Anıtkabir
The mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The Road of Lions, the Ceremonial Plaza and the Atatürk & War of Independence Museum are all on the same grounds; allow around two hours.
15 min by car from the hotel
Ankara: the capital’s history, museums and places to see
The city where the Republic was founded sits in the middle of Anatolia — a seat of government and a three-thousand-year-old settlement at the same time. This page gathers the places we recommend during your stay, the museums, the local kitchen and how to get around.
About Ankara
Ankara is a plateau city in Central Anatolia, some 890 metres above sea level. Phrygians, Galatians, Romans, Seljuks and Ottomans each lived here in turn; remains such as the Temple of Augustus inscriptions and the Roman Baths still stand in the middle of the city.
After it was declared the capital of the Republic of Türkiye on 13 October 1923, the city grew to a plan — the contrast between the historic fabric of Ulus and the modern boulevards of Çankaya traces those two eras. Today Ankara is a year-round destination with its universities, embassies, concert halls and museums.
- Capital since
- 13 October 1923
- Elevation
- About 890 m
- Region
- Central Anatolia
- Climate
- Continental — dry summers, cold winters
Places to see
The stops we suggest to first-time visitors, with travel times from the hotel.
Ankara Castle
A neighbourhood of narrow streets inside Roman and Byzantine walls. The ramparts look out over the whole city, and the Coppersmiths’ Bazaar below is the place for handmade copperware and spices.
20 min by car from the hotel
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
Housed in two Ottoman buildings at the foot of the castle, the museum covers Anatolia from the Palaeolithic to the Roman era — including the most comprehensive Hittite collection in the world.
20 min by car from the hotel
Hamamönü
Streets of restored Ankara houses. The home of poet Mehmet Âkif Ersoy, small museums, craft workshops and courtyard breakfast places sit side by side.
20 min by car from the hotel
Atakule
The 125-metre tower in Çankaya, with a panorama of the city from its observation deck. The nearest major landmark to the hotel — an easy walk.
18 min walk from the hotel
Kocatepe Mosque
One of the largest mosques in Türkiye, built in classical Ottoman style just above Kızılay. You can walk up from the city centre.
20 min walk from the hotel
Gençlik Park & CerModern
The historic city park in Ulus sits next to a contemporary art centre converted from old railway workshops; between the exhibitions, concerts and cafés it is worth half a day.
15 min by car from the hotel
Lake Eymir
A quiet lake south of the city, ringed by walking and cycling paths. This is where locals go at the weekend.
25 min by car from the hotel
Museums
Most of them are around Ulus and within walking distance of one another. Please confirm opening hours on each museum’s own website before you go.
- Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
- Ulus — Hittite, Phrygian and Urartian collections
- Ankara Ethnography Museum
- Namazgâh Hill — Seljuk and Ottoman crafts
- War of Independence Museum (1st Assembly)
- Ulus — the first parliament building
- Republic Museum (2nd Assembly)
- Ulus — the early years of the Republic
- Rahmi M. Koç Museum
- Ankara Castle, Çengelhan — transport and industry
- CerModern
- Sıhhiye — contemporary art and temporary shows
- Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum
- Opera — Turkish painting of the Republican era
- MTA Natural History Museum
- Eskişehir Road — fossils and minerals
The Ankara kitchen
The local kitchen is plain and filling, and several of its products carry a geographical indication. You will find all of them around the hotel and in the traditional restaurants of Ulus.
- Ankara tava
- Lamb baked with orzo — the registered local dish
- Ankara okra soup
- A light soup made with the small dried okra grown around the city
- Beypazarı kurusu
- A layered dry pastry particular to the district of Beypazarı
- Çubuk pickles
- Pickles set with the vinegar of Çubuk, protected by geographical indication
- Ankara simit
- Thicker and more heavily sesamed than elsewhere
- Beans and rice
- The staple of the tradesmen’s restaurants in Ulus and Kızılay
Getting around the city
- Metro (M1–M4)
- Four lines centred on Kızılay, running towards Batıkent, Koru, Törekent and Keçiören.
- Ankaray (A1)
- Runs between AŞTİ and Dikimevi, with an interchange to the metro at Kızılay.
- Başkentray
- The Sincan–Kayaş commuter line, crossing the city from east to west.
- Ankarakart
- A single card valid on the metro, Ankaray and EGO buses. Sold at station booths and kiosks.
- Esenboğa Airport
- About 28 km from the city centre, reached by airport shuttle or taxi.
For directions to the hotel itself, parking and pick-up arrangements, see our Location page.
GETTING TO THE HOTELPractical information
- Best time to visit
- April–June and September–October, when the weather is mild and the sky is clear.
- Climate and clothing
- Continental: winters drop below freezing, summers pass 30 °C. The air is dry, so layers work well between seasons.
- Emergency number
- 112 — a single number for medical, police, fire and gendarmerie.
- Shopping
- Tunalı Hilmi Street and Karum are within walking distance of the hotel; for handmade copper, the Coppersmiths’ Bazaar below the castle.
- Day trips
- Beypazarı (1.5 hours) and the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Gordion (1 hour) can both be done and returned from in a day.
Official source
For Ankara’s history, museums, event calendar and up-to-date visitor information, see the official website of the Ankara Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism.