We have been travelling to Ankara at least twice a year every year for nearly nine years now, and I have grown to love the city even more than Istanbul. Ankara is very, very different to Istanbul and, in many ways, it is unfair to compare the two.
So, why do I love Ankara? Basically because it provides all the things I want in a city (given that I'm not really a "city person"). Truly, it has something for everyone.
If you want history, it's got it - from Roman ruins, to the Citadel (Castle), to Ataturk and the War of Independence, which lead to the founding of the modern Republic of Turkey.
If you want grandeur, it's got it - even if you don't know the history, who can fail to be moved by Anitkabir, the imposing mausoleum built to honour Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
If you want iconic, modern buildings, it's got them - from the 1970s' classic Sheratonhotel to the skyscraper Is Bankasi building.
If you want shopping, it's all there - from street bazaars and wonderful open markets to the Oxford Street-style of Kizilay and the designer shops of Cankaya and Gazi Osman Pasa. From market trader, to Marks & Spencer, to MaxMara, it's all there.
If your taste runs more to museums, don't miss the superb (and wheel-chair compatible) Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, the Ethnographic Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Rahmi Koc Industrial Museum on the outskirts of the Citadel (where we went intending to pass a couple of hours and ended up spending all day, including having an excellent lunch in their cafe) ....... If your taste is more eclectic, there are museums dedicated to railways, toys, coins, stamps ... the list goes on.
What other capital city offers you the chance to go to the opera and see high quality performers in classic productions for under £4.00 (9YTL) a ticket? Yes, that really does read Four Pounds Sterling! In the last year, we have seen Madame Butterfly, La Traviata and Don Pasquale and I'm desperately trying to work out how we can fit in another trip, to catch Il Trovatore before the end of the season in May. The opera season is interspersed with ballets and modern dance productions, so culture vultures are well and truly catered for, before you even begin to mention the classical concerts, particularly at Bilkent University but also at several other concert halls throughout the city.
And then there are the restaurants, covering every style, taste, cuisine, price bracket, from traditional Turkish kebabs and stews (about £8 buys two courses for two people, including soft drinks) to smart international menus (costing up to £60 for two, including wine and coffee). Many restaurants lay on entertainment, especially at the weekends; from traditional Turkish classical or fasil music to karaoke, it's available if you want it.
So, don't let the people who dismiss Ankara as a "boring, modern city" put you off - the chances are they haven't properly explored the place themselves! Even if you are only routing through Ankara to the more touristy attractions of Cappadocia or the eastern Black Sea area, take time out and give the city a chance; it's worth it.
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Feb 27th, 2008
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