Ankara

Ankara, Turkey

The heart of the Turkish Republic, Ankara, is the second largest city of Turkey after Istanbul. The city lies on the border where east between west. The European and Middle Eastern cultures merged and coloured the city's architecture, food, wine, nightlife, fashion and arts. Drop the anchor in Ankara, as its name suggests, cross the border between tradition and modernity.

Population:

5,100,000

Currency:

Turkish Lira (TRY) 1 = 100 kuruş

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency: 112
Police: 155
Fire Brigade: 110

Opening Hours:

Shops are normally open Mon–Sat 9am–7/8pm, some are closed over lunch. Larger shops and malls often stay open until later. On Sundays and public holidays, shops are normally closed. Banks are generally open 8.30am–12.30pm and 1.30pm–5.30pm and closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Newspapers:

Foreign newspapers and magazines are available. In addition, Turkish daily newspapers and Today’s Zaman are published in English.

The City

Ankara is not only the capital of Turkey, but also the heart of the nation's artistic talents. The National Opera, National Ballet, National Theatre, and the Presidential Symphony Orchestra are all based here. Around 60 percent of the city’s population is under the age of 30, making it an energetic metropolis under a mini-cultural revolution.

Do & See

To experience the ancient Ankara head over to Ulus, where the narrow and winding streets are filled with stalls and shops selling antiques and Kilims, traditional Persian tapestry. Kızılay is the place to go to for an outdoor beer, deep fried mussels, and inexpensive shopping. If fashion is what you seek, the fashionable central Tunalı and Çankaya have the best offer of modern food and clothing.

Dining

Turkish cuisine is a bridge between far-Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. blending ingredients and flavours from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. connecting far-Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. The emphasis is always on the natural taste and flavour of the ingredients. Main courses are usually served with rice as a side dish.

Turkish dinners are rather long, the food is plenty and enjoyed in the company of friends with passionate conversations carried through the night. After dinner, fresh fruit or desserts like baklava and kadayıf are usually offered by the restaurant.

Cafes

Cafés have been an indispensable part of the Turkish culture for centuries. The café, kahve in Turkish, is a traditional place where people play cards, drink tea or coffee, and discuss politics or soccer. The European style cafés offer a wider variety of food and drinks. Turkish coffee is usually served in small cups and you can choose how much sugar you like in it. Turkish are very proud of their coffee – it is believed that the Turkish were responsible for the introduction of coffee to Europe.