Lifestyle in Ankara

The expat lifestyle in Ankara is one of access to modern amenities amid the capital’s administrative gravitas. Turkey’s second-largest city provides globally mobile professionals a more measured pace than Istanbul, yet the diplomatic quarter and international business community keep things cosmopolitan.

Eating out and entertainment in Ankara

Eating out and entertainment in Ankara showcases Turkish cuisine at its most diverse, drawing on Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Western and Balkan traditions. The surrounding region supplies fresh ingredients, and the Kalecik district produces Kalecik Karası, Central Anatolia’s signature red wine. You’ll find everything from street vendors grilling kebabs to upscale dining rooms serving modern interpretations of Ottoman dishes.

Most of the nightlife in Ankara is concentrated in Kızılay, where bars, clubs, live music venues and outdoor beer gardens along Sakarya Caddesi draw students and young professionals. Tunali Hilmi Street (also called Tunalı Hilmi Caddesi) hosts a more polished scene, with wine bars and live music venues. On summer evenings, Ankarans spill into courtyards and open-air spaces to catch the breeze.

Shopping in Ankara

Shopping in Ankara ranges from centuries-old bazaars to gleaming contemporary malls. Kızılay, the commercial heart of Ankara, concentrates the city’s retail energy along Atatürk Boulevard and nearby streets. Tunali Street and the Kavaklıdere branch off with their own character, lined with boutiques and cafés.

Some of the best malls in Ankara include the massive ANKAmall – Turkey’s second largest after Istanbul’s Cevahir – and the six-floor Karum Mall, known for its upscale designer boutiques.

Bazaar shopping is an unmissable Turkish experience, and Ankara’s historic Ulus district is home to some of the country’s most flavourful markets, with authentic and handcrafted Turkish goods including handwoven textiles, carpets and traditional fabrics, handmade leather and copper goods, jewellery, spices, embroidery and ceramics. Ulus also hosts Ankara’s oldest food market, where many Ottoman-era houses now serve as restaurants and cafés. Notable market areas include Suluhan Çarşısı, a restored 16th-century caravanserai, and Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu, known for antiques and traditional crafts.

Sports and fitness in Ankara

Sports and fitness in Ankara include international gym chains scattered across the city, plus sports clubs and country clubs for expats. Parks provide green space throughout the capital, although serious runners and hikers head south to Lake Eymir and the adjacent METU Forest. The Eymir loop runs 6.6 miles (10.6km) around the lake, while the 7,500-acre forest offers hilly trail running. Gençlik Parkı in the city centre works for shorter runs, with a roughly 1.2-mile (2km) circuit.

See and do in Ankara

Atakule

Atakule (Turkish for ‘Ancestor Tower’) stands 410 feet (125m) above Ankara’s administrative centre. This communication and observation tower provides panoramic city views. Visitors can dine at the rotating Sevilla Restaurant as they plan their next move.

Ankara Castle

Ankara Castle rises in the historical Ulus district, where stone walls overlook wooden Ottoman houses. First fortified by the Phrygians in the 8th century BCE and rebuilt by the Galatians in 278 BCE, the castle underwent continuous modification under Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman rule. The current walls largely date from the 7th and 9th centuries CE, when Byzantines rebuilt the fortress after Persian destruction. The neighbouring streets are packed with traditional workshops, antique dealers, cafés and restaurants.

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations & Erimtan Archaeology and Art Museum

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara holds collections that cover human habitation from the Palaeolithic age through the Ottoman period, including artefacts from the Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians and the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük, one of the oldest settlements in the world.

The nearby Erimtan Archaeology and Art Museum focuses solely on the Classical era, with contemporary installations aimed at bringing to life the Greek and Roman periods.

Expats bitten by the history bug can plan a day trip to the Hittite sites of Hattuşa, Yazilikaya and Alacahöyük or the Phrygian city of Gordion at Yassıhüyük.

Anitkabir

Anitkabir is the hilltop site of the mausoleum of Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, and is an important pilgrimage site for Turks to pay respects to their first president. Besides the mausoleum, there is a large museum complex commemorating Atatürk’s life and the war for independence. Open daily from 9am to 5pm (4pm in winter), admission is free.

Ankara State Opera House

This theatre shows regular performances for the Turkish State’s Opera, Ballet and Theatre companies, as well as from international classical music companies.

Roman Ruins

Near Ankara Castle in the Ulus district are preserved ruins from the Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus Caesar. These ruins include the remnants of the Temple of Augustus and Rome, as well as the ruins of the Roman baths. Currently under restoration, there are also ruins of a Roman theatre that once sat 3,000-plus spectators.