Ankara Travel Guide: A Family Visit to Anıtkabir, the Castle and Museums
Anıtkabir, the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, Ankara Castle and Hamamönü with kids: routes by area, admission info and local food.
Ankara may seem like a formal capital at first, but its historic Ulus district, castle and museums make it an easy city to explore as a family. In this guide, we have grouped the capital’s best-known sights into two main areas.
Ulus and the Castle reveal the city’s older side, with museums close together and restored streets. Anıtkabir and Kızılay represent more modern Ankara. The MTA Natural History Museum and Rahmi Koç Museum make good breaks for children.
Before you go: key notes
How many days do you need in Ankara?
Two days is enough for Anıtkabir, the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and the Castle.
Is Ankara suitable for children?
The dinosaur skeletons at the MTA Natural History Museum, Rahmi Koç Museum, Gençlik Park and the changing of the guard at Anıtkabir all appeal to children.
Is there an admission charge for Anıtkabir?
No, admission to Anıtkabir is free.
Plan at a family pace: The days below are suggested itineraries. Shorten them to suit the time you spend inside museums and monuments; approximate visit lengths exclude queues and travel. Turkish citizens under 18 enter ministry-run museums and archaeological sites free; Müzekart offers access to these sites for a year.
Suggested itinerary
| Plan | Route | How to simplify it |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1: Anıtkabir and modern Ankara | Anıtkabir → Kocatepe Mosque → Kızılay → Atakule | Visit Anıtkabir in the morning; the grounds are extensive and there is little shade. |
| Day 2: Ulus and the Castle | Museum of Anatolian Civilisations → Ankara Castle → Hamamönü → Roman Baths | The climb to the castle can be difficult with a stroller. |
| Extra stop with children | MTA Natural History Museum or Rahmi Koç Museum | Indoor museums are ideal for winter and rainy days. |
Tickets and tours: Timed bookings for popular outings such as city tours can sell out in advance. Browse Ankara tickets and tours on GetYourGuide to compare skip-the-line admission and guided tours.
Where to stay in Ankara with kids
Here are the areas for families staying in Ankara. With kids, where your hotel is decides how often you’ll say “shall we head back?”; being able to return for a midday break is a big relief.
| Area | Good for | Watch out | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kızılay | Metro links and the heart of the city | Crowded, heavy traffic | See on Booking |
| Ulus and the Citadel | Close to the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, the Citadel and Hamamönü | Some hotels are dated | See on Booking |
| Kavaklıdere and Çankaya | Quieter, orderly streets and parks | Metro or taxi to the historic areas | See on Booking |
What we look at when choosing: A lift (does the stroller fit without folding?), being close to the train or metro, a family room for three or an apartment with a kitchen, and air conditioning in summer.
Accommodation: Compare hotels and apartments in Ankara on Booking.com; choosing free cancellation keeps your plans flexible.
Contents
- Before you go: key notes
- Where to stay in Ankara with kids
- Anıtkabir and Kızılay
- Ulus and the Castle
- Local flavours
- Sources and visitor information
Anıtkabir and Kızılay
Anıtkabir
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Atatürk’s mausoleum is part of a large complex that includes the Lion Road, Ceremonial Plaza and a museum. The changing of the guard captures children’s attention.
Why go? The mausoleum of Atatürk, founder of the Republic, is one of Türkiye’s most meaningful monuments, with simple yet powerful architecture. Walking along the Lion Road, watching the changing of the guard and seeing the museum’s panoramas of the War of Independence make an unforgettable history lesson for children.
Visit summary
- Area: Anıtkabir and Kızılay
- Highlight: Atatürk’s mausoleum
- Suggested visit length: About 1,5–2 hours
- Type of visit: Outdoors / museum
- Admission: Free
- Nearby stops: Kocatepe Mosque
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Kocatepe Mosque
Ankara’s largest mosque, modelled on classical Ottoman architecture.
Why go? Its huge dome, inspired by classical Ottoman architecture, is part of the capital’s skyline. Close to Kızılay and easy to add to your route, it is an impressive stop for its interior.
Visit summary
- Area: Anıtkabir and Kızılay
- Highlight: The capital’s great mosque
- Suggested visit length: About 20–30 minutes
- Type of visit: Indoors
- Admission: Free
- Nearby stops: Anıtkabir, Atakule
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Atakule
One of the city’s landmarks, this observation tower offers views over Ankara.
Why go? Ankara’s landmark tower looks out over the whole city and the surrounding steppe. It is a good place to appreciate the capital’s size and understand its layout from above.
Visit summary
- Area: Anıtkabir and Kızılay
- Highlight: Views over Ankara
- Suggested visit length: About 45 minutes
- Type of visit: Tower visit
- Admission: Paid admission
- Nearby stops: Kocatepe Mosque, MTA Şehit Mühendis Cuma Ali Gürbüzer Natural History Museum
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
MTA Şehit Mühendis Cuma Ali Gürbüzer Natural History Museum
A museum children love, with dinosaur skeletons, fossils and minerals.
