Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second-largest city, home to around 5.8 million people in the metropolitan area. Founded as the Republic's capital in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Ankara replaced Istanbul as the seat of government and grew rapidly throughout the 20th century. The city blends its ancient Hittite and Roman heritage with modernist Republican architecture and a vibrant contemporary urban scene. Anıtkabir — Atatürk's mausoleum — is the defining landmark, while the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations ranks among the world's finest archaeological collections. Ankara sits on the central Anatolian plateau at roughly 850 metres above sea level, giving it a continental climate with hot dry summers and cold snowy winters.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Gordion (Ancient Phrygian Capital)
Gordion was the capital of the Phrygian kingdom and is associated with the legend of King Midas and the Gordian Knot. The site features a UNESCO-listed burial mound field including the Great Tumulus (King Midas's tomb, which visitors can enter), an excellent on-site museum with Phrygian furniture and artefacts, and ongoing archaeological excavations. The surrounding steppe landscape is dramatic and photogenic.
Highlights: Great Tumulus (King Midas's tomb) — entry included in ticket · Gordion Museum with Phrygian wooden furniture (c. 740 BC) · Archaeological site and excavation area · Steppe landscape with dozens of tumuli
Beypazarı
Beypazarı is one of Turkey's best-preserved Ottoman towns, set in a valley 100 km northwest of Ankara. The town is famous for its magnificent 19th-century Ottoman mansions (konak), silver jewellery workshops, dried carrot sweets (a local speciality), and bustling weekly market (Tuesdays). Narrow cobbled lanes wind between overhanging wooden-balconied houses. A completely authentic Turkish provincial town.
Highlights: Ottoman mansion streetscapes · Silver jewellery workshops · Tuesday market (Salı Pazarı) · Dried carrot sweets (havuç lokumu) · Beypazarı Museum of Ethnography
Safranbolu
Safranbolu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — a remarkably intact Ottoman town with over 2,000 original Ottoman stone-and-timber mansions lining its cobbled streets. Named after saffron (safran) once grown in the valley, it is one of Turkey's most beautiful historic towns. The Cinci Han caravanserai and Köprülü Mehmet Paşa Mosque are highlights.
Highlights: UNESCO World Heritage old town · Over 2,000 original Ottoman mansions · Cinci Han caravanserai · Köprülü Mehmet Paşa Mosque · Historic copper and leather craft workshops · Safranbolu lokum (Turkish delight) — town speciality
Cappadocia (Kapadokya)
Cappadocia is one of Turkey's most iconic landscapes, with fairy chimneys, rock-cut churches, underground cities, and hot air balloons. While commonly visited from Göreme or Nevşehir, it is accessible as a long day trip from Ankara — though staying 1–2 nights is strongly recommended to do it justice. The closest key sites (Göreme Open Air Museum, Derinkuyu Underground City) are in Nevşehir Province.
Highlights: Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO) · Fairy chimney valleys · Hot air balloon flight over the landscape (book months in advance) · Derinkuyu or Kaymakli underground cities · Avanos ceramic workshops
Kızılcahamam Thermal Springs
A relaxing half-day or full-day escape to the forested thermal spa town north of Ankara. The town's mineral-rich springs feed indoor and outdoor pools at several spa hotels. The surrounding Soğuksu National Park offers gentle forest walks. An ideal recovery day after intensive sightseeing.
Highlights: Thermal spring pools (35–42°C) · Soğuksu National Park forest walks · Turkish hammam · Local trout restaurants · Fresh mountain air
Konya
Konya is the spiritual heart of the Seljuk Turkish world and home to the Mevlana Museum — the mausoleum and museum of Jalal ad-Din Rumi, the Sufi mystic and poet who founded the Mevlevi order (the Whirling Dervishes). The Mevlana Museum is one of Turkey's most visited sites. The city also has outstanding Seljuk mosques and the Karatay Ceramics Museum.
Highlights: Mevlana Museum (tomb of Rumi) · Alaeddin Mosque (Seljuk) · Karatay Ceramics Museum · İnce Minareli Medrese · Whirling Dervish sema ceremony (most Saturdays)
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Under 2h
Gordion (Ancient Phrygian Capital)
Beypazarı Ottoman Town
Kızılcahamam Thermal Springs
2 To 3h
Safranbolu (UNESCO Ottoman Town)
Cappadocia (Kapadokya)
Konya
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start early — most popular day-trip destinations get crowded by mid-morning.
Check return transport times before you leave — missing the last train or bus can be costly.
Carry water, snacks, and layers — weather and food options can be limited at smaller destinations.