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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)

Ankara

Give Ankara one night, or a long day from Istanbul on the 4.5-hour high-speed train, for the Anatolian Civilisations Museum and Anıtkabir; do not base a first trip here.

Ankara is Turkey's capital and its second-largest city, on the central Anatolian plateau about 450 km east of Istanbul. It is a government, embassy and university city, so it has fewer tourist sights than Istanbul or the coast. The Anatolian Civilisations Museum and Atatürk's mausoleum, Anıtkabir, are the two reasons to come, and the old citadel quarter fills an evening. It fits a trip as a stop on the way to Cappadocia (about 4 hours by road) rather than a destination of its own.

AdanaAdapazarıAfyonkarahisarAkçaabatAkçakocaAkhisarAksarayAkşehirAkyakaAlaçatıAlanyaAlaşehirAmasraAmasyaAnkara200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Türkiye (Turkey)
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Avoid
Jul–Aug (hot and dry), Dec–Feb (cold, some snow)
Stay
1 night

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
TRY
Money
Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
Daily spend
Budget TRY 1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid TRY 2,000–4,000 excl. bed · High TRY 4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
Emergency
Police 155 · Ambulance 112 · Fire 110
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
Tipping
Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
Water
Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
Toilets
Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.

Get in

By air

ESB · Esenboğa International
About 28 km (17 mi) north of the centre. The HAVAŞ shuttle and city buses run to Kızılay in roughly 45 to 60 minutes; a taxi takes about 30 to 40 minutes (2026 estimate: TRY 800–1,300, check).
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The Ankaray light metro and the M1–M4 metro lines cover the centre; buy a rechargeable AnkaraKart at a kiosk, about TRY 20–30 per ride (2026 estimate, check). Taxis are metered; app-based taxis such as BiTaksi are common. The high-speed train (YHT) links Ankara with Istanbul (about 4.5 hours), Konya and Eskişehir.

See and do

Known for

  • Anıtkabir, mausoleum of Atatürk
  • Museum of Anatolian Civilisations
  • Ankara Citadel and Hamamönü old quarter
  • Rahmi M. Koç Museum
  • Kocatepe Mosque
  • Çankaya government and embassy quarter
  • Atakule tower views
  • Ulus and the Roman Temple of Augustus

Day trips

WhereHowTime
GordionBus or car west via Polatlı, about 100 km (62 mi)About 1.5–2 h each way
SafranboluBus or car north, about 200 km (124 mi)About 3 h
HattusaCar or tour east, about 200 km (124 mi) via ÇorumAbout 3 h

Sleep

Kızılay
Central; metro interchange, shops and restaurants, and the most hotel choice.
Ulus
Next to the citadel and the museum; older, quieter at night, cheaper rooms.
Çankaya
Embassy district with cafés and restaurants; calmer and greener, 10 to 15 minutes by metro or taxi from the sights.

Language

Turkish uses the Latin alphabet with a few extra letters (ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş, ü), so signs are readable once you know the sounds. English works in hotels, tourist restaurants and among younger city people; elsewhere a translation app helps.

  • Pronunciation keys: c = j, ç = ch, ş = sh, ğ lengthens the vowel, ı is a short 'uh'.
  • WhatsApp is used by hotels, guides and shops.

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
  • Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
  • Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
  • Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
  • Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
  • Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
  • Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
  • Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone

Scams and watch-outs

  • Anıtkabir and some museums have security checks; carry photo ID or a passport copy.
  • Summer afternoons are hot and dry; winters are cold with occasional snow, and pavements ice over.
  • Many museums close one day a week, usually Monday: check the official site before you go.
  • Taxis without a running meter are a common complaint: insist on the meter or use a ride-hailing app.
  • Dress modestly and remove shoes in mosques such as Kocatepe; women should carry a headscarf.
  • Check current government travel advice for your country before you go; Turkey is generally open to visitors but advice varies by region, especially near the Syrian and Iraqi borders.

Ankara is generally safe for visitors; the main issues are taxi overcharging, pickpockets on crowded metro lines, and demonstrations, which you should avoid.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Ankara yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Anıtkabir, mausoleum of Atatürk
  • Museum of Anatolian Civilisations
  • Ankara Citadel and Hamamönü old quarter
  • Rahmi M. Koç Museum
  • Kocatepe Mosque
  • Çankaya government and embassy quarter
  • Atakule tower views
  • Ulus and the Roman Temple of Augustus

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Ankara

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/ankara). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.