Things to do in Ankara, no research required

Ankara doesn’t pull Istanbul’s crowds, which is most of its appeal. Anıtkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum, anchors the map with a huge number of reviews. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is a few minutes away covering Hittite and Phrygian artifacts, and it’s worth more time than most itineraries give it, so that’s the one to go long on. Haci Bayram Mosque draws worshippers and visitors alike beside the ruins of the Temple of Augustus. Bars and restaurants are mapped across the capital for the gaps between stops, with museums and historic buildings filling in the rest. A working itinerary rather than a highlight reel.