Destination · Central Anatolia
Most travellers only pass through Ankara on the way to Cappadocia, and they miss a great deal. Türkiye's capital holds one of the finest archaeological museums in the world, a hilltop citadel of old wooden houses, a Roman temple and the monumental tomb of the man who founded the Republic.
Plan your Ankara tripAbout Ankara
Ankara was ancient Ancyra, capital of the Roman province of Galatia, and for centuries a quiet market town famous for the silky wool of its Angora goats. Everything changed in 1920, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk made it the base of the War of Independence; on 13 October 1923 it became the capital of the new Turkish Republic. Today it is a modern city of more than five million people, but its old heart still sits on the castle hill. Spend a day or two here and you will understand both the deep past of Anatolia and the birth of modern Türkiye.
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Historic Ankara
The city's landmarks are close together, around the old district of Ulus and the castle hill. With a guide they make one full, rewarding day.
Completed in 1953 on a hill above the city, Anıtkabir is where Atatürk, founder of the Republic, lies at rest. Walk the Road of Lions, lined with 24 stone lions, to a vast ceremonial square and the colonnaded Hall of Honour. The museum beneath tells the story of the War of Independence. It is a moving, dignified place, and the changing of the guard is worth seeing.
Set in a 15th-century covered market and caravanserai, this museum, voted European Museum of the Year in 1997, takes you through 10,000 years of Anatolia: the wall paintings of Neolithic Çatalhöyük, the gold of the Bronze Age, colossal Hittite reliefs and statues, and the treasures of Phrygian Gordion. If you visit one museum in Türkiye, this could be it.
Inside the walls of the citadel, cobbled lanes wind between old Ankara houses, small mosques, antique shops and cafés where you can sit on a carpet and drink tea. Climb to the top of the walls for a view over the whole city. This is the most intimate, human side of the capital.
On the walls of this Roman temple is carved the Res Gestae, the emperor Augustus's own account of his life and deeds, in Latin and Greek, the most complete copy in the world. Right beside it stands the 15th-century Hacı Bayram-ı Veli Mosque and the tomb of its saint, still one of the city's most visited places of prayer: two faiths, two millennia, one courtyard.
Built in the 3rd century AD under the emperor Caracalla, Ankara's Roman baths once had hot, warm and cold rooms heated from below. Today you walk among the brick pillars of the underfloor heating, columns and inscriptions, an easy addition to the Temple of Augustus.
On 23 April 1920, the first Grand National Assembly met in this modest stone building, and from here the War of Independence was directed. Step into the original chamber with its wooden desks, then visit the second parliament building nearby, now the Museum of the Republic, for the story of the young country's first years.
Old quarters & beyond the city
Slow down in a restored Ottoman quarter, then head out into the countryside for King Midas's capital or a day in a traditional Anatolian town.
A neighbourhood of restored wooden Ottoman houses, Hamamönü is full of cafés, small craft shops and courtyards where locals linger over tea and backgammon. It is a lovely place for an afternoon stroll, a slice of homemade cake and a taste of everyday Ankara after the grand monuments.
Gordion was the capital of the Phrygian kingdom, and the city of King Midas, famous for his golden touch. Here, in 333 BC, Alexander the Great is said to have cut the Gordian knot. Enter the great Midas Mound, more than 50 metres high, and stand inside a wooden tomb chamber built around 740 BC, one of the oldest standing wooden buildings in the world. Gordion joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2023.
A beautifully preserved town of white Ottoman houses with timber frames, Beypazarı is famous for its silver filigree workshops, its crunchy kurusu biscuits and its carrots, which end up in juice, jam and even Turkish delight. Wander the market lanes, eat at a family restaurant and climb to the old quarter for the view.
On the green campus of the Middle East Technical University, Eymir Lake is where Ankara comes to breathe. A path runs all the way round the water, perfect for a walk or a bike ride among reeds and poplars, with a café by the shore.
Experiences
Every private Ankara tour can mix these experiences in any order, at your own pace.
Anıtkabir and the parliament museums with a guide who brings the founding of the Republic to life.
The museum's treasures, linked to the Hittite, Phrygian and Roman sites they came from.
The castle, the old town, the Temple of Augustus and Hacı Bayram Mosque on foot.
Ankara tava, slow-cooked lamb with rice, traditional bakeries and Beypazarı kurusu.
Gordion for Phrygian history, or Beypazarı for crafts, food and old houses.
Trip length
One day covers Anıtkabir, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the castle. Two days let you enjoy the city at an easy pace, and three let you add Gordion.
Anıtkabir, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the landmarks around the castle and Ulus.
The main sights at a comfortable pace, with time for Hamamönü, local food and more museums.
The capital in depth, plus a full excursion to Gordion and the tomb of King Midas.
Add Beypazarı, or continue to Cappadocia, Konya or Safranbolu.
Good to know
Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are ideal for walking and excursions. Summers are hot and dry but fine for sightseeing. Winters are cold, often with snow, the perfect season for museums.
Ankara Esenboğa Airport is about 30 km from the centre, with flights across Türkiye and Europe. The high-speed train links Ankara with Istanbul in about 4.5 hours and with Konya in under 2 hours, and Cappadocia is about 3.5 hours away by road.
Some of the museum's exhibition halls are temporarily closed from 14 September 2026 to 2 March 2027. We check the latest opening arrangements for you before your visit.
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The founding of the Republic, the ancient civilizations of Anatolia or the traditional towns around the capital: tell us your dates and interests, and we will plan a private itinerary and email it with a price.
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