for quality food and drink. Cold beers, flavourful snacks, and great music are abundant in this bar. The friendly staff adds to the already wonderful atmosphere.

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.

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.

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.

Forum Ankara Outlet is located in the Ovacik region of the Kecioren district and is easily accessible from around the city. It opened its doors in 2008 and since then it has become a major centre of attraction. Here you will find everything from fashion clothing and shoes to toys, books, jewellery, bags, sport items, electronics and a cinema.

This Swedish chain, that you nowadays find almost everywhere in the world, provides high street fashion for both men and women at prices suiting everyone. Here in Ankara you can find boutiques located on different locations around town.

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.

Kentpark Alisveris Merkezi is a very modern and spacious shopping mall that provides everything from fashion clothing and shoes, to jewellery, electronics, homemaker's and restaurants. Here you will find many high fashion brands such as Calvin Klein, Gap, Lacoste, Timberland, Victoria Secret, Tommy Hilfiger, Disney Baby and Swatch.

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.

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.

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.

220 V, 50 Hz

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.

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.