Ankara - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Road trips, even just for the weekend. - Nov 2023
There are many museums and historical districts to see. I have heard there are some nice playgrounds for younger kids. Lots of people go to the symphony and that it is nice and very affordable. There is also a professional volleyball and basketball league here. - Jan 2023
Wandering the bazaars, hiking around the lakes, rug shopping! - Nov 2021
There are lots of unique neighborhoods in Ankara and easy day trips to the Black Sea and ottoman towns. Ulus is a neat, old part of town. - Sep 2020
Ankara is far from a sterile, administrative capital city. It is well placed to see lots of Turkey's best historical sites. It has great museums; a visit to Ataturk's mausoleum (Anitkabir) is a must. - Oct 2018
Not much to do in the area at all. Some decent hikes. On weekends, people like to visit a lake (Eymir Golu), but it always seems overcrowded. You can hire bikes, but they seem to be in terrible condition, and I have found there are no helmets. - Oct 2018
Tons of historic sites like Ephesus, beautiful places like Cappadocia, Bodrum, Izmir, Fetiye, etc. You have the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts to travel across and even the Black Sea is fun to visit. - Sep 2018
I mostly talked about it above. Go to Kas, there is a restaurant there called Retro Bistro. Some of the best food I've had in my life. Cesme is another beach town that I really like, or you could try Dalyan. There's another place called Pammukale which was an old roman town with a natural spring bath. You can still swim in the spring pool among original roman columns. - Sep 2017
Ask about Rabbit Hole. It's a single table restaurant with one of the best chefs in the world. Take a weekend at Kas. The beaches are worth the trip. Spend as many weekends out of Ankara that you can. You can rent a nice AirBnB for $30 a night. - Jun 2017
Leave :-) Really, use Ankara as a point to travel to Cappadocia, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean... - Aug 2015
Ulus area (Ankara Kalesi, good museums, etc). Plenty of malls. Lots of cafes. - Jun 2015
Exploring. There is way too much to see and do - you can find anything you want, really. Museums, hiking the Lycian way, climbing Mt. Ararat, beaches, getting dive certified, swimming, exploring history, watching the Dervishes, taking classes, hot air ballooning over Cappadocia, sampling unlimited local cheeses and enjoying tea and coffee and getting to know the locals. - Feb 2015
Hamams, wandering the old town Ulus and castle area, hanging out with friends at meyhanes (traditional Turkish pubs). - Jun 2014
Walks around Eymir Golu (Lake), trips to old town ULUS, Lavish lunches at Liva or Elizinn. - Apr 2014
There are so many things to do here. Theater, hiking groups on Sundays, Poker Clubs, Choral Clubs, the Hash, book clubs, cooking clubs, Ice skating. You can discover many hidden gems here if your eyes are open and you get out of your expat pocket. - Mar 2014
Ulus area is very nice. Quaint shops and old hamams. - Mar 2014
See Attaturks mausoleum, shop in Ulus (old town Ankara), go to a mall and see an English language movie or go bowling. - Jul 2013
Ankara itself is rather boring. It's nice to walk around the old town and visit a few museums. Otherwise, it's easy to view films in English or hit a mall. Having the base here is a bonus. - Aug 2011
Ankara has some great movie theaters with current movies. Even IMAX movie theaters. Also good restaurants and a few good pubs. Travel and go sightseeing outside of Ankara. - Jul 2010
