Ankara

Ankara is about as European as Turkey gets. There are touches of the mystical east if you know where to look but the vast majority of the city is 20th century through and through. Ankara is a huge university town and you'll find the streets of Kizilay and the bars of Sakarya thronged with students for most of the year. Capital city status and the presence of language schools and the above mentioned universities has brought a sizeable ex pat community to Ankara and all this adds to the western feel of the place. All the wings of the military are based here and Saturday afternoon finds Genclik Park (fountains, funfair, boat rides) full of strolling conscripts in their various uniforms.

General attractions
Anıtkabir, Atatürk's mausoleum.Anıtkabir is located on an imposing hill in the Anittepe quarter of the city stands the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey. Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architecture. An adjacent museum houses a superior wax statue of Atatürk, his writings, letters and personal items, as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and in the establishment of the Republic (Anitkabir is open everyday, and the adjacent museum every day except Mondays).

The Ankara Ethnography Museum (Etnoğrafya Müzesi): This museum is opposite the Opera House on Talat Pasa Boulevard, in Ulus district. There is a fine collection of folkloric as well as Seljuk- and Ottoman-era artifacts

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi): Situated at the Ankara Castle entrance, it is an old "bedesten" (covered bazaar) that has been beautifully restored and now houses a unique collection of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, and Roman works and showpiece Lydian treasures.

The Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum (Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Müzesi): is an industrial museum opposite the entrance to the Citadel, close to Anatolian Civilization Museum. Located in the historic Çengelhan - a former Caravanserai, built in 1522 - the Museum displays huge variety of exhibits on such diverse themes as Engineering, Road Transport, Scientific Instruments, Maritime, Medicine, and many others. The beautiful and atmospheric courtyard now houses the newly restored shop where the founder of the Koç Group, Mr Vehbi Koç started his working life. And when you have finished your museum visit, you can relax in either the Divan Café or the sophisticated Divan Brasserie in the courtyard.

The War of Independence Museum (Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi): In Ulus Square, is what was originally the first parliament building of the Republic of Turkey. There the War of Independence was planned and directed here as recorded in various photographs and items presently on exhibition. In another display, wax figures of former presidents of the Republic of Turkey are on exhibit.

The TCDD Locomotive Museum: Near the railway station by Celal Bayar Blvd., is a very interesting open-air museum that traces the history of steam locomotion through the locomotives and artifacts on display.

Museum of Anatolian Civilisation

There is a strong argument in favour of visiting this collection of exhibits before traveling anywhere else in Turkey. If you find yourself in Ankara and you're in any way interested in the history of Asia Minor you should make your way here. The museum is housed in a charming building, a restored covered market dating from the 15th Century and is easily accessible from the centre of town. On foot you should get yourself to Ulus Meydane, easily identifiable by the large Ataturk equestrian statue on the corner. Turning right onto Hisarparki Caddesi you'll see the citadel rising up ahead of you. Turn right again when you reach Ipek Sokak and as you approach you'll see the tour buses lined up outside the museum gates above you and to your left.
The collections place an unusual emphasis on the earlier of Anatolia's occupiers, starting with an interesting exhibit of finds from the Catal Huyuk site, often described as the earliest known human community in the world. Other highlights include a collection of tablets, the translations of which remind you how little some things in the world have changed over the millenia.