Ankara

Ankara is Turkey’s capital and second-largest city, sitting on the high plateau of Central Anatolia — a working government town that turns out to hold 3,000 years of layered history, from a Phrygian hilltop to Roman baths to the mausoleum of the Republic’s founder.

Hotel Tiers

Budget — from $25–45/night

Mid-Range — from $65–110/night

Comfort — from $110–200+/night

Understanding Ankara

Ankara divides cleanly into old and new. Ulus, the historic core north of the center, is where the city’s Roman and Ottoman layers sit stacked on top of each other — Ankara Castle looks down over the Temple of Augustus, the Column of Julian, and the restored Ottoman houses of , all within a 15-minute walk of each other. Samanpazarı, just below the castle, is the antiques quarter.

South of Ulus, Kızılay is the functional center: metro interchange, shopping streets, the university crowd, and the highest concentration of casual restaurants. It isn’t a sightseeing destination in itself, but nearly every metro or bus route in the city passes through it.

Further south, Çankaya is where the money is — government buildings, foreign embassies, and Ankara’s priciest hotels, along with on its own hilltop. Kavaklıdere and Tunalı Hilmi Street, technically part of Çankaya, are the closest thing Ankara has to a trendy nightlife strip.

Outside the city proper, three places pull day-trippers into Ankara Province: Beypazarı (Ottoman houses and silver craft, about 100km northwest), Gordion (a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site, about 90km southwest), and Gölbaşı, home to Lake Mogan, about 20km south.

When to Go

Which Tourist SIM Card Is Best for Türkiye

For a short stay in Ankara, an eSIM is the simplest option — no queuing at a kiosk on arrival, and it’s active before you land. Airalo’s Turkey and regional eSIM plans cover Ankara’s networks at data-only rates that undercut a physical tourist SIM in most cases; install it before you fly, since you’ll need wifi to activate it. If your phone doesn’t support eSIM, a physical SIM from Turkcell or Vodafone is available at Esenboğa Airport arrivals, though it costs more than an equivalent eSIM plan and requires your passport to register.

How to Get There

Ankara is served by Esenboğa Airport (ESB), about 28km north of the city center — there’s no direct rail or metro link yet, so onward travel means a bus or taxi.

The Havaş shuttle runs from arrivals to AŞTİ (Ankara’s intercity bus terminal), with stops at Ankamall and Pursaklar; the ride takes 50–55 minutes and costs roughly $5. From AŞTİ, the Ankaray metro line reaches Kızılay in about 15 minutes.

The EGO 442 public bus is cheaper — about $3 — and runs directly to Kızılay in around an hour, but it requires an AnkaraKart transit card, sold from machines in the arrivals hall (cash isn’t accepted on board).

A taxi to Kızılay takes about 30 minutes and runs roughly $25 by the meter. Domestic flights and intercity trains also arrive at Ankara’s main station (Ankara Gar) in Ulus, an easy walk or short ride from the historic core.

How to Get Around

Ankara’s metro system has five lines, run by EGO: the Ankaray (A1) crosses the center from AŞTİ through Kızılay; M1–M3 run from Kızılay out to Batıkent and Sincan; M2 heads to Çayyolu; M4 connects AKM to Keçiören. Trains are frequent and air-conditioned, and the fastest way to cover distance in a city that’s more spread out than it looks on a map.

Everything runs on the AnkaraKart, a reloadable transit card that also covers city buses and dolmuş minibuses — buy one from a metro station kiosk or vending machine on arrival, since single-use tickets aren’t sold for every line.

The historic core (Ulus, the Castle, Hamamönü) is walkable once you’re there, and Kızılay to Ulus is a straightforward one-stop metro ride. Çankaya and Kavaklıdere are close enough to Kızılay to walk in good weather, or a short taxi ride otherwise.

Frequently Asked Questions