All You Need to Know About Ankara in 20 Instagram Photos

Ankara is known for its love of fashion, and the city has everything from the big luxury brands to more boutique stores where you can always find something unique.

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Even though Ankara doesn’t have the Bosphorus like Istanbul, its cityscape is still beautiful with rolling hills, lots of trees, and orange rooftops.

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Lake Mogan, located 16 miles (25.7 kilometers) south of Ankara, is a popular destination on the weekends when locals want to get away from the hectic city vibe.

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On a cloudy day, the view from the Ankara Castle is truly beautiful, with the city unfurling right before your eyes under the gray sky.

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Tunalı Street’s famous Kuğulu Park (Swan Park) has, true to its name, a small man-made lake with pretty swans gliding around beautifully.

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One of the capital’s most beautiful works of architecture is the Ankara Palas, which dates back to 1924 and is currently used as an official state guest house.

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The Ankara cat (also known as Angora cat) is one of the city’s trademarks and is recognizable by its snow white fur and green eyes.

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The most popular late-night snack in Ankara is aspava, or döner meat rolled in thin lavaş bread with a delicious tomato sauce, which is also poured onto the accompanying fries.

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One of Ankara’s most famous sights is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s mausoleum, frequently photographed by both locals and visitors.

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Kızılay is one of Ankara’s most lively streets, and in its main square, you’ll find the Güven Anıtı (Trust Monument), created by the Austrian sculptors Anton Hanak and Joseph Thorak in 1935.

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Tunalı Hilmi Street is the perfect place to get some shopping done and mingle with the locals, but once you need a break, make sure to relax a bit in the park.

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The open-air bazaar in Ankara’s old town is called Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu, and you’ll end up loving the old houses as well as the handmade goods and antiques for sale.

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When in Ankara, make sure to go to Uludağ Kebabçısı to eat a plate of İskender Kebab – pide bread topped with döner meat, tomato sauce, and melted butter. Simply amazing.

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One of Ankara’s most famous sights for history enthusiasts, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is no doubt worth a visit.

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One of the capital’s landmarks is Atakule, which protrudes into the sky like a spaceship entity, especially at night when illuminated with different colored lights.

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One of the most important hubs for contemporary art in Turkey, CerModern repurposed an old train depot to become the city’s most important art gallery.

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Opened in 1943, Gençlik Parkı (Youth Park) is the most nostalgic park in Ankara, and a lot of the city’s older locals have many memories related to this particular place.

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A great bird’s-eye view where the old and new town come together harmoniously and express how much Ankara has developed and grown.

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Just like Istanbul, Ankara also has its fair share of street cats that have claimed the city as their own.

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The Ankara Castle, controlled by the Romans and Byzantines before the Seljuk Turks and then the Ottoman Empire overtook it, still overlooks the city from its historic perch.

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