Ankara is about as European as Turkey will be. The majority of the city looks the same as other British or European cities, but with hints of the mystical east in some areas if you know where to look. Ankara is also a large university town. If you find yourself on the streets of Kizilay, you will find many students are thronged in Sakarya bars mostly through the year.

The status of the capital city with the company of language schools and universities, bring a considerable expatriation community to Ankara, hence the feel of western culture is in place. In addition there are various kinds of military wings stationed here.

Genclik Park has fountains, boat rides and a funfair. Most Saturdays, you will also discover Conscripts patrolling while garbed in a variety of uniforms. Generally British Citizens and European’s come where for business but lately, tourism has begun to make an impact in various places in the city. If you wish to travel to Anatolia, Cappadocia or the Black Sea coast, a suitable place to base yourself is on Ankara. Large expanding numbers of operators and service industries are catering to tourists. There are all levels of accommodation here with prices rivaling those of Istanbul or the south coast.

The most convenient transportation hub in Turkey would be their newly made bus station that provides services to anywhere feasible. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a trip to Lebanon that’s only 16 hours away.

Getting There

Much like Istanbul, there are only limited international flights to Ankara’s airport Esenboga. Lufthansa has the most trips and service to Ankara due to over 4 million Turks living in Germany. There is a newly developed daily service in Stansted Ankara operated by Cypriot Turkish Airlines, in which the pilots would tilt the plane a bit so that you could get a bird’s eye view of the location you’re flying over. It takes getting used to but the view is well worth it.

There are internal flights to Ankara from Istanbul with Turk Hava Yollari, along with Antalya, Izmir and other lesser known airports for a least inexpensive price. It’s a pleasant way to get around if you’re tired of using the night buses. The airport is a fair distance from the city; you can splurge a bit and take a taxi or wait for a bus that will drop you at the station or the railway station for a smaller fee. There are bus services in every regional hub to Ankara.

A bus station about 5 kilometers south west to the city can take you almost anywhere in turkey. There is also a regular albeit slow train service, from Istanbul’s Haydarpsha station and Izmir. If you don’t want to share a cabin with other passengers, there is a couchette available. It can be fun if you don’t mind the 12 hour ride from the regular 6 hour travel.

Food and Drinks

There are many restaurants and eateries here. Western franchises have recently opened here as well. Burger King has a lot of branches, Kentucky Fried Chicken has penetrated the market as well, and the more recent is TGI Friday’s. Aside from the familiar eateries, there are many Turkish restaurants that serve delightful cuisines which you will have no trouble looking for. There are the restaurants that serve the superbly delectable Iskender, (a sliced lamb cooked on a spit with yogurt, tomato and butter), a well known hangover cure called Ishkembe, and tripe soup, all these can be sampled in many of the places here.

Surprisingly, there are a large number of fish restaurants that serve traditional hot and cold Mezze; this is something vegetarians will love. Kizilay is abundant with street foods like Lahmacun, kebabs and pide. There are a large and growing number of brasseries and cafes serving international culinary enchantments although some can be a little pricier than you would expect. They are situated in the up market of Gaziosmanpasa and Canyaka. There are some restaurants claiming to be Mexican or Chinese but you would be better of with food that doesn’t have any exotic pretensions.

Shopping

A second Marks and Spencer’s boutique in Ankara opened recently this year. They have a large range of variety and shopping opportunities and it’s one of the places where you can buy the best rugs in Turkey. A citadel in the old town has outrageously cheap vegetables and fruit. There is also an arcade of gold shops with a collection of souvenirs and antiques.

Sightseeing

Ankara has many museums. The mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is located in Anitkabir on an imposing hill. He was the founder of the Republic of Turkey. It has a blend of modern and ancient style of architecture. A wax statue of Ataturk is housed in an adjacent museum, along with his letters, writing and personal items. Antikabir is open daily while the adjacent museum is closed on Mondays.

The Ankara Ethnography Museum is just opposite of the Opera House near the Ulus district on Talat Pasa Boulevard. They have a fine collection of folklores as well as artifacts from the Ottoman and Seljuk Era. The museum of Anatolian Civilizations is located at the entrance of Ankara Castle. It’s an old covered bazaar that has been restored and houses a large unique collection of Neolithic, Hittite, Urartian, Paleolithic, Roman and Haiti works. They also have a major section for Lydian treasures. The State Art and Sculpture museum is near the Ethnography Museum that has a wide collection of Turkish art dating from the late 19th century to present day.

The War of Independence Museum is located on Ulus Square. It was originally the Republic of Turkey’s first Parliament building. They directed the war from here and have recorded various pictures of items presently directed in place. Exhibits of wax figures of former Presidents of the Republic are other important displays.

Many people are investing in Ankara’s health care and their agriculture, which is slowly turning the country around in terms of economics and standard of living. There are many investment opportunities in Ankara. Financiers are becoming attracted to communication, education, tourism, real estate and land development. Analysts will tell you that you should purchase real estate or land Ankara now while the price is low and the potential for profit is considerable getting higher with the interests growth every year. The land value and property market prices will raise significantly since the government of Turkey are now currently implementing development plans for the cities benefit. The goal is to attract tourists, small and novice financiers, and, multinational and overseas investors.