Why go? Giant dinosaur skeletons, fossils and sparkling minerals fill this museum and leave children wide-eyed. Free admission and tangible examples explaining how the Earth formed make it a hidden gem for families.
Visit summary
- Area: Anıtkabir and Kızılay
- Highlight: Dinosaur skeletons and fossils
- Suggested visit length: About 1–1,5 hours
- Type of visit: Indoors
- Admission: Free
- Nearby stops: Atakule
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Ulus and the Castle
Museum of Anatolian Civilisations
An award-winning museum displaying Anatolian artefacts from the Palaeolithic to the Roman period. The Hittite collection is particularly important.
Why go? Ten thousand years of Anatolian history, from Çatalhöyük and the Hittites to the Phrygians and Urartians, unfold inside an Ottoman covered market. This European Museum of the Year award-winning collection explains why these lands are called the “cradle of civilisations”.
Visit summary
- Area: Ulus and the Castle
- Highlight: Thousands of years of Anatolian history
- Suggested visit length: About 1,5–2 hours
- Type of visit: Indoors
- Admission: Paid admission · Müzekart accepted
- Nearby stops: Ankara Castle
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Ankara Castle
The city’s oldest settlement area, with views over Ankara from the ramparts. The old houses and shops within the castle are also worth seeing.
Why go? The castle on the hill where the city began, with its walls and old Ankara houses, reveals the capital’s oldest face. Looking across the city from the ramparts and wandering the narrow streets inside uncover the history beneath Ankara’s modern appearance.
Visit summary
- Area: Ulus and the Castle
- Highlight: City views from the ramparts
- Suggested visit length: About 45–60 minutes
- Type of visit: Outdoors / rampart walk
- Admission: Free (outdoors)
- Nearby stops: Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, Hamamönü
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Hamamönü
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A pleasant neighbourhood for a walk, with restored old Ankara houses, cafés and craft shops.
Why go? Restored Ankara houses with projecting upper windows, craft shops and cafés preserve the atmosphere of old Ankara. It is one of the city’s most charming corners for a late-afternoon stroll and a traditional tea break.
Visit summary
- Area: Ulus and the Castle
- Highlight: Restored historic houses
- Suggested visit length: About 1 hours
- Type of visit: Neighbourhood walk
- Admission: Free (outdoors)
- Nearby stops: Ankara Castle, Roman Baths
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Roman Baths
The open-air remains of a Roman bath complex.
Why go? The hot rooms and underfloor heating system of the baths survive from the Roman period, when Ankara was known as Ancyra. An interesting stop for showing children how the Romans bathed.
Visit summary
- Area: Ulus and the Castle
- Highlight: Roman bath complex
- Suggested visit length: About 30 minutes
- Type of visit: Archaeological site
- Admission: Paid admission · Müzekart accepted
- Nearby stops: Hamamönü, Rahmi M. Koç Museum Ankara
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Rahmi M. Koç Museum Ankara
Set in historic caravanserais near the castle, this museum suits families with its toys, vehicles and scientific objects.
Why go? Toys, scientific instruments and historic vehicles are displayed in an engaging way inside the historic Çengelhan. Easy to combine with the castle, it is a museum children can explore without getting bored.
Visit summary
- Area: Ulus and the Castle
- Highlight: Toy and vehicle collection
- Suggested visit length: About 1–1,5 hours
- Type of visit: Indoors
- Admission: Paid admission
- Nearby stops: Roman Baths, Gençlik Park
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Gençlik Park
A large park in Ulus, with a lake, walking paths and children’s amusement areas.
Why go? Created in the early years of the Republic to give the capital some breathing space, the park remains a meeting place for families, with its lake and amusement areas. It is a centrally located place for children to burn off energy between sights.
Visit summary
- Area: Ulus and the Castle
- Highlight: Park with a lake and amusement areas
- Suggested visit length: About 1 hours
- Type of visit: Park
- Admission: Free (outdoors)
- Nearby stops: Rahmi M. Koç Museum Ankara
- Open map: Search for this place on Google Maps
Local flavours
These are some of the flavours associated with Ankara. Once we add places we have personally tried, this section will become a list of venues like those in our other city guides.
| Food | What it is known for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Ankara tava | Oven-baked lamb and rice dish | Restaurants in Ulus |
| Beypazarı kurusu | Crisp rusks served with tea | Hamamönü and delicatessens |
| Simit | Ankara-style sesame bread rings | Everywhere |
| Döner | Ankara’s famous thinly sliced döner | Kızılay and Ulus |
Sources and visitor information
Museum and archaeological site opening hours change with the seasons, and some close on Mondays. Admission prices change frequently, so we have left out exact amounts; check the official websites before visiting. Individual location links are Google Maps searches using the place name.