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Discover a local perspective of Türkiye’s tourism capital

Explore the city of Ankara with local travel expert Ms. İlayda, as she introduces the newly named 2026 Tourism Capital of the Turkic World.

“Ankara makes a quiet but lasting impression,” says travel and lifestyle content creator Ms. İlayda, known as Ankara Gusto to her followers. “But once you get into it, you realize it has many layers.”

High on the Anatolian Plateau, Ankara is an ancient city that has been a meeting point of culture, ideas, and politics for centuries. But historically, it has drawn less attention from travelers than some of Türkiye’s other cities.

“I think many people misunderstand Ankara, İlayda adds. “But for me, it’s peaceful, organized, and has a really authentic daily life.”

Now, as Ankara is being celebrated as the 2026 Tourism Capital of the Turkic World, İlayda hopes her love of Türkiye’s second-largest city will encourage more people to visit “one of the country’s most peaceful and authentic places.”

A city of history and talent

“When visiting Ankara, I would start with Anıtkabir,” she says. “It’s the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, and it represents a space of memory and respect.”

The location of Anıtkabir was chosen for its visibility from almost everywhere in the city

A city of history and talent

Anıtkabir is a striking neoclassical monument and a fitting entry point into the history that underpins modern Turkish identity. “The architecture is simple yet monumental,” İlayda adds. “The atmosphere creates a very strong emotional experience. It’s something everyone should visit at least once.”

From there, İlayda suggests exploring the old streets to Ankara Castle, known locally as Ankara Kalesi. From the ancient citadel, visitors can trace the outline of old Ankara that still shapes the city today. “For anyone who wants to feel the soul of the city, Ankara Kalesi is a great place to go,” she says.

A deep sense of history runs through İlayda’s experience of the capital, where museums and heritage sites reveal the city’s many layers. Foremost among them is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, a world-class landmark near Ankara Castle that traces Anatolia’s ancient past through extraordinary archaeological collections. Named European Museum of the Year in 1997, it remains one of the city’s essential cultural attractions.

The long view of history reaches into every corner of the city. Gordion, the ancient Phrygian capital, and Aslanhane Mosque, a rare Seljuk-era example of Anatolian craftsmanship, both hold UNESCO World Heritage status. And closer to the city center, the Hacı Bayram Veli Mosque stands beside the Template of August as a symbol of the city’s layered past.

Gordion is believed to be the burial ground of the legendary King Midas

Ankara’s modern identity is just as important, with the State Art and Sculpture Museum, housed in one of the city’s early republican buildings, reflecting its artistic evolution. Elsewhere, the Rahmi M. Koç Museum, the MTA Natural History Museum, and the Erimtan Archaeology and Arts Museum show even more sides of the city’s cultural and natural history.

“At Erimtan, there are creative events,” she says. “Last summer, they hosted ‘Night at the Museum’ themed parties, which was really different and fun.”

Other world-class live performance can be found a short walk away at the Ankara State Opera and Ballet, one of the city’s finest artistic institutions since its opening in 1948. CSO Ada Ankara, a concert hall and music campus decades in the making, is another standout in this cultural cluster, and will be one of the venues hosting the Culture Route Festival. This city-wide event will bring more than 5,000 artists to Ankara in September 2026, for hundreds of concerts and exhibitions.

A taste of Ankara’s neighborhoods

“Ankara tastes like comfort food,” İlayda says, referencing her home city’s food scene.

Ankara tava is one of the city’s must-try specialties. It’s a slow-cooked, one-pot combination of lamb and rice, rich with stock and spices: the kind of dish that reflects the city’s unpretentious, communal approach to eating.

Ankara simit owes its crunch to the warm, thick molasses solution it is dipped in before baking

A taste of Ankara’s neighborhoods

“Ankara tastes like comfort food,” İlayda says, referencing her home city’s food scene.

Döner, too, is less dressed up than in more tourist-driven cities, tending to be simpler and more focused on the quality of the meat. Even something as simple as simit reflects how the city places an emphasis on tradition. Ankara’s version of the iconic sesame-crusted bread ring tends to be darker, with a more pronounced crunch than in other cities.

“What makes the lokanta (Turkish home-style cooking) culture special is that it can be elegant while still keeping that authentic, traditional spirit,” İlayda says. It can be found in the Gaziosmanpaşa and Çankaya neighborhoods, long-standing local joints which sit alongside newer cafés and fine dining spots, giving the area a lived-in feel.

Then there’s Tunalı Hilmi, which İlayda returns to repeatedly. It’s one of the city’s main social arteries, a place where people meet late into the evening over coffee, and then rakı, a local Turkish spirit. “There are now many stylish places to eat and spend time with friends in Tunalı, but becoming iconic in Ankara is not easy,” she says. “A place either has to stand the test of time or create a truly unique story.”

Ankara isn’t about big attractions, but “feeling the real, calm, and authentic Turkish lifestyle.” That is ultimately what İlayda hopes visitors take away. “It’s a city where you can slow down, enjoy good food, and feel the local culture. It’s very special.”