TR · Central Anatolia · 39.93°N 32.85°E

ankara

Anatolian artefacts, Atatürk's mausoleum and old lanes climbing towards a hilltop castle.

Best time
April–June and September–October are pleasant. July–August is hot and dry; winter is cold, with snow some years, and a good time for the museums.
How long
2 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop via Istanbul, about 14–16 hours all in. Esenboğa airport is about 40 minutes from the centre by road. Turkey is 5 hours behind KL all year.
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TR · Central Anatoliaankara39.93°N 32.85°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Anatolian artefacts, Atatürk's mausoleum and old lanes climbing towards a hilltop castle.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingAnkaraTR, Central Anatolia
KLankara
≈ 7,989 km from KL, as the crow flies
Ankara Kocatepe Mosque

Photo: Uğurgüler06 · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Turkey's capital is a modern government city, but it has the country's best archaeology museum, Atatürk's vast mausoleum and an old quarter of steep lanes around the castle. Two days covers it well.

Makan

  1. Ankara tavaLamb baked with orzo, a filling local dish.Map ↗
  2. Ankara simitThe city's sesame rings, darker and crunchier than Istanbul's thanks to a dip in grape molasses.Map ↗
  3. DönerSliced thin from the spit and served on rice or in bread, the quick lunch in Ulus and Kızılay.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Museum of Anatolian CivilizationsHittite reliefs, finds from Neolithic Çatalhöyük and Phrygian bronzes, in a restored Ottoman market hall.Map ↗
  2. AnıtkabirAtatürk's mausoleum on a hilltop, reached along an avenue lined with stone lions.Map ↗
  3. Ankara CastleOld wooden houses and steep lanes inside the walls, with views over the whole city from the top.Map ↗
  4. HamamönüRestored Ottoman houses turned into cafés and craft shops, busiest in the evening.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The museum and the castle sit on the same hill, so pair them; Anıtkabir is a short taxi ride away.
  • Meat is halal as standard, as across Turkey.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.