Ankara is the capital and second largest city of Turkey. It is located in the northwest part of the country, in the central Anatolia region. It has an average elevation of 3,077 feet above sea level. It is the centre of the Turkish Government and also houses all the foreign embassies. This city was formerly famous for the long haired Angora goat and its priced wool, honey, a unique breed of cat, pears and white rabbits and their prized wool. This city is one of the driest places in the whole country. A lot of history lies in this city with amazing facts. 

When to visit Ankara, Turkey

The best time to visit Ankara is from June to September. A lot of people visit this city at this time because the days are warm and pleasant, and the sun shines very bright. The festivities around this time are at its highest. This city is very famous and rich in terms of festival events including Ankara International Film Festival, Ankara Music Festival, Flying Boom International Women’s Film Festival and Ankara International Cartoon Festival which are held at these times and are worth visiting.

What to know about Ankara, Turkey

Climate

Ankara is located in the northern hemisphere. The summers are humid, warm, arid and clear and the winters are cold, wet, cloudy and long. The humidity in the air makes the summer season bearable for all. 25 to 30 is the average temperature in summers with hardly any chance of rain. You can relax around the beach and its sparkling blue water. This is the peak season where you may have to see a lot of crowds in the different places of the city. There are many festivals you will see in the summer season. July is the driest month of the year with 9mm of rainfall. In December, the greatest amount of precipitation occurs with an average of 58mm.  In the winter season, the average temperature goes around -0.6. January has the highest relative humidity of about 74.68%, whereas August has the lowest relative humidity of 37%.

Language 

Turkish is the official language spoken by the native people of the city. Other than Turkish, the local people also speak in German and English. But if you want to learn Turkish, you can pick up a variety of books or audio courses which will help to make your Turkish better.

Currency

The Turkish Lira is the official currency used in Antalya. You are allowed to carry your credit and debit cards with you to this city. There are many ATM machines available in the city. You can exchange your money at the airport exchange facilities, once you land in the city. 

International Ankara Jazz Festival

The International Ankara Jazz Festival started back in 1996 under the name of METU Jazz days. Until 2001, the festival continued with Jazz workshops and concerts at Metu. But in 2002, the name changed to Ankara Jazz Festival and started spreading to many universities of the city. It is one of the most popular and biggest festivals of the city with more than 10,000 attendees. The most important principal and main objective of this festival is to support and promote the local Jazz musicians. Every year, a chance is given to three music groups which are allowed to perform in front of the audience in a concert hall for the first time and like this every year new groups are supported. This festival is a kind of process which is entertaining and educational for all of us. 

Transportation

The excellent public transportation services are the biggest way to get around Ankara and its attractions.

Metros

Public buses

Motorbike hiring

Dolmus

Taxi

Minibus

Cable car

Car hiring

Places of attractions in Ankara, Turkey

The Ankara Castle

The Ankara Castle is a historic fortification in the city which was established around the 8th century BC. There are closely spaced towers which cover an area of about 350 metres by150 metres. This castle is located on the top of a mountain which overlooks the city and the red tiled roofs of the historic houses. The castle used to have a huge structure with four large walls and 42 pentagonal pillars. Various renovations are done on the castle by multiple empires over many years. This ancient castle is on the list of top 10 places to visit in Ankara. It attracts a lot of people across the globe every year.

The Eymir Lake

The Eymir Lake is the popular lake of this city having the length of 4.2 kilometres, width of 250 metres and depth of 3.80 metres to 5 metres. If you are a nature lover, then this place is like a paradise for you. You can visit this place if you want to escape from the traffic, tension, noise and chaos of the everyday city life. It offers a very quiet and calm environment to relax. This lake is sheltered inside a park, where a lot of people visit for exciting activities like walking, jogging, cycling and other exercises. Many people visit this place with their kids and parents for a picnic or peaceful lunch. There are restaurants near the lake which will provide you with food and beverages and in the winter season they will also arrange a bonfire for you. This lake is worth a visit.

Anitkabir

Anitkabir is the most visited attraction of the city and an important modern pilgrimage site of Turkey. It was designed by Emin Halid Onat and Ahmet Orhan Arda. This Mausoleum is constructed from Concrete, travertine and marble. Its length is 57.35 m, width is 41.65m and height is 27m. It is dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and was completed on 1 September 1953. Inside the Anitkabir, there are ten towers which are in a symmetrical arrangement. It has a great architecture and if you are an architecture lover, this is the grandest feat of Turkish style architecture which is popular across the world because of its spectacular architectural elements and is totally worth a visit.