Ankara

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi

Excellent display ranging from prehistory to the proto-Greek and Roman eras.

Daily 08:30-17:30·Adult 80 TL · Entry Yetişkin:75TL-Öğrenci:25TL

Ankara Castle

This volcanic outcrop has probably been fortified since the dawn of mankind, but the earliest traces are from the Phrygians of 8th century BC. The castle was reinforced by the Galatians then the Romans. You stroll up through cobbled streets to the double walls and can climb one of the towers, with views of the sprawling city and distant mountains.

Daily 10:00-20:00·Free

Ethnography Museum

Etnoğrafya Müzesi

Huge array of Turkic art covering painting, porcelain, woodwork, clothing, carpets, metalwork and weaponry. It was built 1925-28 and from 1938 to 1953 housed the sarcophagus of Atatürk, pending completion of his mausoleum of Anıtkabir.

Daily 08:30-17:30

Painting and Sculpture Museum

Resim ve Heykel Müzesi

Built from 1927, this hosts a permanent display of Turkish art from late 1800s to present day, plus temporary exhibitions.

Tue-Sun 09:00-18:00

Kocatepe Mosque

This had been in the planning since 1944, but attempts at a modern style were thwarted by the conservatives. So what was built from 1967 to 1987 is a neoclassical Ottoman structure.

24 hours·Free

Ulucanlar Prison Museum

Ulucanlar Cezaevi Müzesi

This bleak place was built as a barracks then converted to a prison in 1925. It held almost 800, in a mix of semi-open and maximum security wings. It was a brutal instrument of political repression, with its inmates a long roll-call of literati and activists, torture was common, and 19 were hanged in the prison yard mostly for being Marxist. There was a series of riots in 1999. It closed in 2006 and was converted into a museum in 2011.

Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00·Adult 60 TL

Aviation Association Museum

Türk Hava Kurumu Müzesi

Small collection of aircraft around a parachute training tower (only 41 m, so don't expect much freefall time), and a small indoor collection. Not to be confused with the military aviation museum west edge of the city.

Tue-Sun 08:30-17:30·Free

Roman Baths

Roma Hamami

Ruins of a large Roman bath complex, built under Emperor Caracalla circa 200 AD and in use for 500 years. They follow the classical design of frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (warm room) and caldarium (hot room), and their relative sizes show that Ancyra had winters as chilly then as now - those coins that fixed the dates were obviously not paid out to get even colder.

Daily 10:00-16:30·Adult 20 TL

Chess Museum

Gökyay Vakfı Satranç Müzesi

More chess sets ancient and modern than you'd think possible, including weird versions such as the three-sided game.

Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00·Adult 15 TL

Hacı Bayram Mosque

Hacı Bayram Veli Cami

This was built in 1428, restored by Mimar Sinan in the 16th century, and with Kütahya tiles added in the 18th. Hacı Bayram Veli (1352–1430) was a poet and Sufi teacher, and his ornate tomb is a pilgrimage site.

24 hours

Youth Park

Gençlik Parkı (literally Youth Park) is a public park in Ankara, Turkey.

Wi-Fi

Arslanhane Mosque

Ahi Şerafeddin Camii

Built in 1290 in Seljuk style, and repaired in 1330 under Ahi Şerafeddin hence its other name. Well worth the hike up the hill for its finely-carved interior, notably the ceiling supported by a forest of wooden columns. In 2023, five wooden mosques in Central Anatolia were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List - Aslanhane was one of them.

Atatürk & Independence War Museum

Atatürk ve Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi

This is beneath the Hall of Honor and displays belongings and memorabilia of Atatürk, the 1915 battles of Gallipoli / Çanakkale and the 1920/21 War of Independence, and the postwar overthrow of the Ottomans and proclamation of the republic.

Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00·Free · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Çankaya Mansion

Çankaya Köşkü

Atatürk took a liking to this countryside mansion, which was rebuilt to become the presidential home after the capital moved to Ankara. The mansion became centrepiece of a large government campus, so "Çankaya" meant the presidency similar to "White House", "Kremlin" or "Downing Street". In 2018 the president's residence was moved 10 km north to the humongous (and off-limits) Ak Palace, but the vice-president's residence and several government offices remain here. It used to be possible to arrange guided tours of the mansion and other buildings, but these are no longer available.

Closed

Ankara Opera & Ballet

Opera Sahnesi

This opened in 1948 and looks it, the grandeur is kinda faded. It hosts theatre as well as opera and ballet.

METU Science and Technology Museum

Odtu Bilim Ve Teknoloji Müzesi

Large museum of science and technology. Has a particularly good collection of military aircraft, and a large steam locomotive. However, not accessible to the general public usually - you have to have an invitation to the METU campus or TEKNOKENT to pass security.

Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00·Free - appointment only

Cermodern

Contemporary art museum in the former power plant for Turkish Railways.

Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00·Adult 40 TL · Wheelchair accessible

Urumchi Uyghur Restaurant

Ürümqi is in the far west of China, so they've quite a range of Asian cuisines to go at. It's a great place for different flavours, try the roast macaroni.

Daily 11:00-09:30

Göksu Lokantası

Great dining here. They have another branch south at Nenehatun Cd 5.

Mon-Sat 11:00-23:30

Tarihi Mutfak Lokantası

Historical Kitchen Restaurant. Typical Turkish cuisine. One of the places that make the best beyti in Ankara. A great presentation and the waiters are incredible.

Kınacızade Konağı

Atmospheric place just outside castle, good value, not tourist-trappy.

Daily 10:30-21:00

Museum of the War of Independence

Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi

This was the first site of the Turkish Republican Parliament, from 1920 to 1924. The 1921-22 War of Independence was directed from here, and there are photos and other memorabilia. Later the building housed various government functions until becoming a museum in 1981. Signage is only in Turkish.

Daily 09:00-17:00

Atatürk Forest Farm

Atatürk Orman Çiftliği

Extensive model farm established by Atatürk, to prove that the dusty steppes around Ankara could be converted into good farmland. (His successors preferred to cover everything with concrete.) The barn has been turned into a museum of farming methods.

Wed-Sun 09:00-17:00·Free

Anıtkabir

Anıtkabir (Turkish: [aˈnɯtkabiɾ]; lit. 'grave monument') is a complex located in the Çankaya district of Ankara that contains the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Designed by Emin Onat and Orhan Arda, construction of Anıtkabir began in 1944 and was completed in 1953. In addition to the mausoleum building and various other structures and monuments, it consists of a wooded area known as the Peace Park.

Sultan Alaeddin Mosque

This is the city's oldest mosque, built in AH 574 (1178 AD) according to the inscription on its walnut mimber, but much modified since.

Kırık Oklava

Great place by Ankara University Cebeci Campus for inexpensive wraps and pancakes.

Daily 08:30-22:30

Quick China

The name suggests a fast-food chain, and they do have other branches in Ankara and elsewhere, but this is excellent Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Thai cuisine.

Daily 11:00-22:00

Uludağ Kebapçısı

Named for the mountain above Bursa, this is an above-par kebab restaurant.

Daily 11:00-22:00

Altınköy Open Air Museum

Altınköy Açık Hava Müzesi

A reconstruction of 1930s-50s Anatolian village life, with buildings relocated from rural Western Karadeniz and demonstrations of crafts. The suspension bridge is a catchpenny extra.

Tue-Sun 10:00-20:00·Adult 10 TL

Ankamall

Huge shopping mall to the northwest with underground parking and food court.

Daily 10:00-22:00